Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
AAP
AAP
Sport
Joel Gould

Dolphins bracing for toughest challenge yet: Gilbert

Tom Gilbert says the Dolphins are preparing for their toughest test despite a winning start. (Darren England/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

Dolphins lock Tom Gilbert says the side's Dolphins' inaugural NRL win over the Sydney Roosters at Suncorp Stadium was outstanding.

The follow-up victory over the Canberra Raiders in Redcliffe was even better.

"But this next game away against Newcastle on Friday night is going to be an even bigger challenge for us," Gilbert told AAP.

"We are a new side. We are travelling together. The boys' routine is different.

"How will it work? That is a big question after a short turnaround. We just need to get up for it.

"It will be even more telling if we can turn up with resilience and get the job done next week."

Gilbert was speaking to AAP in the undefeated Dolphins' dressing room after the 20-14 round-two win over the Raiders and looking ahead to the clash with an injury-ravaged Knights.

Newcastle have a raft of key players out including Kalyn Ponga, Jayden Brailey, Tyson Frizell and Jacob Saifiti but showed incredible courage of their own last week in a win for the ages over Wests Tigers.

The grit shown in the Dolphins' fightback against the Raiders after trailing 12-0 is what the club wants to be known for.

"That was special. We are a team that is going to focus big on the process and not the result, and it was one of those days where we got the result but probably didn't get the process," Gilbert said.

"The underlying thing is that we turned up. We had 20 minutes playing with 12 people. We competed. In the end ... that is what got us over the line.

"We are starting to build the key characteristics of this club. That is something we are going to have to keep doing to get results. It is a tough brand of footy.

"They are the games where you look back at the end of the season and are really proud of not yourself, but the team. You win those (Canberra) games on team effort."

Gilbert is a 22-year-old with a "never satisfied" mentality, in a good way.

That's why Gilbert was not hanging his hat on the opening round 28-16 win over the Roosters.

"This win (over Canberra) was more special than last week," he said.

"The question always was: Were we a one-hit wonder? Could we do it again?

"It was wet. We had injuries. The Raiders are a good side. We got the result and at the end of the season we will look back and say it was a really special result.

"We just have to do it all again when we play Newcastle."

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.