The Dolphins have received a massive boost to start 2025, with star forward Tom Gilbert getting through his first full opposed-contact session in a year with flying colours.
The 24-year-old was sorely missed in 2024 when he was absent for the entire NRL season with a torn ACL, after he had been absent for most of the previous year with a shoulder injury.
Gilbert's leadership, aggression and all-round A-grade game will give new coach Kristian Woolf the firepower he needs in a pack bolstered by the signing of Newcastle and former NSW prop Daniel Saifiti and rampaging ex-North Queensland back-rower Kulikefu Finefuiaki.
Dolphins half Isaiya Katoa said Queensland firebrand Gilbert's return to full contact in a 13-on-13 setting was a blessing for the entire club as they target making finals for the first time.
"It's so good actually, he comes with such a presence," Katoa said.
"He's definitely learnt how to be a bit more of a leader through his communication, and obviously with the loss of (former skipper) Jesse Bromwich he's taken it upon himself to take on more of a leadership role.
"I think the thing we love and respect about Tom is he earns it through his actions, not just his words, and that's something we always admire in him. He's actually moving really well, and that's great signs for him."
Like all the elite players in the NRL, Gilbert makes those around him better and lifts belief.
"We've actually missed him for a year and a half. I think he's just going to bring his aggression - that's just him as a character," Katoa said.
"He's one of the biggest competitors and he's going to bring that.
"Woolfy talks about it a lot, it's very contagious in a good way where your teammates and other forward packs see him going after different forwards and different middles and just going after the game.
"He's going to be an awesome leader for us. If that's something our middles can learn off him and be a sponge for that kind of thing, at the end of the day that's where our game is going.
"It's more about being a hard-working pack, and it's the pack who wants to work the hardest."
Gilbert is likely to start at lock for the Dolphins, which will push 2024 player of the year Max Plath back to a No.14 role where he can cover the middle, hooker and even the halves at a pinch if there is an injury mid-match.
The addition of Saifiti has come at just the right time with Bromwich's retirement.
"He's a little bit similar to how Jesse plays, obviously a little bit younger, and I think the best thing about him is he's come here not to prove anything, but to earn everyone's trust," Katoa said.
"Like Tommy, he's earning that through his actions and he's absolutely training the house down at the moment. You can see that with the additions of him and 'Kuli', we have a great forward pack, but at the moment we're working on how we can gel together as a team.
"With a couple of new faces and a couple of different dynamics with how we're going to play next year with the players we've just signed, it's an awesome challenge."
