Dolphin wishlist: First signing reveals players he wants with him

The Dolphins are still yet to make bulk signings for their first season, with only three players on their top 30 roster for their inaugural season in 2023.

Wayne Bennett has made constant calls for calm despite the intense scrutiny and media speculation which has followed the club's every move.

It's well-known that Roosters recruit Brandon Smith snubbed the club, while it's also though the Dolphins were at one point chasing both Patrick Carrigan from the Brisbane Broncos and Christian Welch from the Melbourne Storm.

Instead of those signings though, they have managed just two with NRL experience in Ray Stone from the Parramatta Eels and Queensland State of Origin second-rower Felise Kaufusi.

Kaufusi, who was the club's first signing and has been talked about highly by Bennett, has told The Daily Telegraph that he has a wishlist of players he wants the club to target.

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That list includes Harry Grant, who isn't off-contract until the end of the 2024 season, as well as another teammate in Cameron Munster.

“I would love Harry to be there … is he a chance? I might have to look into that to see what’s up,” Kaufusi told the publication.

“Cameron Munster too, we’ll take him ... I’ll take half my team, I might be a bit biased. Reckon I’ll take our other backrower too, Kenny Bromwich. He’ll be bloody good for the club.”

Kaufusi also said Kalyn Ponga is a player he would love to play alongside.

“I’d love Kalyn Ponga to be there. Everyone saw the impact he had in the last game of Origin. His leadership is great, and he has some good talk from the back," Kaufusi said.

Despite earmarking the players he wants to play alongside, Kaufusi said that he still backs Bennett's calls for calm.

“He’s got a great poker face, I hadn’t had much to do with him until Origin in 2020 and we were in a bubble. But I’d only really known what you see in the media, and he doesn’t give away too much,” Kaufusi said.

“I deadset think he’s the man.

“I love the way he is off the field and he can back it up on the field as well with his coaching. He wants to know you as a person and about your family and all of that.

“I was comfortable with his vision, not just on the field but off the field as well. It ticked all the boxes for me at this stage of my career.

“It’s going to be a challenge starting at a new club from nothing but it’s exciting.”