The Dolphins have suffered an early pre-season setback after hooker Jeremy Marshall-King was sidelined with a knee injury that will rule him out of the opening rounds of the 2026 NRL season.
Marshall-King is facing up to three months on the sidelines after undergoing surgery on a meniscus tear, sustained in a freak accident at home last weekend.
The New Zealand international slipped and damaged his knee, requiring immediate medical intervention.
Dolphins Head of Performance Jeremy Hickmans confirmed the procedure was successful and that Marshall-King has now begun his rehabilitation.
“The surgery was successful so Jeremy will now begin his rehabilitation,” Hickmans said.
“The timeline will be dependent on how that rehabilitation progresses, and he is certainly going to miss some games at the start of the season.
“But if all goes well he will be a chance to return somewhere around our first bye in round six.”
The loss of Marshall-King so early in the campaign is far from ideal for Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf, who endured a difficult run with injuries throughout last season.
In Marshall-King's absence, the Dolphins are expected to rotate several options at dummy-half, with Max Plath, Kurt Donoghoe and emerging youngster John Fineanganofo all in contention to fill the role.
The club is hopeful Marshall-King's recovery progresses smoothly, with the aim of having their first-choice No.9 available again early in the season.
The Dolphins are targeting a maiden finals appearance in 2026, making his return a key piece in their early-season plans.
