The Dolphins entered the NRL in 2023 with a roster built around experienced forwards, emerging young talent and a number of exciting outside backs.
Under Wayne Bennett the club established a strong culture and quickly proved they were capable of competing with the top sides in the competition.
By 2025 the Dolphins had developed into one of the most dangerous attacking teams in the NRL. In fact, they finished the season as the number one attacking team in the competition, yet still missed the finals and finished ninth.
That statistic alone highlights both the immense attacking ability within their roster and the areas that still need improvement if they are to become a genuine contender.
Injuries to key middle forwards played a major role. With players such as Tom Gilbert and Thomas Flegler sidelined for long periods, the Dolphins struggled to generate consistent dominance through the middle of the field. Instead, they were often forced to rely on a smaller, more mobile pack to compete with some of the biggest forward rotations in the competition.
While that lack of size and aggression at times hurt their ability to control matches, it did create an opportunity for a number of younger players to develop. Players such as Max Plath, Kurt Donoghoe and Oryn Keeley have gained valuable experience and shown that the club has a strong pipeline of emerging talent ready to contribute.
With several key players returning from injury and the squad continuing to mature together, the Dolphins appear well placed to take another step forward. If they can improve their control through the middle of the field and match their attacking brilliance with greater defensive resilience, they have the potential to push into finals contention.
These are the five players who must improve in 2026 if the Dolphins are to take that next step.
4. Jake Averillo
Why his role is so important
Jake Averillo arrived at the Dolphins in 2024 on a three year deal after an outstanding 2023 season that showed just how much potential he possessed. His departure from the Bulldogs disappointed many Canterbury fans who had watched his development closely and believed his best football was still ahead of him.
Since joining the Dolphins, working under Wayne Bennett and Kristian Woolf has helped take his game to another level. Last season he recorded career best attacking numbers, including 17 line breaks and averaging more than 130 running metres per match.
Averillo's speed, footwork and ability to change direction while maintaining pace make him a constant threat to opposition defensive lines. His versatility has also been a major asset for the Dolphins, with the ability to cover multiple positions across the backline including centre, five eighth and fullback when required. That flexibility makes him an extremely valuable member of the squad.
What needs to improve
While Averillo has developed into a dangerous attacking player and a reliable yardage contributor, the biggest area of his game that still requires improvement is his defensive reading.
In one-on-one situations, he is generally a strong cover defender, but there have been occasions where his decision making in the defensive line has let him down. At times he can be caught out by attacking shapes or make the wrong read under pressure.
Improving his defensive awareness and consistency will be an important step in Averillo's continued development as he continues to establish himself as a long-term centre in the NRL.
Why his improvement matters
Averillo has already shown he possesses the attacking qualities required to become one of the more dangerous centres in the competition. His ability to break the line, create opportunities for his outside men and contribute strong yardage carries gives the Dolphins another attacking weapon.
Former Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo once suggested Averillo had the potential to develop into an elite centre in the NRL, and his progress over the past few seasons indicates that ceiling is still very much achievable.
If Averillo can continue producing the attacking output he displayed last season while strengthening his defensive decision making, he could take another significant step forward in his career. Should that happen, the Dolphins gain not only a reliable attacking contributor but a complete centre capable of influencing games on both sides of the ball.
