The Dolphins are riding one of rugby league's greatest fairytales, chasing a maiden grand final berth in just their fourth campaign, but their next challenge is one they are yet to meet eye to eye.
They have the upper hand against the Roosters in the regular season claiming victory on both occasions they squared off, 48-10 in Round 15 and 26-12 in Round 26.
This regular season success holds more than what meets the eye and there is much more behind the margin of the victories.
Yet being on the receiving end of these results, the Roosters walk into Suncorp on Friday night holding all the cards.
When the sides clashed for the first time this season back in Round 15, the scoreline suggests the Dolphins thrashed the Roosters, which they did, but the credit of this victory is marginal.
The Eastern Suburbs based club were without a host of their Origin stars. James Tedesco, Sam Walker, Lindsay Collins, Reece Robson, Robert Toia, Victor Radley and Mark Nawaqanitawase were all absent on State of Origin duties.
On that night, the Roosters spine read - Cody Ramsey, Hugo Savala, Daly Cherry-Evans and Connor Watson, only one of those a regular first-grade starter week in week out.
The Dolphins faced a side that was without seven of their key starting players and yes they still had to win the game, which they did, but they were not as heavily impacted by the Origin period.
They were still without five of their regular starters in Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Selwyn Cobbo, Tom Flegler, Kulikefu Finefeuiaki and Max Plath, but it was their squad depth that saw them overcome the first challenge the Roosters threw down.
In Round 26 the sides met again. There was no Origin period to compete with, it was two sides charging towards September footy, the Roosters were out to avenge their shock loss to the Tigers the week before, and the Dolphins were shooting for six straight wins.
The The Dolphins won the early battle in Tedesco's first game back after sitting on the sidelines for three weeks with an ankle injury, leading 20-6 at half time.
The Roosters were steadily building momentum to get back into the encounter but that was all undone when Sam Walker went down in the 53rd minute with a syndesmosis injury after getting his ankle caught in a tackle, seemingly ending his season.
The second challenge thrown down by the Roosters was too overcome.
So the record reads, two matches, two Dolphins victories, but that doesn't tell the whole story.
The outfit walking out in the tri-colours on Friday simply have not played the Dolphins.
In their biggest match in their short history, the Redcliffe-based club are now having to face Tedesco, DCE and Walker alongside with a full strength Roosters outfit, the only dent the unknown of Walker's fitness.
Seemingly Walker's season was over after getting injured in their last face-off, but now he is back to potentially haunt the Dolphins.
Should the Dolphins and their fans be worried? Short answer is yes, but they have history on their side. They are shooting for their ninth straight victory at their home-away-from-home, a sold-out Suncorp Stadium with a grand final spot on the line.
It is a new challenge for the club, but with their recent form and their newfound ability to not overplay their hand and build pressure, opposed to trying to score on every play, the Dolphins are primed for this contest.
