As NRL clubs look hopefully towards next season - we pessimistically ponder the worst-case scenario for each of the 17 teams in 2023.

16. The Dolphins: The new kid wets his pants on his first day 

Good, not great but not awful - is the forecast for The Dolphins first season of NRL football.

They have one of the greatest coaches in the league at the helm in Wayne Bennett and have laid the foundations of a strong club by buying experience along with young talent.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 27: Wayne Bennett poses for a photo with the revealing of the Dolphins Heritage Round jersey during a Dolphins NRL press conference at Suncorp Stadium on October 27, 2021 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

If you asked for a prediction from 100 people as to where they place on the ladder next year, the average would probably be between 9th and 13th.

But a wooden spoon or bottom four finish would be a significant stumble on the road to building the new franchise.

Additionally, it would make it just that little bit harder to recruit new players.

1 COMMENT

  1. Before I read this, I thought “the worst that can happen” would be the same for each club: injury to one of its spine.

    However – Dolphins, Dragons, West and Warriors – all about the club pulling together. Cows and Roosters – the same (to a lesser degree).

    Perhaps this tells us that the influence of the coach – his ability to plan, organise, motivate and control his squad – is at least as important as that of any one player.