The Dolphins now just need their old coach Wayne Bennett to pull a rabbit out of the hat after keeping their NRL finals hopes alive with a pulsating 36-30 win over Gold Coast.
The Dolphins are in ninth spot, two points behind the eighth-placed Sydney Roosters heading into the final round.
Bennett’s South Sydney play bitter rivals the Roosters on Friday night at Accor Stadium. A win for the Rabbitohs will keep the Dolphins in with a shot of finishing eighth if they can beat Canberra in Redcliffe on the final day of the regular season.
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The Dolphins will also need a combined for-and-against margin of 16 points or more to go their way.
The Rabbitohs will also be salivating over the prospect of potentially ruining the Roosters’ finals hopes.
“We’d love that result to go our way, but we have to prepare to play Canberra and play really well,” Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf said.
“If we are playing for something more, great. The performance is just as important either way.”
The Dolphins led 18-0 at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday afternoon, but the two teams went to halftime locked at 18-18.
The match followed the pattern of the previous two encounters at the same venue. In 2023 the Titans led 26-0 before the Dolphins won 28-26 in the equal biggest comeback in NRL history.
Last year the Dolphins went to a 14-0 lead before the Titans prevailed 21-14 to put a spear in the hosts’ finals hopes.
The home side suffered a blow at the break on Sunday, with star centre Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow staying in the sheds with blurred vision after a poke in the eye.
Versatile Kurt Donaghoe switched to left centre initially and found a silky pass to put winger Tevita Naufahu in for his second try.
Pocket-rocket fullback Trai Fuller burst through and co-captain Isaiya Katoa finished for a 30-18 lead.
A long-range try started and finished by Titans star AJ Brimson brought the margin back to six.
Dolphins playmaker Kodi Nikorima scored, Tabuai-Fidow came back on and the hosts held their breath when Titans half Jayden Campbell scored off a bomb.
Woolf’s men hung on in a cliffhanger that ebbed and flowed.
“I loved the way we started. We got a little bit loose before halftime but I really liked the way we came out in the second half and got back to business,” Woolf said.
“Trai did some great things. He is just so brave and the rest of the team love playing with him.
“Kurt is exceptional. He’s been pretty crook all week and hasn’t really trained with the group. To play the minutes he did, get shifted around and then the try he set up in the centres was great skill ... he’s a great player for us.”
Fuller powered over early before Nikorima, influential in the first try, sent Naufahu in with a pinpoint pass.
Fuller rocketed through to set up Tabuai-Fidow under the sticks to make it 18-0 inside 13 minutes.
The Dolphins then fell into bad habits and paid the price.
Titans centre Brian Kelly swooped on a Brimson kick.
Lock Chris Randall threw a pass that went forward to winger Jaylan De Groot for a try to narrow the gap. Veteran Kieran Foran then scored on the cusp of halftime to level.
The Titans, still in last place, could move off the bottom and avoid the wooden spoon in Des Hasler’s last game as coach next week if they can beat Wests Tigers at Robina.
HOW THE LAST ROUND SHAPES UP FOR NRL HOPEFULS
1. CANBERRA (44 points, +186) vs Dolphins at Kayo Stadium on Sunday afternoon
Highest/lowest possible position: 1st
Wrapped up the minor premiership with the win over Wests Tigers on Saturday, and the only question now is how many players Ricky Stuart rests.
2. MELBOURNE (40, +228) vs Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday night
Highest/lowest possible position: 2nd
Have little to gain in the final round, but Jahrome Hughes’ return from injury means Craig Bellamy has foreshadowed rolling out most of his big guns for a practice run.
3. CANTERBURY (38, +138) vs Cronulla at Accor Stadium on Saturday night
Highest/lowest possible position: 3rd
Another team with little to gain. Expect most of their first-choice side to play in the last hit-out before a qualifying final against Melbourne that is already locked in.
4. BRISBANE (34, +156) vs Melbourne at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday night
Highest/lowest possible position: 4th-6th
A win will be enough to wrap up a top-four finish, unless Cronulla somehow have a victory margin 66 points greater than theirs. A loss, however, would leave the Broncos below the Sharks and Warriors if those teams win.
5. CRONULLA (34, +91) vs Canterbury at Accor Stadium on Saturday night
Highest/lowest possible position: 4th-6th
Will know after Brisbane’s clash with Melbourne on Thursday if a top-four finish is possible. If the Broncos lose, Cronulla have it all to play for. If Brisbane win, the Sharks could rest players with a home elimination final locked in.
6. WARRIORS (34, +22) vs Manly at 4 Pines Park on Friday evening
Highest/lowest possible position: 4th-6th
Need a lot to go in their favour to make the top four. Want Brisbane and Cronulla to both lose, while also beating Manly themselves on Friday night. If one of those results doesn’t go in their favour, the Warriors will have a home elimination final.
7. PENRITH (31, +87) vs St George Illawarra at WIN Stadium on Saturday afternoon
Highest/lowest possible position: 7th-8th.
Out of contention for a home final in week one. A win will keep the Panthers seventh, while they could fall to eighth if they lose and the Roosters win. Who the four-time defending premiers play in week one will depend on other results.
8. SYDNEY ROOSTERS (30, +102) vs South Sydney at Allianz Stadium on Friday night.
Highest/lowest possible position: 7th-10th.
Have their fate in their own hands, with a win against South Sydney enough to play finals. A loss would leave them bundled out if the Dolphins beat Canberra, and the combined margins of those two games totals 16 points or more. A heavy defeat could leave them susceptible to Manly.
9. DOLPHINS (28, +87) vs Canberra at Kayo Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Highest/lowest possible finish: 8th-10th
Need the Roosters to lose to South Sydney on Friday night and win their own match against Canberra on Sunday. If the combined margins are 16 or more points in those games, the Dolphins will play finals for the first time.
10. MANLY (28, +20) vs Warriors at 4 Pines Park on Friday night
Highest/lowest possible finish: 8th-10th
Do you believe in miracles? Manly need one. Would have to beat the Warriors and then see the Roosters lose to South Sydney hours later with the two games having a combined margin of 82 points. Even after all that, would still need the Dolphins to lose to Canberra on Sunday.
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