Missed all the hype of the latest NRL Round and need and/or want to catch up in the quickest way possible? Well The Gurgler has you covered for the latest Dolphins game with our 2025 NRL Round 15 Dolphins v Cowboys – One Minute Match Report.
Our popular One Minute Match Reviews offer up just enough facts and figures and opinion to make it through the waiting for an Uber or Monday morning coffee catch ups, fifty cent train rides or carpools.
NRL Round 15 Dolphins v Cowboys Final Thoughts
Like Jerry Springer, but for rugby league.
What a game, what a win for the Dolphins, who have put on three big wins in a row, winning by a combined 158-18, have jumped over the Cowboys on the NRL ladder to sit sixth, and currently have the second best for and against in the competition. And currently the way the byes work are only just one win behind the Storm (who have had three now to the Dolphins one.)
All this after a 0-4 start to the season, where the Dolphins looked a little ordinary, and it looked like the curse of post Wayne Bennett had struck again. But they have turned that around with first ever wins over Penrith and Melbourne, and have captured the imagination of rugby league fans everywhere with their sparkling attack.
Some may claim the Dolphins haven’t played anyone of note this season, but that simply isn’t true. They have played the current top four. Grant the Bulldogs were Origin affected, but it was a flogging, and not as if Dolphins were full strength, as above. They also led Canberra 28-10 at half time before falling into a hole, and gave Melbourne a second half touch up. The Dolphins last loss was a 16-12 loss to the Warriors. So that’s plenty competitive against the season’s best four teams so far. Plus a first win over Penrith came the week before the Storm win. So, they have been competitive to say the least.
It would be easy to point out Jack Bostock aka Two Smoking Barrels with his four tries, but then you’d be ignoring all his other wonderful stats. Refer to our Match Stats below to see all the numbers. Bostock is helped by Herbie Farnworth who continues his run of scoring in consecutive matches, sitting currently at eight, and was a handful all night. He should have a handful of trophies come season end. Or at least Centre of the Year.
The halves stood out again, with the Dolphins getting rich reward of taking a risk to revolve the attack around a mostly unproven Isaiya Katoa ex Penrith junior, and the potential unwanted Kodi Nikorima at the time of 2022 season. Current coach Kristian Woolf has picked and sticked with Nikorima and Katoa, even when the attack looked a bit ordinary at the start of the season.
The forward were outstanding again, with all playing so well. The Dolphins are doing the current golden run of fixtures without four of their best. Looking at the Round 1 NRL team the Dolphins put out, three of those players – Daniel Saifiti, Tom Gilbert and Max Plath are long term injury concerns. Throw in the continued absence of Tom Flegler for 2025 and that’s a lot of quality forwards unavailable for the Dolphins. So while some teams whine about Origin, at least they their players back, unlike the Dolphins who are staring at the prospect that none of the listed will play again this season.
But special mention to Oryn Keeley for his first NRL try, and Kurt Donoghue who has turned himself into running forward.
Then there’s Ray Stone. Everyone loves Ray Stone except for Ray Stone himself. But as ever the team man was a team player, but got a try in the end that you’re sure he wanted have hated for all the attention it would give.
It hard not to get carried away with the Dolphins, but they are a genuine contender for the title, and more so each week.
NRL Round 15 Dolphins v Cowboys Match Stats
Courtesy of nrl.com
BEST OF STATS
Dolphins are now 6/6 for away games v Qld sides that aren’t the Broncos.
All five Cowboys v Dolphins clashes have been won by the away side.
It was the equal second highest total point scored against North Queensland in Townsville since 1998.
It was the Dolphins’ highest ever score, beating last week’s new record setter.
The Dolphins are the second team to pass 400 points scored in 2025.
The Dolphins have won three games in a row in winter now, by a combined 154-16.
The Dolphins ran for 2,252 metres v Cowboys, the second highest total for any team in a single game this season.
Jack Bostock ran for 312 metres v Cowboys, the fifth highest game total by any player this season.
