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 2026 NRL Round 1 Dolphins v Rabbitohs – 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. This one is specifically designed to follow all the Dolphins NRL games in 2026, and to praise Ray Stone where possible. Or else.
For The Gurgler’s One Minute Match Reviews for all games, kindly follow this link…..
NRL ROUND 1 ONE MINUTE MATCH REPORTS
NRL ROUND 1 ONE MINUTE MATCH REPORTS – LAS VEGAS EDITION
NRL Round 1 Dolphins v Rabbitohs Final Thoughts
Like Jerry Springer, but for rugby league.
Wet weather and Ticketek may have stopped a huge crowd for the opening weekend of the season, but that didn’t stop the points as the Dolphins and Rabbitohs shared 70 at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday.
Both teams had horror injury tolls in common in 2025, and both teams have welcomed back most of their talent, and while the Dolphins still have a few top liners out, the South Sydney players hit the ground running better than the Dolphins to start 2026.
A loss isn’t the end of the world for the Dolphins, they had four of them to start 2025 and were finals contenders to September. Nor are the panic buttons being hit for a slightly underwhelming performance, and they have a great chance against the Gold Coast to kick start 2026.
The Dolphins looked reasonably flat for a first game of the season at home, but were keeping pace with Souths in the first half, although one of their tries was a length of the field intercept. But a quick burst to end the first half, including a try for Alex Johnston just seconds before the siren really snatched the momentum away. The Souths winger moved within two tries of the all-time try scoring record, and with some luck, and perhaps a little more help from his team mates when he was at least twice unmarked near the line, he could have sealed the deal at Suncorp Stadium. Perhaps it works better doing it in front of his people in Sydney next weekend. Given the Rabbitohs form this weekend, he’s a chance.
Down 28-10 at the break, the Dolphins eventually woke up, and we did see a little of their exciting rugby league that made so many friends in 2025 as they closed the gap. But a key turning point was a 40-20 kick from Cody Walker, which set up the field position and led to tries for Lachlan Hubner and Latrell Mitchell.
The Dolphins at least made the ending interesting by spending multiple sets in the Rabbitohs 20 metre zone, but only ended up with a try to Jamayne Isaako to show for it. Their decision to take the two points for a penalty in the dying seconds when down by 12 points was odd. As was the long, long delay getting Trai Fuller on the field. The Dolphins needed a spark before half time, and if you are going to play him off the bench, that was the perfect time. As it was the Dolphins conceded two tries between the 35th and 40th minutes, so bringing on Trai Fuller could have meant the Dolphins were scoring and not conceding. There may be games where Trai Fuller isn’t suited to come off the bench, but today wasn’t one of those, and he should have been let loose much earlier.
Hopefully the Dolphins can get a hooker back on the park soon. Brad Schneider is a great half option, but he is no hooker. Brent Woolf must have started the season as sixth string hooker, but to give him credit he did well in his opportunity on NRL debut.
And as ever, it’s needless to say this game needed Ray Stone, as all games do. But the Dolphins could have done with that grunt, and Ray Stone understated magic that he brings. It would have lifted the crowd’s spirits too, shivering from the wet and windy conditions.
Much has been said about South Sydney before the season about potential, from the recruitment of Daivd Fifita, the shifting of Latrell Mitchell to centres, Jye Gray getting a proper go at fullback, the return of Camrron Murray, and full fitness of their squad. Safe to say after their first game of the season, that signs are good. The Rabbitohs scored 40 points and could have scored more through disallowed tries with little margin. If they stay fit and firing, then they could do anything in 2026, and best of luck to them and foundation coach Wayne Bennett.
It’s not the end of the world for the Dolphins after one game, nor is it a premiership for South Sydney, but it certainly was differing quality in performances.
NRL Round 1 Dolphins v Rabbitohs Match Stats
Courtesy of nrl.com
NRL Round 1 Dolphins – Best of Match Stats
- South Sydney’s win broke a run of five straight losses at Suncorp Stadium.
- Dolphins v South Sydney games at Suncorp Stadium average 66 points a game from three games.
- It was the Dolphins first loss at Suncorp Stadium on a Sunday v Sydney teams (3 games).
- Keaon Koloamatangi’s 253 run metres was a big effort in the wet, and was the most of any forward in Round 1.
- There were five fewer errors in this than the Broncos-Penrith clash on Friday at the same ground.
- Dolphins had half of the tackle breaks of the Rabbitohs.
- There were only 33 kicking metres from players other than Isaiya Katoa. Maybe the Dolphins need to share that around a bit, and potentially Katoa having a few more different kicks rather than the bomb.
NRL Round 1 Dolphins Player Stats
Here are the choicest cuts of stats from the Dolphins latest match.
