Ray Stone has emerged as a frontrunner to claim a place in the Dolphins’ starting side, as the club devise how they will fill the enormous void left by the injured Tom Gilbert.
Gilbert, who was on the comeback trail after undergoing surgery on a dislocated shoulder suffered in the opening State of Origin clash last year, fell to the turf screaming in agony on Saturday during his side’s trial defeat to the Warriors.
Tom Gilbert goes down in the Dolphins’
trial loss to the Warriors.Credit: Shane Wenzlick/Getty
A sharp change of direction left the 23-year-old with a ruptured ACL, ruling him out for the 2024 campaign and depriving the Redcliffe-based outfit of their star lock.
Stone, who has been on restricted training duties early in the week to manage his comeback from his own shoulder surgery, will now tussle with the likes of Kenny Bromwich, rookie Max Plath and even star recruit Tom Flegler for the No.13 jumper, having donned the jersey at times last year with Gilbert sidelined.
While there are options at coach Wayne Bennett’s disposal, Dolphins prop Jarrod Wallace suggested the similar aggressive style of Stone could make him the like-for-like replacement ahead of their season launch against the Cowboys on March 10.
“Ray played there for a bit last year, so we’ll just wait and see what Wayne [Bennett] does,” Wallace said.
“We’ve got some fantastic players there, and Ray could obviously fit in there – he’s a very similar kind of player to Tommy.
“We’ve got some bigger bodies in Flegs – he played 13 at Broncs – myself and Kenny Bromwich. Whoever does fill in that position next week they have to make sure they do the job, which they will.
“The depth that we have is crazy, so to be honest, I’ve got no idea – I could be playing in the centres, for all I know.”
While the Dolphins have a plethora of options to cover Gilbert’s loss, his influence on the team will no doubt make for a more challenging task than simply having someone wear the colours.
Ray Stone made 29 tackles for just two misses in the Dolphins’ loss to the Warriors.Credit: Getty
The NRL’s newest outfit were thriving before the Maroons forward’s injury, sitting just two competition points off the top of the table before winning just two more matches from that point.
There was plenty of fanfare surrounding the looming union of Gilbert and fellow firebrand Flegler when the latter inked a four-year deal at Redcliffe, and the former’s latest setback may ensure his teammate’s rise to pack leader will be accelerated.
Flegler produced big minutes in the defeat to New Zealand, running for 133 metres while making 31 tackles, having made the move in a bid to establish himself as the go-to enforcer.
But Wallace was adamant the burden of Gilbert’s plight could not solely fall on Flegler’s shoulders.
Thomas Flegler in the Dolphins’ second trial against the New Zealand Warriors.Credit: Shane Wenzlick/Getty Images
“He did play some big minutes on the weekend, but the good thing is any of our middles can play big minutes if they need to,” Wallace said.
“It’s not going to all come down on one player’s shoulders to play bigger minutes. Everyone will pick up the slack while we’re missing Tommy.
“He [Gilbert] is such a big part of our team, he’s a big voice … but we’ve seen what he did last year when he came back from that injury – he came back bigger and stronger.
“To be honest, he’s one of the most mentally strong hardworking players I’ve ever been with in a side.
“I know that coming back from something like this it’s going to be soul crushing for a week or so, but he’ll be back, and he’ll be ready to go next year.”
