Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf has leapt to Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow’s defence, but he also needs his star fullback to make his presence felt if the team is to overturn a winless start.
Despite being one of the NRL’s leading talents, “The Hammer” has been kept quiet in 2025 – his 92 running metres from 11 carries against Wests Tigers arguably his quietest showing since arriving at Redcliffe.
The Queensland Maroons livewire’s promising second half against the Broncos was also offset by the 24 minutes it took him to register a run.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow for the Dolphins.Credit: NRL Photos
South Sydney Rabbitohs fullback and Souths Logan Magpies product Jye Gray leads the Dally M Medal count, averaging 23 runs a game for 213 metres.
Of the 21-year-old’s competition-leading total metres, less than 20 per cent have come from kick returns. He injects himself into the contest.
Meanwhile, Tabuai-Fidow’s numbers (149 running metres – 48.41 per cent from kick returns – from 16.75 carries a game) indicate a man who needs to hunt for his work.
However, Woolf believes the absence of Tabuai-Fidow’s destructive best has been beyond his control, pointing to instances against Brisbane where he was pushing through the middle only for the pass to not find him.
“I’m not concerned, it’s our responsibility as a team – and mine as a coach – to make sure we’re getting him the ball in good positions,” Woolf said.
“We haven’t done a great job of that. We’ve done that in little bits here and there, but certainly not consistently.
“Yes, he’s always got to look for work, and that’s what we need our fullbacks to do, but we’ve got to make sure we’re creating those opportunities for him.”
If Tabuai-Fidow gets into open space, there are few rivals who can stop him.
Broken play off the back of a rolling forward pack will be crucial in unleashing him, but in the past two weeks, Daniel Saifiti is the only member of the Dolphins’ engine room who has surpassed 100 running metres.
But could the key be languishing in reserve grade?
Josh Kerr threatened to orchestrate a shock comeback in round one against the Rabbitohs, running 138 metres in a 29-minute stint off the bench, with two of his side’s three tries coming during his first stint.
Josh Kerr’s offloading game could hold the key to unlocking the best of Tabuai-Fidow.Credit: Getty
He was only given 19 minutes the following week in the loss to Newcastle – finishing with 74 running metres from seven carries – but has been left out of the side for the past two weeks.
Kerr’s sole appearance for Redcliffe in the Queensland Cup yielded 103 metres and three offloads, and it’s that latter statistic that would prove a lethal asset in unlocking Tabuai-Fidow.
At one stage last year, Kerr ranked second for offloads. Of the team’s 38 this year, centre Herbie Farnworth has 13, with Saifiti and halfback Isaiya Katoa next best with four.
Woolf said the incoming Francis Molo would not be rushed into the starting line-up, having not trained with a team for more than two months as his release feud with the Dragons raged on.
But while the Dolphins needed a point of difference, Saifiti believed their struggles reflected the defensive pressure they put themselves under – making more tackles (1543) than any team – declaring “we have the troops here” to transform their fortunes.
Dolphins veteran Kenny Bromwich, meanwhile, lamented the side’s inability to defend errors, and a set completion rate of just 77 per cent thus far.
The former Melbourne Storm champion said eradicating those concerns would bring Tabuai-Fidow’s strengths to the fore.
“If you can complete your sets and are not making as many tackles, you have enough juice to do both ends of the footy,” Bromwich said.
“We are making ourselves do one side a bit more. The other side is there, we have the boys with the strike power.
“If we can hold the ball, that is when he comes in to shine more. He has the speed and can finish, so if we can give him more opportunities he will shine.”
