The Dolphins took the field at Kayo Stadium on Saturday in their first home game of the NRLQ series, defeating the Cowboys 44 to 10, aided by a 34-point blitz in the first half of the match.
Receiving the ball from the kickoff, the Dolphins wasted no time in establishing the lead, scoring their first points thanks to a dashing raid from dummy half Braelan Marsh, who set up Fullback Seth Carpenter to score in an 85-metre team effort in the opening minute of play.
The Dolphins' 6-0 lead appeared to be under threat following the kickoff, after a knock-on by back rower Zach Garton handed possession to the Cowboys.
After repelling their attacking advance, the home side was forced to reshuffle their backline after centre Elijah McKay came from the field for a head injury assessment, with Seth Carpenter moving into the centres and Adaquix-Jeramiah Watts-Luke coming onto the field at fullback.
Back in possession of the ball, the Dolphins were able to move down the field at speed, with a controlled kick from halfback Noah Fien placing the ball behind the Cowboys' defence, before newly established centre Seth Carpenter collected the ball to score a quickfire double in only 5 minutes.
Down 12 points early, the Cowboys' ensuing kickoff proved a challenge for the Dolphins to handle, with Cowboys back rower Maddox Goodwin swooping on an awkward bounce, recovering the ball deep in opposition territory to score his side's first points of the match. With the conversion unsuccessful, the Dolphins' lead was narrowed to 12-4 with only 7 minutes of the game played.
A quick penalty and two repeat sets then put the pressure back on the Cowboys' goalline defence. With a Braelan Marsh grubber kick hitting the goal post pad before a messy roll was gathered and grounded by Dolphins lock Shaun Elara just inside the in-goal for his side to lead 18-4 after the conversion.
The Cowboys invited to the Dolphins inside their 20 metres once more, unable to control a high kick with the ball going in to touch across the sideline. Halfback Noah Fien shifted the ball right through some crafty passing, ultimately finding winger Callum Bowles to score. Bowles missed converting his own try, with the Dolphins stretching the lead, 22-4.
Moments later, a knock-on from five-eighth Brooklyn Sabine, with a further penalty against the Dolphins, gave the Cowboys possession within the Dolphins' 20 Metres.
This resulted in a strong Dolphins defence almost being beaten by a Cowboys short-side raid five metres from the try line, but an untimely slip by winger Cohen Dittmann saw the ball go into touch on the left-hand side line.
Following this, the Cowboys' defence appeared to lift in the face of an 18-point deficit, rewarding their team with more positive field position. But the Dolphins' Trademark goalline defence proved to strong, before losing the ball again to a loss carry in a tackle.
The Dolphins once again moved the ball down the field with ease, finding the tryline again with interchange forward Micahel Hunnisett crashing through a gap underneath the goal posts in his first touch of the game.
The Dolphins pushed their lead to 28-4 after a successful Bowles conversion.
After passing his HIA, Elijah McKay returned to the field with immediate impact, collecting a difficult high ball kick coming down in traffic, to crash over the try line and score the Dolphins' sixth try of the first half.
With the successful conversion, the Dolphins took a 30-point lead and had a chance to stretch that lead further, but a missed penalty goal at the end of the half saw the score remain at 34 to 4 in favour of the home side.
The second half started with both sides moving the ball well, in an even period of play, with each team getting into the opposition's half without major resistance.
After putting Dolphins winger Callum Bowles into touch on a strong kick chase, the visitors looked the first to score in the second period, but a strong defensive stand from the Dolphins once again stifled any Cowboys advances.
Cowboy Jack Thorburn was then sent to the sin bin after enacting a tackle on a running dummy half, while not establishing a square position as a tackle marker.
The Dolphins would capitalise on the man advantage, with Captain Lewis Symonds breaking through the Cowboys' weakened defensive line, before finding support on his inside from Braelan Marsh, to score. A change in goal kicker saw Brooklyn Sabine convert the try, giving the Dolphins a 40-4 lead.
Braelan Marsh further stamped his presence on the game, forcing an error from Cowboys fullback Assariah Lenoy Sam after a strong kick chase deep in Cowboys' territory. Marsh's tackle handed possession back to his side, setting up Callum Bowles to score and further pressing the Dolphins' man and scoreboard advantage, 44 to 4 with 22 minutes to play.
Six minutes later, the Cowboys scored their second try of the match through winger Joseph Doyle, after a Dolphins knock-on 15 metres out from their own goalline. With the conversion, the Dolphins' lead was cut back slightly, 44 to 10.
The score would remain unchanged in the final 16 minutes of the match. But with full-time siren sounding, the Dolphins secured their fourth win in the NRLQ series and remain undefeated.
Speaking with Dolphins head coach Scott Murray post-match, he expressed his pleasure with the result and his team's ability to be clinical, particularly in the first half. He also highlighted the challenges that come with player rotation and the number of changes to his side over the short competition, and how his side responded.
"It was really good that we're able to give some guys opportunities that haven't played in this competition.
"We've got some guys in from Rocky that are part of our Capras affiliate, and they were really good."
He also praised his side's defence, but urged them to take control of both halves and not to take their foot off the pedal, particularly after such a dominant first half.
The Dolphins hold the top spot in the competition and will now enter the second break of the series before returning to Kayo Stadium in a fortnight to take on the Titans on Sunday, July 27 at 3 pm.
