Returning Dolphins forward Felise Kaufusi is on high alert as Manly look to prevent a five-game losing streak and lift for their skipper Daly Cherry-Evans, who runs out for his 350th NRL game.
Back from a two-game suspension and named to start in the front row alongside Francis Molo – who is also back from suspension – their inclusion in the pack is a timely boost for the Dolphins who are looking to climb back into the top eight with a Round 25 win against Manly at 4 Pines Park.
“It’s a big one for both sides, I don’t think we’ve won at Brookvale in our history, so it’s one for us to get up for,” Kaufusi said.
“We’re also playing for a finals spot as well, so it’s all on the line. We’re focusing on this week and see what happens.”
Kaufusi, who played for Queensland with Cherry-Evans, said he was expecting his former Maroons skipper to “definitely be at his best” in the crucial game and praised his leadership, despite some recent criticisms.
“I know DCE – he’s a champion player, a champion bloke, and I loved playing alongside him on the representative stage,” Kaufusi said.
“I know what he is to the team and the boys around him, so I’m expecting nothing less of his best come this weekend. I know he’ll stand up.
“I’m not wishing all the best this week because I want to win, but I know he’ll be right. He’s a good bloke and I think he can handle it.
“His belief, hands down. You can look across the field and he had this sense of belief in his eyes and when he talked that [made you believe] you were always in the game or a chance of winning.
“That’s what I take the most out of him, his belief and I definitely looked up to him playing alongside him.”
Coming into the game on the back of two losses that have pushed them out of the eight, Kaufusi – who has missed four games so this year with suspension as well as being sidelined earlier in the year with a knee injury – admitted to feeling some guilt as he watched his injury-depleted team struggle in the middle in their recent matches.
“It’s been tough, it always is when you’re suspended – you don’t have the excuse as an injury to blame, so it’s obviously tough watching the boys knowing you can’t be out there to help,” Kaufusi said.
“Everything runs through my mind, I can’t blame it on an injury, it was through suspension, and that’s probably the worst thing.
“That tackle (in Round 22 on Warriors forward Jacob Laban) was pretty sloppy and that’s exactly why they’re trying to get rid of it, because boys do get injured from it.
“Obviously, I’m not happy to be spending time on the sidelines, but I do cop that.
“It’s been a tough two weeks, obviously after the Roosters and against the Broncos as well. I thought we had opportunities to win that game and just came up short. I’m excited for this week and the next couple of weeks to come.”
With Molo also back, Kaufusi said both forwards would look to play their natural game, but knew they had to rein in the aggression to avoid falling foul of the judiciary again.
“I think it’s important for our team and or style of play having some bigger bodies, more power and explosiveness in the middle will be a good addition,” Kaufusi said.
“I know how I play and he doesn’t need to see red – he’s naturally aggressive as well – so that’s one of our strengths as players, and it’s just finding the right line and not go over it.”
This week, there were further injury woes for Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf to contend with, with Kodi Nikorima a late withdrawal with illness. Jake Averillo has been to moved to fill in once more at five-eighth, with Trai Fuller moving from the bench to starting centre.
Match: Sea Eagles v Dolphins
Round 25 -
home Team
Sea Eagles
10th Position
away Team
Dolphins
9th Position
Venue: 4 Pines Park, Sydney
