The Dolphins have received a significant boost ahead of the final round of the season, with several key players avoiding suspensions after a tense match against the Sydney Roosters on Saturday. Kurt Donoghoe, Tom Flegler, and Morgan Knowles were each fined for their involvement in the game but will remain eligible to compete in the upcoming clash against the Gold Coast Titans on Friday night. The Dolphins are aiming to secure a top-two finish as the season concludes.

One incident of note during the match involved Kulikefu Finefeuiaki, whose tackle resulted in an injury that is expected to rule out Sam Walker for the remainder of the season. Despite the severity of the outcome, Finefeuiaki was not sanctioned by the judiciary panel.

Donoghoe narrowly escaped a grade one careless tackle charge for a shoulder-to-head contact with Roosters captain James Tedesco. The ruling came after careful review and allowed him to remain available for selection.

Separately, in a related match on Sunday, the New Zealand Warriors suffered a 22-18 defeat at the hands of the St. George Illawarra Dragons. Warriors forward Ivana Lauitiiti was sin-binned during the game following contact with halfback Kasey Reh. While officials confirmed that the timing of the tackle was not late, Lauitiiti was penalized for turning her back to Reh instead of attempting a genuine tackle, which resulted in Reh being left on the ground in visible distress.

These developments will have implications for the remainder of the NRL season as teams prepare for the playoff run, with player availability potentially impacting squad selections and strategies moving forward.