The Dolphins have been widely ridiculed for their recruitment strategy thus far ahead of their inaugural season in the NRL.
The club, who have been able to negotiate with players coming off-contract at the end of 2022 for the best part of four months, have managed just a handful of signings and, as yet, are yet to sign a decent spine option.
While they have reportedly missed out on a stack of options at dummy half - including Brandon Smith, Reed Mahoney and Apisiai Koroisau - the club are yet to be majorly linked with other positions in the spine, despite talent left off-contract dwindling.
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On top of the options at dummy half, they have also missed out on the likes of Patrick Carrigan and Christian Welch, who both elected to re-sign with the Brisbane Broncos and Melbourne Storm respectively.
They have managed to raid the Storm, signing Kenneath Bromwich, Jesse Bromwich and Felise Kaufusi, while Mark Nicholls has signed from the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Ray Stone from the Parramatta Eels and back Jamayne Isaako from the Brisbane Broncos, as well as little-known duo Valynce Te Whare and Isaiya Katoa.
They have also managed to add two development deals for 2023 in brother of James Roberts, Michael Roberts and Harrison Graham.
Wayne Bennett recently indicated the club would now be happy to sit back on their hands and wait for more contracts to fall once the season kicks off, however, with 22 still to sign, the merits of that strategy have been called into question.
That has become even more so the case when you consider five of their signings thus far are veteran forwards who will all either be, or approaching, the wrong side of 30 by the time the first ball is kicked in 2023.
Recent reports have indicated Raidersโ second-rower Corey Harawira-Naera and Titansโ prop Jarrod Wallace could be on the radar for the Dolphins, however, for now, we will treat it as if those signatures havenโt happened.
This is a club who desperately need spine players, outside backs and young forwards, so here are the five signatures they should be chasing immediately.
3. Braden Hamlin-Uele (Cronulla Sharks)
The Dolphins might have signed more forwards than players in any other position to this point, but that doesnโt mean by any stretch that their pack is anything near complete.
Whatโs more, the forwards they have signed are all solid, rather than game-breaking, game-changing weapons who can be employed onto the park.
There is nothing wrong with solid forwards of course - every successful team needs players who are going to roll up the proverbial sleves and just get on with it.
But you're also not winning a competition without a game-breaker.
Hamlin-Uele has, at times, struggled to have a consistent role within the Sharks set up, and while Craig Fitzgibbon is likely to have him earmarked as a critical re-signing option, the Dolphins could well make a raid for the explosive prop.
He is one of those players you could see improving exponentially under the coaching of Wayne Bennett too.
The 27-year-old may have only managed 63 NRL appearances, but he made 30 tackle busts in 19 games last year and had an exceptionally high percentage of post-contact metres.
He may make a share of errors or not be the best defensive prop in the competition, but a pre-season under Bennett could also transform him into a more than serviceable option as the Dolphins look for some versatility in their pack.
