Dolphins Dazzle as Panthers Plunge to Fifth Consecutive Defeat
Well, who would've thought? The Penrith Panthers, a team that’s dominated the NRL for years with four consecutive premierships, have just sunk to their fifth straight loss of the 2025 season. Last night’s clash at Suncorp Stadium was nothing short of a wake-up call, and it was the resurgent Redcliffe Dolphins who delivered the blow – and in spectacular fashion too. Final score? A commanding 30-12 in favour of the ’Phins.
From the first whistle, the Dolphins were in control. Penrith looked like they had a spark early on – almost scoring in the opening minutes through Thomas Jenkins. But that flicker was quickly snuffed out. Just moments later, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow – or as fans love to call him, “The Hammer” – capitalised on a Herbie Farnworth break to open the scoring, and from there, the Dolphins never looked back.
Penrith did manage a response – a well-timed grubber from Nathan Cleary found young gun Jesse McLean to level things up temporarily. But the Dolphins weren’t about to let momentum slip. Tabuai-Fidow added another, then Jake Averillo exploded through the middle while Paul Alamoti sat in the bin, and the defending champs suddenly looked rattled.
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The second half didn’t bring much relief for Penrith. Connelly Lemuelu powered over after a slick offload from Josh Kerr, and while Moses Leota got one back for the Panthers thanks to a Dolphins blunder, it was too little, too late. The Hammer sealed the night with a stunning runaway try, completing his hat-trick in the dying seconds.
Now, let’s talk about what this means. Andrew Johns didn’t mince words – he reckons Penrith won’t even make the top eight this year. That’s a huge fall from grace. Darren Lockyer added that the blueprint to beat Penrith might have finally been cracked.
Coach Ivan Cleary, ever the optimist, insists it’s still early days. "It can change quickly," he said, pointing to tight games and defensive lapses. But five straight losses? That’s a pattern, not a blip. The ladder now has Penrith hovering just above the Roosters and Parramatta – not exactly the company they’re used to keeping.
Meanwhile, Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf deserves a huge pat on the back. After starting the season with four straight losses, his side has now strung together two solid wins. The grit, the attitude, the defensive intensity – it was all there. And more importantly, the players bought in and stuck together when it counted.
It’s a story of two teams headed in opposite directions right now. The Panthers, once seemingly invincible, are in crisis mode. The Dolphins? They’re just getting warmed up.
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