The Dolphins aim for finals despite a 0-4 start, missing key players and facing challenges.
The Dolphins can become just the seventh side in the NRL era to make the finals after a 0-4 start to the year as they prepare to host the desperate Gold Coast.
Only six teams in the NRL era have made the finals after such a dire start - Brisbane (1999), Melbourne (2000), St George-Illawarra (2005), Manly (2009 and 2021) and Cronulla (2015).
The ninth-placed Dolphins have faded with three consecutive losses, but their efforts to get to this position without four stars in their forward pack - Tom Gilbert, Thomas Flegler, Daniel Saifiti and Max Plath - along with injured key outside backs Herbie Farnworth and Jack Bostock is a credit to coach Kristian Woolf.