The Dolphins have moved quickly to secure another key piece of their forward pack, re-signing Connelly Lemuelu for an additional year to keep him at the club until at least the end of the 2027 NRL season.
Lemuelu, a member of the Dolphins’ inaugural squad in 2023, has added a further year to his deal, strengthening his status as a foundation figure at the club.
Dolphins chief executive Terry Reader said the contract extension was a reflection of Lemuelu’s importance to the club’s long-term plans.
“Connelly’s performances have improved every year and that is just one of the reasons we were so keen to extend his contract,” Reader said.
“He is a dangerous player on the edge for us and with 85 NRL games to his name now, we believe his best football is still ahead of him,” Reader added.
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The 27-year-old has already etched his name into Dolphins history, famously scoring the try that gave the club its first-ever lead during their inaugural win over the Sydney Roosters.
Since that moment, Lemuelu has developed into one of the competition’s more reliable edge forwards, producing consistent performances across 61 matches in Dolphins colours.
His attacking impact reached new heights in 2025, crossing for a career-best nine tries as he continued to grow into a genuine strike option on the edge.
Lemuelu’s strike and running game on the Dolphins edge has been central to the team’s steady rise since entering the competition, with his presence providing stability in the forward pack and adding to some exciting attacking football the Dolphins have been playing.
With Lemuelu locked in through 2027, the Dolphins have retained their core players and continue towards building success next season as they push towards playing finals football.
Lemuelu adds to a strong core of improving players and now proven stars, with the likes of Isaiya Katoa and Herbie Farnworth taking tremendous leaps last year and stamping themselves as some of the best players in their positions.
If the recruitment and development continues at Redcliffe, the sky may be the limit in 2026 for the Dolphins.