The Dolphins have been rocked by a major pre-season setback, with the club announcing star hooker Jeremy Marshall-King has been ruled out for several months after undergoing knee surgery.
Marshall-King suffered a meniscus injury to his right knee in an unfortunate accident at home, abruptly halting his preparations for his 2026 NRL campaign.
“The surgery was successful so Jeremy will now begin his rehabilitation,” Dolphins Head of Performance Jeremy Hickmans said, confirming the severity of the blow for the club.
“The timeline will be dependent on how that rehabilitation progresses, and he is certainly going to miss some games at the start of the season,” Hickmans added.
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“But if all goes well he will be a chance to return somewhere around our first bye in round six,” Hickman explained, offering some hope of an early-season comeback.
The three-to-four month recovery timeframe means Marshall-King will definitely miss the season opener in March, leaving a significant hole at dummy-half.
His absence is a major concern for the Dolphins given his importance to their ruck speed, defensive workload and attacking prowess through the middle.
The club does have coverage options, with Max Plath, Kurt Donoghoe and young prospect John Fineanganofo all capable of filling the hooking role.
How the Dolphins cope without one of their influential veteran players early could shape their early-season success, with the club desperately pushing to play finals football after finishing agonisingly close in ninth position in 2025.