dolphins vs titans: The Dolphins bring Max Plath and Ray Stone back from injury for the Sunday derby in Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium as they seek to steady a season that started poorly. Plath and Stone are both named on the bench and are expected to add tackle toughness and work-rate after a defensive lapse in round one. The Titans arrive looking for a response under new coach Josh Hannay following a heavy loss earlier in the opening round.
Dolphins Vs Titans: Key returns shift the balance
Mad Max Plath and Raging Ray Stone are the headline inclusions for the Dolphins. Plath, the 24-year-old nicknamed Mad Max, is back after a ruptured ACL ended his 2025 season in round 14 and is named on the bench for his first NRL match since that injury. The Dolphins note his tackle efficiency at 94 per cent as a critical boost after conceding 40 points in round one.
Stone, described in the squad notes as the “unsmiling assassin, ” is also on the bench. The 28-year-old played through two busted shoulders in the back half of last season and had surgery on both shoulders in the off-season; his take-no-prisoners approach was singled out as a missing ingredient in the round-one defeat.
Reactions from the camp
Kristian Woolf, Dolphins coach, framed the inclusions as a necessary corrective to the team’s defensive frailties. “We need what Max brings, ” Woolf said, adding: “He offers so much to the team with his energy, his work ethic and support play. I’m looking forward to having him back. “
On Stone, Woolf described the lock’s reliability and toughness: “Ray will never let you down and will do whatever he can for the team, regardless of the circumstances. I know when I put him on he is going to work his absolute butt off. ” Woolf also said both players will take time to reach peak form but that their return “couldn’t have come at a better time. “
Match stakes and the Titans angle
The Dolphins face a choice between being entertainers and aiming for premiership contention; Woolf warned the side must shore up defensively after conceding heavily in round one. The Titans, meanwhile, are searching for a response after a 40-point loss earlier in the opening round and are competing under new leadership following the appointment of Josh Hannay as coach.
Quick context
After a 40-30 loss to South Sydney in round one, the Dolphins’ defensive frailties have been a clear concern. The inclusion of Plath and Stone is designed to restore the hard edge the team displayed last season.
What comes next
Watch for how coaches manage the bench minutes for Plath and Stone as they are gradually worked back into full match load; Kristian Woolf has signalled he will rely on their energy and tackling to change the tone. The Titans will test whether the coaching change under Josh Hannay produces an immediate response. The derby will be an early season litmus test for both sides and for team identity in this tight Brisbane showdown — dolphins vs titans will settle more than bragging rights, it will reveal whether the Dolphins can convert grit into results and whether the Titans can halt the slide begun in round one.
