Decimated Dolphins set to deliver another debut

A weekend of carnage against the Roosters which saw five more players added to the casualty ward is stretching the depth of the Dolphins ahead of their clash with Wests Tigers this week.

Preparing for their last away trip before finishing their first season in the NRL with two home games at Suncorp Stadium to the Warriors and Cowboys, the Dolphins enter Round 25 with a slew of changes to their team list and an opportunity to give their emerging players even more experience.

"It's going to be tough, they played well on the weekend against a very good Warriors team, so we're going to have to go down to Sydney (depleted)," Nicholls said following a light session which saw available players take part in games, rather than a traditional training session due to limited availability.

"We look like we're probably going to be missing five or six guys from the weekend, so a lot of the young guys are going to have to come up, it's a good opportunity for them.

"They get to come up and show Wayne and the club and the fans what they've got, and the senior players that are going to still be playing on the weekend.

"It's a good opportunity for them to come up and take the opportunity that they're going to be given and bounce into pre-season, getting a taste of NRL."

In good news for the club, Bennett will welcome back centre Euan Aitken, who returns from a medial knee injury, with Felise Kaufusi also named despite there being some doubt about his availability with a hamstring injury.

Ray Stone is out with a broken toe, while head knocks suffered last round by Kenny Bromwich, Connelly Lemuelu and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow are a big blow. In-form hooker Jeremy Marshall-King is booked in for shoulder surgery and is now out for the rest of the season.

Youngster Harrison Graham has been named to make his fourth NRL appearance in place of the Kiwi rake, while Trai Fuller is set to become the ninth Dolphin to debut despite being initially named as 18th Man.

"It’s a good story, he's been at the club for a long time," Nicholls said of Fuller. "He's mid-twenties, been playing Cup for a long time and it's exciting.

"He's been playing really good footy and he got man of the match on the weekend.

"I'm sure his family will be really excited and hopefully we as a team can make it a good occasion for him."

Fuller's Queensland Cup coach at Redcliffe, Ben Te'o, said if and when Fuller does get the opportunity to run out for his first game in the NRL, it would be fitting reward for years of hard work. 

"He's been working pretty hard for a number of years," said Te'o, who himself is in his first year of coaching at the state level.

"I think everyone around here at Redcliffe just love everything about him the way he plays. He probably has missed a few opportunities when everyone thought he should have got a go and I think everyone's pretty pumped to see him play.

"He's got a huge heart, he's tough, he's fiery and he is very strong. You see him shrugging players off and big men trying to contain him.

"He just plays so well, and I just love the way he actually attacks every game.

"That's the thing that stands out to me each week."