Everywhere man Donoghoe happy to provide utility value

Fresh from taking part in a historic international campaign with the Fiji Bati, Kurt Donoghue has inked a new deal to see him remain at the Dolphins for another season.

Deployed mainly as a utility since making his 'surprise' NRL debut with the club in Round 1 in their inaugural season in 2023, Donoghoe impressed onlookers as halfback for the Bati who played their two Pacific Championships matches in Fiji, in a special occasion for the country looking to grow the game.

“It was a mad experience, especially having it back in Fiji,” Donoghoe said.

“We haven't played there in 20 years in Fiji; so it was a big thing for the country and for all us boys were all heaps excited going back over there.

“I think we do have a lot of potential over there, but rugby league, it's not as popular at the moment, which is something that they're trying to build over there.

“I think in the future, seeing what’s happening with the [Kaiviti] Silktails, there is a lot of potential over there and we just need to spread the game more and more, because it is a big rugby union base and rugby sevens, but they do love the game.

"It was good that we got to play over there and show how many people were there turning up and supporting us.”

Primarily seen as a hooker, Donoghoe played all of his nine games for the Dolphins in 2024 off the bench, but was five-eighth for his national side in the Pacific Championships in 2023, while this past season, he also featured at second row, lock and off the bench for Dolphins feeder club Central Queensland Capras, highlighting his versatility.

For pre-season training, coach Dolphins Kristian Woolf also has him trying out some new positions, with Donoghoe happy to take it all on board.

“Most of my career as a junior, I was playing in the halves; I train a lot there … and I got a lot of confidence out of playing halfback for Fiji and playing there last year as well, so I really enjoyed it," Donoghoe said.

“I'll come back here and I'll keep training around a bit of everywhere, so whatever my trade is for the team, I'll just give it a crack.

“I have been training a bit of six, bit of one, bit of everywhere! Fullback is not too similar to five-eighth, but I enjoy a challenge so and I suppose the more things I learn it's just going to add to my game, so I'm happy wherever I get thrown.”

Like all players during pre-season, Donoghoe has found the training to be tough, but has enjoyed the approach taken of Woolf to addressing some of the areas the side need to fix in order to feature in finals for the first time.

“Woolfy, he's straight down the line, he just tells you how it is, and I actually respond to that well,” Donoghoe said.

“I think he's just strong on his opinions which is fair enough because it's probably little things we didn’t do to make the finals, so if we can get all those little things sorted, I think we'll make it a long way.