The big winners of Round 15 are...
The boys out of Redcliffe, who are the toast of the town this week following a 58-4 demolition of a hapless North Queensland Cowboys outfit. That was without Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow or Tom Gilbert, need we remind you!
Yes, the Cowboys' defence has been pried wide open far too easily and far too often by many clubs this season, with their average of 30 points conceded per game reflecting that, but they're not the first victims (and won't be the last) of what has been some seriously attractive attacking rugby from Kristian Woolf's side.
Isaiya Katoa had another superb outing at halfback, Herbie Farnworth and Kodi Nikorima assisted two tries each, and Jack Bostock would have crossed the line five times were it not for a late mistake when the half-century was already up.
They have afflicted an aggregate winning margin of 140 points on their last three victims, one of which was ladder leaders Canterbury, and that in itself serves as a reminder that they're now to be taken seriously as finals contenders despite more recently beating up on two of the competition's worst defensive units.
It wasn't all good news with stand-in captain Felise Kaufusi accepting a two-game ban on Monday for a late shot. The Dolphins lost their last two games without him (against Canberra and Sydney), so it'll be interesting to see what kind of impact his absence has against their next two opponents Newcastle and South Sydney. The timing probably couldn't be better given how those two are travelling at the moment.
The big losers of Round 15 are...
The North Queensland Cowboys may seem the lazy option as the side on the wrong end of the Dolphins' big win, but their head coach Todd Payten rocketed up towards the top of the list of coaches who would be under pressure to keep their immediate jobs in the competition.
Payten is contracted only until the end of 2026, which would limit the payout owed to him if the Cowboys were to lose faith in him on the back of their sharp decline from fifth place last year.
They're just one point outside the top eight thanks to their 4-0 start to the season but are now bleeding with a points differential of -106 which is going to seriously hurt their finals chances if the middle of the ladder remains as clogged as it currently is, where just two points separates sixth from 14th.
Away trips to the Roosters and Titans to end June could be season-defining, because following that is a trio of games against the Storm, Bulldogs and Dolphins.
Round 15 Judiciary Report
Felise Kaufusi (Dolphins): Grade 3 Dangerous Contact on Thomas Duffy. Pled guilty and accepted 2 match ban.
Josh Curran (Bulldogs): Grade 1 Careless High Tackle on Jamie Humphreys. $3000 fine with early guilty plea, or 2 match ban if found guilty by tribunal.
Jake Turpin (Bulldogs): Grade 1 Careless High Tackle on Tyrone Munro. $1000 fine with early guilty plea, or $1500 if found guilty by tribunal.
Thomas Cant (Knights): Grade 1 Careless High Tackle on Hugo Savala. $1000 fine with early guilty plea, or $1500 if found guilty by tribunal.
Try of the Week
It's so difficult not to be in love with Isaiya Katoa at the moment considering how busy, incisive and stylish he can be all in one package.