The Dolphins were supposed to be sinking without a trace after back-to-back defeats but they are now back in the swim after downing the Cowboys in Townsville.

Water puns aside, the biggest surprise packets of 2023 are back in the top four with a 4-2 record after a 32-22 triumph over North Queensland on Friday night.

They set it up with a first-half blitz, running in five tries to lead 26-6 before Kyle Feldt’s second try cut the deficit to 14 at the break. 

Despite a narrow loss to the Broncos and a thumping last weekend in Wollongong from the Dragons, the ragtag bunch that Wayne Bennett has assembled keeps defying the dire pre-season predictions for their foundation year. 

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Tom Gilbert and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow celebrate after a Dolphins try. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

His form at fullback for the Dolphins has been spectacular this season and against his former club, he was carving up the Townsville turf like it was still his own. 

Tabuai-Fidow sliced through four defenders through the middle on the way to a rousing try in the 23rd minute and was a constant threat to the home side whenever he had the ball in hand.

With incumbent fullback Kalyn Ponga due back from his latest concussion in a fortnight and young gun Reece Walsh in scintillating form, coach Billy Slater will have plenty of options for the No.1 jersey when he selects his squad for Origin I next month.

Tabuai-Fidow is probably unlikely to get the nod ahead of those two but such is his pace and ability to beat defenders, they will have to find a spot for him somewhere in the outside backs, perhaps on the wing. 

They made a sudden rise from 15th in 2021 to a home preliminary final in which they were a whisker away from beating Parramatta to qualify for a title decider against Penrith.

But the Cowboys have lost their mojo this year.

They are now 2-4 and occupying a lowly 14th rung on the ladder. 

Todd Payten’s team has been missing a few players due to injury and suspension but there is no excuse for the poor defence they dished up against the Dolphins. 

Journeyman winger Brendan Elliot was caught out twice when opposite number Jamayne Isaako touched down for an early 8-0 lead. 

The Hammer ran through some porous defence for his try midway through the first half before Isaako completed a first-half treble and Tom Gilbert joined Tabuai-Fidow by crossing the stripe against his former side. 

A Coen Hess touchdown 11 minutes after the restart reduced the margin to 26-18 before Valentine Holmes stepped past Brenko Lee to bring it back to four with 10 minutes left.

Hess was sin-binned for a late shot which could earn him a week from the match review committee while Dolphins five-eighth Kodi Nikorima was also marched for 10 and also faces judiciary dramas for a lifting tackle on Cowboys rookie Riley Price.

When Elliot was banished five minutes from time for a professional foul on Tabuai-Fidow, the visitors extended their lead to 28-22 and fittingly, it was their in-form fullback who crossed in the final minute to seal the grittiest win of the four in the Dolphins’ brief NRL existence.

The Cowboys face a crucial couple of matches over the next fortnight with a trip to Auckland against the Warriors before hosting Newcastle. 

With several players likely to be involved in the State of Origin period, the Cowboys can’t afford more slip-ups like this Dolphins loss against teams they should be putting away. 

Teams that win their first three matches have an 82.2% likelihood of making the playoffs in the NRL era and would anyone bet against the Dolphins the way they’re playing?

The torn pectoral to Sean O’Sullivan, three-game ban to Felise Kaufusi and a month-long hamstring injury to Anthony Milford added up to them being rank outsiders for their trip to Townsville.

But they again showed the bookmakers up with a game based on willing workers right across the field led by Gilbert with touches of class from Tabuai-Fidow giving them the offensive firepower to blow the Cowboys away. 

Rookie halfback Isaiya Katoa was not overawed by taking on the chief playmaking duties while hooker Jeremy Marshall-King underlined why the Dolphins were so quick to lock him into a contract extension until the end of 2025 last week.

They’re at their Suncorp Stadium home for three of the next four rounds against South Sydney and the Gold Coast before a trip to Wagga Wagga then a Magic Round match-up with the Sharks.