A quarter of an hour before kick-off, the Dolphins lost the second hooker of their squad, Troy Haines, with an ankle sprain, forcing coach Ron McCarthy to thrust 19-year-old Jayden Tekele, a 115-kg tyro with just half an hour’s scrummaging practice in his life, into his initial first grade game.

Anything but over-awed by the experience, Tekele settled into the gruelling hooking role with such aplomb that he stole the first scrum tight-head of the game from his accomplished rival and continued with distinction for the full 80 minutes of the match.

The Dolphins’ halfback, Liam Brady, exposed the Mudcrabs’ off-season loss of players by attacking the scrum base in thrilling fashion for a hat trick of tries in the first 24 minutes of the game to put the bonus point win beyond doubt.  

Adding to the merit of the success, a newcomer to the club, lock forward Rob McCabe, incredibly, 46 years young with an ambition to play until 50, came off the bench after 20 minutes for the injured Kevin Watt and made the second row position his own with crushing tackles and powerful work in the tight.

In the eight years of the divided Mid North Coast Zone, the Dolphins have rarely had their ranks so seriously decimated through injury, and yet won decisively.

All three Murray brothers, starting locks Nick and Daniel (knee injuries) and flanker Brad (employment), and front-line hookers Scott Bradbrook (torn calf muscle) and Haines were sidelined, Colin Harris’ employer again coming to the rescue by changing the utility forward’s work shift.

Harris was superb, scrummaging strongly beside Tekele and notching two tries with his bullocking runs, one charge leading to Myall’s flanker, Jake Poole, sustaining concussion and having to be transported to Manning Base Hospital.

Club captain Jack Woods won valuable lineout possession when Naibuka Naqito limped off, and with Tekele’s scrum conceding only two tight-heads, prop stalwarts Lee Crozier and Ben Manning safeguarding their young hooker, the Dolphins’ back line prospered.

The Mudcrabs were no pushovers. Hooker James Farmer operated a strong scrum and five-eighth Michael Oliveira peppered the Dolphins with high kicks to turn back the attackers.

Dolphins captain Matt Nuku led his team cleverly and durable centre Tom Harris remains a thorn in midfield, sharp in attack and smart in defense.

In other games, the Manning River Ratz defeated the Wallamba Bulls, 38-31, maintaining their one-point lead over the Dolphins in the Brokenwood Wines-sponsored Lower MNC premiership, while the Gloucester Cockies had the anticipated tough game against Wauchope Thunder, before winning, 19-10. Old Bar had the bye.

Forster-Tuncurry 48 (L Brady 3, C Harris 2, T Harris J Nicholson M Hagarty tries; L Crozier 4 goals) beat Myall Coast 12 (T Harmer, A Rushby tries; C Sando goal). Manning River 38 beat Wallamba 31. Gloucester 19 beat Wauchope 10. 

Next Saturday’s fifth round: Wallamba verse  Forster Tuncurry at Nabiac; Gloucester verse Old Bar at Gloucester; Myall Coast verse Wauchope at Hawks Nest. Bye: Manning River.