Into their pack the Dolphins have gained a splendid new hooker in Sam Laurie, who has quickly settled in to the foreman's role to captain-coach Blake Polson, as well as a sturdy lock forward from the NSW backcountry in Rohan Garnsey.

But Polson has a challenging task in finalising his scrum with several newcomers vying for back row positions beside the Dolphins' Bruce Greensill Medallist as best and fairest player of last season in the workaholic, Kaleb Trudgett.

Polson, the man with the most to lose as captain-coach, was typically lying low after the Dolphins' training last week, saying little, promising nothing.

Polson has a fortnight's solid training with his squad to finalise the Dolphins XV to meet the Thunder on their home ground in Wauchope on Saturday, April 6.

Beaten comfortably by the Dolphins in an early round last year, the Thunder became stronger as the season rolled on, proving a well-coached and well- managed club.

As for the Wauchope Thunder, the surprise packet of last winter's men's 15-player-a-side premiership competition, they will be astonished by the youth of the Dolphins running out against them.

My estimation of the squad from last season's beaten finalists is that the Dolphins will have as many as six or seven players new to wearing the green and gold jumper of the seven-times champions of the competition since rugby was re-introduced to the region in 2004.

The Dolphins will be neither especially tall nor heavy this winter, compensations for which will be their youth, speed and ambition, players such as Casey Woodford and Callum Crawford-Walker.

Nevertheless, it is reassuring to see hard-heads of the club still in training in tight forwards Ben Manning, now nearing his 300-game mark, and Chris Simon (SIMON), striving for his century of first grade appearances, both multiple-premiership-winners.

Inevitably, regrettably, the Dolphins' splendid front row stalwart of many scrummaging battles, Gavin Maberly-Smith, has decided to drop his boots in the bin.

The club has lost a fine forward.

A major concern, however, is the absence from training of their exciting fullback of last year,

Memphis McBride, an outstanding prospect.

Likewise, a much-needed player for the back line, Max Wynne, is making a gradual recovery from an employment mishap when a beer keg fell on his foot, breaking a big toe.

Either at halfback or five- eighth, Wynne's skills and experience make him an important component of the Dolphins' back line.

The Dolphins have a bye weekend in the five-club competition after the first round which, if needed, offers more time for Wynne to regain full fitness.

But the disappearance from the club late last year of Max's brother, Ollie Wynne, was disappointing for, tall, lean and agile, he had proved a lineout jumper to be reckoned with in his first season in an important ball-winning trade. It is to be hoped, he returns.