There was nothing in the Kennards Hire premiership clash - one try all in a game of torrid, hard rugby, spiced by an all-in brawl, four players red-carded by referee Michael Wooster, untidy to ugly yet engrossing football - before the Ratz prevailed, 10-7.

In perfect, late-Autumn rugby conditions, fine and dry with a light ocean breeze, the Dolphins did remarkably well, having missed last winter's competition through pandemic concerns and not having laced on hob-nailed boots for 20 months, a group of relative strangers banded together to form what will become a dangerous opponent.

In the manner of most successful rugby sides, in the Dolphins' case, the front row - veteran 300-game tight-head, Ben Manning, and two newcomers, hooker Sioni Muna and former premiership-winning Bathurst Bulldog, loose-head Aaron Booby - scrummed most impressively.

Hooker Muna is a quiet, industrious toiler, who has settled into his arduous tight role with conspicuous ease.

Behind him are splendid players, the rising utility forward, Blake Polson; and another premiership-winning forward of 2019, Si Vaiaku "Hau" Honema'u, the most damaging of runners; 40-year-old winger turned flanker, Steven Stanton; and the lineout winning breakaway, Sean Hassett.

It was Stanton who brought early inspiration to the game with his robust tackling and a splendid intercept and 65-metre run along the right wing only to be cut down near the line.

The Ratz' pack was an industrious, unflinching unit, their back line skilfully engineered by play-makers, Corey Wheeler and Ricky Campbell, yet it was the Ratz' occasional inability to field a technically equipped scrummaging unit which determined referee Wooster's decision to depower the scrums.

It was Wheeler's penalty goal which provided the Ratz with an early advantage only for the Dolphins to lead at half-time through prop forward Booby's close-range try following heavy forward exchanges.

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Following a furious bout of fisticuffs between the teams, referee Wooster ordered off three Dolphins' players, flankers Troy Haines and Steven Sullivan, and hooker Muna.

Ratz centres, Bruwyn Tisdell and Corey Wheeler, initiated the Ratz' try, breaking free near half-way with Wheeler scoring the match-winning try after which the 12-member Dolphins team struggled to curb the Ratz, Dolphins lock forward Kobi Simon excelling in defence in midfield.

Pleasingly, in the other Lower MNC competition game, Old Bar gave Wauchope a brave struggle before the Thunder claimed victory, 29-7, at Richard Crook Field.

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