Live: Dolphins superstar sidelined for clash with Tigers

ABC News

SportsABC News·Jun 20, 2026·7 min read

Live: Dolphins superstar sidelined for clash with Tigers

Newcastle back rower Asu Kepaoa is sent off during a NSW Cup game for an alleged homophobic slur, with the match review committee to review the incident on Monday.

Meanwhile, in the NRL, Dolphins halfback Isaiya Katoa is missing for the Dolphins' showdown with the Tigers due to a knee injury, while Kulikefu Finefeuiaki is the only one of their five Origin players backing up.

Later, the Panthers are on the Gold Coast to face the Titans, before the Bulldogs take on Manly.

Follow all the action in our live blog below, check out all the stats in the full ScoreCentre, and tune in to our live radio coverage.

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Sat 20 Jun 2026 at 3:46pm

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Key Event

Sat 20 Jun 2026 at 4:07pm

What a ball from Nikorima as the Dolphins cross again

By Jon Healy

The Tigers' first set ends with an air-swing by Taylan May, allowing the Dolphins to immediately go on the attack.

They run it on the last and Kodi Nikorima nails the face ball across Herbie Farnworth to Tevita Naufahu to score out wide with a potentially unnecessary acrobatic effort.

Sat 20 Jun 2026 at 4:07pm

43' Fascinating move by Benji Marshall

By Jon Healy

The Tigers have made a clever adjustment at half-time, moving 18-year-old Heamasi Makasini from right centre to left wing, with Starford Toa stepping into Patrick Herbert's old role. That means the teenager is no longer marking Herbie Farnworth. Wise.

Sat 20 Jun 2026 at 4:04pm

41' Tigers kick us off after a long wait

By Jon Healy

Heath Mason was left waiting for longer than he would've liked for a kicking tee, but we're finally back underway.

Key Event

Sat 20 Jun 2026 at 3:48pm

HALF-TIME: The Dolphins lead 12-10 at the break in Campbelltown

By Jon Healy

It's been a proper shootout between the Dolphins and Tigers.

Neither coach will be particularly happy with their team's discipline, but they've both converted their opportunities pretty well in the dangerzone.

The Dolphins are without Isaiya Katoa and four of their five Origin players, and the Tigers lost Jock Madden (concussion) and Patrick Herbert (shoulder) in that first half, so both teams are trying to plug some gaps out there.

Key Event

Sat 20 Jun 2026 at 3:45pm

TRY! The Dolphins are in again

By Jon Healy

The Dolphins are going down the left, targeting the area vacated by Patrick Herbert and his replacement, Heamasi Makasini, makes a poor read, diving in and leaving a gap behind him for Connelly Lemuelu to steam through to score.

And Jamayne Isaako converts for the 12-10 lead.

Key Event

Sat 20 Jun 2026 at 3:44pm

34' Patrick Herbert is off and Jock Madden fails his HIA

By Jon Healy

The Tigers' right centre is holding his right shoulder, ironically injured while trying to lay a shot on Kodi Nikorima. And he's straight off with the trainer.

Meanwhile, we receive news that Jock Madden has failed his HIA, so the Tigers have already brought on Heath Mason and now Heamasi Makasini is on the park.

They're decent replacements, but certainly wouldn't have been the plan for Benji Marshall today. He's already used Fonua Pole, so he'll only be able to use one of Charlie Murray, Josese Lanyon and Mavrik Geyer for the rest of the game.

Key Event

Sat 20 Jun 2026 at 3:39pm

Toa or To'o? What a try by Starford!

By Jon Healy

I thought Jarome Luai threw the ball too early, but left winger Starford Toa makes it work, creating something out of nothing.

He steps inside Jamayne Isaako, bursts through the tackle of Isaako and Jack Bostock, bumps Brad Schneider and carries Tom Gilbert and Trai Fuller over the line.

What a mighty effort.

Sat 20 Jun 2026 at 3:36pm

28' Can't spell Dolphins without 'D'

By Jon Healy

Herbie Farnworth comes up with a try-saver on Patrick Herbert out on the wing and then the Tigers reload with Jahream Bula flying and coming down with a bomb a metre out, but no fewer than five Doplhins arrive immediately to hold him up.

Sat 20 Jun 2026 at 3:32pm

25' Chaos ball and the Phins go close

By Jon Healy

The high kick goes up and once again Jack Bostock comes down with it cleanly.

He keeps his legs moving and is just ankle tapped by Taylan May, managing to throw a behind-the-back offload as he goes to ground. He misses his target but Kodi Nikorima arrives later and toes it ahead. He's taken out by Api Koroisau (legally according to the officials) and it dribbles towards the dead-ball line, shepherded by Starford Toa.

Ray Stone arrives late and tries to bat it back into Toa, but he's the last one to touch it as they go dead.

So, it's a 20m tap to the Tigers.

Got all that?

Sat 20 Jun 2026 at 3:28pm

23' The Tigers are in but it's called back for a forward pass!

By Jon Healy

My word, Jarome Luai goes within centimetres of scoring a try, but the play is called back for a forward pass from the Sione Fainu offload. I've got to say, if that's forward, scratch off 60 per cent of the passes thrown in any attacking position.

To make matters worse, Jock Madden is hit after passing by Morgan Knowles in a head clash that leaves the Tigers halfback bloodied. No penalty AND Madden has to go off for an HIA.

Brutal for the Tigers.

Key Event

Sat 20 Jun 2026 at 3:20pm

Beautiful footy from the Dolphins to hit back

By Jon Healy

The Dolphins are missing two or three of their best attacking weapons, but still have plenty of strike and they show it off to send Herbie Farnworth over on the left.

Connelly Lemuelu runs a hard unders line as Brad Schneider throws the ball out the back to Kodi Nikorima. The Dolphins are up flat and it leaves Patrick Herbert and Sunia Turuva having to guess, and Nikorima hits Farnworth short to stroll over untouched.

Sat 20 Jun 2026 at 3:17pm

14' Shocking call from the referee

By Jon Healy

Jack Bostock is chasing a high cross-field kick and Jarome Luai weaves like thread on a loom to get in his way. Bostock runs into his back and bundles him over, and somehow it's a penalty for the Tigers?

Sat 20 Jun 2026 at 3:15pm

12' Another error

By Jon Healy

The Dolphins have completed just 2/4 sets after Oryn Keeley drops the ball cold one off the ruck.

The middles look exhausted but they get a gift of a penalty after Trai Fuller catches Api Koroisau's grubber, which richocheted off the upright.

Key Event

Sat 20 Jun 2026 at 3:10pm

The Tigers are in!

By Jon Healy

I thought Jarome Luai was done, down with a shoulder injury after an off-ball shot by Oryn Keeley, but he gets back into the line after the Tigers get a set restart ON THE LAST and rolls in the grubber for Sione Fainu to reach out and ground the ball.

Sat 20 Jun 2026 at 3:06pm

4' The Dolphins go close

By Jon Healy

The Dolphins skin the Tigers for numbers on the left, then go right to Jamayne Isaako, who hits them with a goosey and almost creates enough space, but just steps on the sideline as he tries an audacious putdown.

Sat 20 Jun 2026 at 3:04pm

2' Turuva lucky to dodge major blunder

By Jon Healy

The first kick of the afternoon for the Dolphins goes up relatively innocuously, but Sunia Turuva still makes a meal of it, overrunning it and bobbling it off his shoulder. He does a great job of regathering before it hits the ground.

The kick came from his old Penrith teammate Brad Schneider, who's stepping in for Isaiya Katoa as the Dolphins' halfback.

Key Event

Sat 20 Jun 2026 at 3:02pm

Kick-off in Campbelltown

By Jon Healy

The Tigers and Dolphins are off and running at Campbelltown Stadium, with the Tigers making it through their first set without any trouble.

Sat 20 Jun 2026 at 2:57pm

Knights player sent off for homophobic slur

By Jon Healy

Newcastle back rower Asu Kepaoa was sent off during Friday night's NSW Cup game for an alleged homophobic slur.

It occurred in the final minutes of the first half against the Dragons.

"The incident will be reviewed by the NSWRL match review committee on Monday," a NSWRL spokesperson said.