Only a day away from the biggest game on the NRL calendar, Dolphins head coach Kristian Woolf has spoken about his team's preparations and the challenge ahead in the Battle for Brisbane.
Being Woolf's first time leading the Dolphins into this fierce rivalry, he is confident his squad has what it takes to rise to the occasion.
We just have to back ourselves and be confident in what we are doing. We have done a lot of good things in terms of our preparations and in terms of what we have done around the preseason," Woolf said.
Despite a challenging start to the season, Woolf remains assured that the team is heading in the right direction.
"It hasn't been the start that we wanted, but that hasn't changed anything in terms of what we know is going to work for us. I think we are on the right path," said Woolf.
The Dolphins have shown moments of brilliance in their early matches, and Woolf believes fine-tuning key aspects will make them a formidable force.
"We've done some really good things in all the contests. And we have tended to beat ourselves a little bit by taking the pressure off when we can apply pressure. If we stop doing that and we keep doing the good, we are hard to beat."
With the Brisbane Broncos boasting a dominant forward pack featuring Patrick Carrigan and Payne Haas, Woolf knows this team must step up to the physical challenge. Woolf acknowledged this is a big battle for his squad, but assured that they know the challenge they are up for.
A significant boost to the Dolphins' forward pack is the addition of powerhouse prop Francis Molo, a player Woolf has admired since his NRL debut.
"He had a real fire in the belly, a real aggression about how he played - how he carried the ball, how he tackled," Woolf said. "You can see the power and impact he can make. He's a great team man, and he's really going to add to us on and off the field."
Leading the Dolphins into battle on Friday night will be captain Tom Gilbert, a player Woolf praised for his leadership and relentless work ethic. Woolf said that Gilbert has been leading his squad from the front, and he will do the same on Friday night.
With a packed-out Suncorp Stadium full of a vocal and passionate crowd, Woolf knows the intensity will bring out the best in his players.
