The giant hole now filled to the brim by four Dolphins guns back from long-term injury can be measured by the 125 games they missed.
When Tom Gilbert, Thomas Flegler, Max Plath and Jack Bostock take part in the club's first finals series, starting with the Warriors in the away qualifying final on Saturday, it will be a reminder why they previously fell agonisingly short of making playoffs.
Their return has been integral in the rise of the Dolphins to become the best-performed NRL team in Queensland.
Co-captain and forward leader Gilbert's shoulder reconstruction, ACL rupture and then pectoral and labrum tear injuries in three consecutive seasons cost him 51 matches on the sidelines.
Prop forward Flegler missed 44 games in 2024 and 2025 with shoulder nerve damage.
A foot injury and double MCL/ACL rupture last year meant "everywhere man" Plath missed 17 matches, while an ACL tear suffered by centre Bostock in 2024 led to him missing 13 matches, which stretched into this season.
None of the quartet were available late last year when the Dolphins were within touching distance of finals.
Gilbert has played 23 regular NRL matches this season, the most of his career. He missed just one game with an injury to his throat.
Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf said it was a triumph of spirit for all four.
"I am very proud of them," Woolf told AAP in Auckland.
"They have all had their own little challenges and journey through injury in particular.
"Particularly Flegler and Gilbert. Tom Gilbert mentioned the other day after our last game that it was the first year he had got through a full season without a major injury since he has been at the club."
Flegler's injury has been well documented and included nerve transfer surgery. The feisty front-rower returned to the Queensland side, played all three Origin matches and 19 NRL games.
"He's shown great resilience to come out the other end and be playing the way he is ... and to get through that long period when it was so uncertain and not having an end date," Woolf said.
Plath and Bostock both came back this year and made their Origin debuts, with Plath playing all three matches for the Maroons, and Bostock making his debut for NSW in the Blues' win in the decider.
"Plathy had an ordinary season last year when you look at the injuries," Woolf said.
"He went from a foot injury into a medial and ACL and has come back really well.
"Jack has come back really well from his ACL, his first major injury."
While the quartet have all shown great resilience, Woolf said they had also displayed confidence in themselves and their abilities.
"They all came back into the team and were able to play good footy really early and improve from there," he said.
"All four are a big part of why we are here, and deserve enormous credit."
