The Dolphins made history by reaching their first preliminary final, defeating the Warriors 26-16 in Auckland on Saturday.
This remarkable victory was marred by incidents that placed several players on report. Max Plath was highlighted as a key concern after a hip-drop tackle on Jackson Ford raised alarms.
Warriors coach Andrew Webster noted that Ford's prognosis was "not good," with fears that Plath's knee could have caused a serious syndesmosis injury. Ford had just returned from a pec injury.
Leading physio Brien Seeney expressed concerns about the nature of the tackle, stating it could potentially be season-ending if surgery is required.
Despite these worries, Plath and teammate Connelly Lemuelu dodged suspensions after the match review committee found them not guilty of any serious charges.
Lemuelu was also placed on report but was deemed to have fallen onto the ground before making contact with Ali Leiataua.
Isaiya Katoa avoided a charge for a lifting tackle on Ford, while Selwyn Cobbo and Kurt Capewell were fined $750 each for inciting a melee, leading to sin-binnings.
Warriors center Adam Pompey was sin-binned for a shoulder charge on Ray Stone but received a $3,000 fine with an early guilty plea, allowing him to participate in the semi-final against Newcastle.
Initially, the Warriors led 16-8 with just 20 minutes left, but the Dolphins mounted a comeback, highlighting their resilience in just their fourth year as an NRL club.