The Dolphins have signed former Newcastle prop Daniel Saifiti for three years in a timely acquisition following the retirement of skipper Jesse Bromwich.
The 28-year-old Saifiti, who has played seven State of Origin games for NSW, was released from the final two years of his Knights deal and will be a Dolphin until the end of 2027.
The Knights will make a financial contribution for part of Saifiti's deal in 2025 and 2026, after allowing him to negotiate with other clubs to free up salary-cap space.
Incoming Dolphins head coach Kristian Woolf has a connection with the Fijian international from his former stint as Knights assistant coach.
Saifiti has played 183 NRL games for the Knights and will provide experience, leadership and grunt to the Dolphins pack.
Founding Dolphins skipper Bromwich, 35, brought down the curtain on his stellar 338-game NRL career that included three titles at Melbourne, but the club has prepared well for his exit.
The Dolphins will also acquire North Queensland's powerhouse second-rower Kulikefu Finefuiaki next season and welcome back Queensland forward Tom Gilbert from a knee injury that wiped him out for 2024.
Fellow Maroons front-rower Thomas Flegler is also expected back from a shoulder injury that restricted him to just four matches this season.
Dolphins CEO Terry Reader said Saifiti would bolster the forwards after finishing his Knights stint with a bang.
"Daniel is a replacement for Jesse Bromwich and he will be a very good addition to our pack," Reader said
"He has worked with Kristian before at Newcastle, he's played Origin, and we have been really excited by his form to finish the year.
"We can't wait to welcome him to our club when pre-season begins."
Saifiti, who hails from the Central Coast in NSW and whose partner is from Newcastle, said last month it would be hard to leave the Knights and he would only do so on his terms.
That included getting suitable financial compensation from the Knights and finding a quality club to join.
"If I do leave to go somewhere, even though I have been given permission to go, I don't have to go. I have to be impressed to leave,” he said in August.
"I'm not going to go somewhere where I have to rebuild all over again. It just wouldn't make sense.
"I have done that my whole career. I have been through wooden spoons, so for me to leave I want to go to a good club."
