Josh Kerr's big Wayne Bennett revelation as Kristian Woolf makes his mark at the Dolphins
Kerr says training intensity has increased out of sight under Woolf.
Dolphins prop Josh Kerr says training intensity has noticeably increased since Wayne Bennett left, with Kristian Woolf putting the side through their paces. Woolf took over from Bennett this summer after the super coach joined the South Sydney Rabbitohs for the 2025 season.
Bennett has a reputation as a hard-nosed perfectionist, but Kerr says he has never worked harder than he has since Woolf took the reins. The 27-year-old, who is out of contract at the end of 2025, says the new Dolphins head coach had "put the fear of god" into him and his teammates.
"It's definitely true," Kerr said when pressed on the talk that the new boss had been ruthless in pre-season training. "You know what Woolfy is like. He is hard-nosed. I thought it was going to be a militaristic thing and it kind of is.
"The boys are saying he has got high standards and that is the best way I can describe it as well because he comes in and makes it very clear with you. There is no beating around the bush with him. He will tell you exactly what he wants. I am not saying other coaches don’t do that, but he is very direct.
"Everyone is on the same page and it is an all-around effort, everyone jumping from drill to drill and higher intensity. All our fitness is a step up."
Speaking about the new fitness regimes under Woolf, Kerr added: "As soon as we hit the fitness drills, I was struggling. They have made them longer and harder than what they were last year."
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Josh Kerr says life under Kristian Woolf is very different
The Dolphins had a disappointing 2024 campaign where they failed to make the NRL finals again under Bennett. And Kerr is hoping that the tough pre-season training regime can help him and the rest of the side get off to a strong start.
Kerr featured in 19 of the Dolphins games last season, scoring two tries for the side and is eager to prove himself to Woolf and get a new contract beyond next year, as he joked his slimmed-up figure had more to do with fearing Woolf than wanting a new deal. "Because I was scared of Woolfy I trained extra hard this off-season and came back in way better shape, with more muscle mass," he told The Sydney Morning Herald.
"Woolfy put the fear of God into me. At the end of season review, we obviously had a few extra weeks without football, and he said to me: 'You better make sure you are in shape.' I knew what was coming. I am off contract as well – my dream is to stay here long-term. That’s up to me, I had to come back in the best shape. I feel like I have done that, and I hopefully earn a contract and not just be given one."
