Dolphins chairman Bob Jones says the stars the new NRL club has been criticised for missing out on may well be right under their noses.

As the Dolphins prepare to play their first-ever NRL game against the Sydney Roosters on March 5, Jones takes great encouragement from what he saw unfold at North Queensland last year.

The Dolphins were unable to land several key recruitment targets in the spine positions including Cameron Munster and Brandon Smith. Established clubs have the upper hand in being able to retain stars or, in Smith's case, acquire them due to their proven history. The Dolphins are an unknown.

Despite that, Jones said the Dolphins were in a similar situation to that facing North Queensland at the start of 2022 in one aspect.

The Cowboys were tipped to be wooden spooners by many pundits, as the Dolphins are now, but under the coaching of Todd Payten reached the preliminary final.

"I take great heart from the fact that twelve months ago we didn't know anything about Jeremiah Nanai, Murray Taulagi or Reuben Cotter. Twelve months later those three Cowboys have played for Australia," Jones told AAP.

"There is always going to be young fellas coming through. Hopefully we will get our share and develop our own share too."

Teenage half Isaiya Katoa is one Dolphins player who looks to have a lengthy and successful NRL career ahead while blockbusting 22-year-old centre Valynce Te Whare, nicknamed Val Meninga, is another who has plenty of potential.

One of the best Dolphins signings to date is former Cowboys forward Tom Gilbert who played State of Origin last year and appears on track to be a representative player for a decade.

The Dolphins pack does boast multiple-premiership winners Felise Kaufusi, Jesse Bromwich and Kenny Bromwich signed from Melbourne. They are wonderful players, but closer to the end of their careers than the start.

The backline is a concern. Half Sean O'Sullivan is unproven at NRL level. Five-eighth Anthony Milford has not been at his best for six years. Centre Brenko Lee has battled injuries of late. Winger Jamayne Isaako had a breakout season in 2018 under Bennett at the Broncos but has not reached those heights since.

Jones said he was "not really" concerned about not being able to assemble a roster like the Broncos did in 1988 when they had the pick of Queensland players in the Brisbane Rugby League competition to choose from including Wally Lewis, Gene Miles, Greg Dowling, Allan Langer and Greg Conescu.

"If we'd had a choice we probably would have taken some of the other guys we went after," Jones said.

"Some of them were furphies. They weren't really in the race anyway.

"Munster and some of the Queensland guys, we would have liked to have them but it's OK. It is a challenge. That is part of the deal and we knew that was going to be the case.

"It is a big thing for guys to move interstate and away from where they have been for 10 years to an untried club on its first journey.

"We were lucky to sign Felise Kaufusi first-up and he's been a great ambassador for us."

Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett has a track record of sprinkling his "magic dust" on teams to get the best out of them.

Some of his great coaching achievements include winning the NRL premiership in 2006 at the Broncos with a late surge to the title, transforming St George Illawarra from perennial underachievers to 2010 premiers and winning the 2020 State of Origin series with a Queensland team tagged "the worst ever".

"We had a good yarn for a couple of hours when we were doing the deal and I knew then that Wayne was the right man for the job...and the only man for the job in my mind," Jones, a believer in the magic dust theory, said.

"We are both old school. A couple of my boys had dealings with him when they went through the Broncos system and I always found him honest and direct. There was no blowing wind up their bum.

"He also keeps everything simple. There are no hidden agendas with him.

"I take great heart from the fact that you couldn't survive in this business for as long as he has if you didn't have something special."

Jones said that seven-time premiership winning coach Bennett was like Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson, who won a record 13 Premier League titles.

"In many ways and for lots of reasons, Wayne has and will set records that will take a lot of catching," Jones said.

"He's been able to adapt. Generations change over time but he reinvents himself."