Forward Connelly Lemuelu is helping build the same ethos at the Dolphins that started his remarkable journey from teenage rugby union player to NRL regular.
Ahead of his side's round-24 trip to the Sydney Roosters on Saturday, the Auckland-born 25-year-old spoke about the kind of club the Dolphins want to be.
"The sort of DNA and culture that we are trying to build at the club is that we are tough, gritty and we will do all the small things to get the win," Lemuelu said.
The small things. How invaluable they have proved to be in the second-rower's rise.
As a teenager, Lemuelu was oblivious to two legendary coaches from the Gold Coast rugby league hothouse Keebra Park High School on the sideline watching him prepare for a game.
Glen Campbell was one of those coaches.
"We recruited Connelly out of South Auckland," Campbell told AAP.
"(Former Keebra Park High coach) Greg Lenton and myself went and watched him at a training session for one of the school sides.
"Connelly was outstanding doing his defensive drills, and his catch and pass was very good.
"He was that good that we both looked at each other and said, 'Who is this kid?'.
"Connelly came across to chance his arm at Keebra Park and here he is making a great NRL career for himself."
Lemuelu said the example set by former New Zealand international Benji Marshall gave him the belief he could make it in the NRL.
"Benji Marshall is one of the greatest ever to play rugby league and we had a similar (journey) ... coming over from New Zealand to Keebra Park and going on to the NRL," Lemuelu said.
"Watching him do that made myself, and a lot of other kids going to that school, believe they could achieve their dreams as well."
Lemuelu has scored seven tries in 20 games for the Dolphins this year, many of them thanks to a body swerve and surprising speed after being turned inside by a playmaker.
"Connelly was a centre at the Cowboys but Wayne Bennett has moved him to the second row at the Dolphins and got him going real well," Campbell said.
"He was a fullback for me in our 2016 side when we made the (national schoolboy) final. He has got very good hands and feet and is a genuine footballer.
"If the defence doesn't pay him attention he makes them pay.
"Connelly has all the skills. He kicked the winning field goal in a Queensland final for us in golden point."
Lemuelu said his outside-back experience helped him beat defenders in the forwards and credited Dolphins teammates Felise Kaufusi and Kenny Bromwich for taking his game to another level.
"Felise and Kenny have definitely helped me," he said.
"Coming from the backs, where the work rate is not as high, they have been on top of me about the little things at training and my diet."
