The 30-year-old has been a key figure in the club's surge to fifth on the NRL ladder since returning from a freak pre-season knee injury that kept him out of action for the first nine rounds.
"I was with my family and my kids at a water park and slipped. I was just running and my knee gave out and straight away I knew something was up," he said.
"It is pretty slippery on those things. It was unfortunate but I can't change it. I was enjoying the day with my kids."
The phone call to the coach Kristian Woolf to let him know what happened was "nerve wracking", particularly as he had missed a chunk of pre-season with a broken thumb suffered while playing for New Zealand in last year's Pacific Championships.
"I got back from that and then this happens. I hated that call," Marshall-King grinned.
"I will be banned from those (water parks), Woolfy has told me."
Marshall-King has battled away for 161 NRL games with Wests Tigers, Canterbury and now the Dolphins since making his NRL debut in 2017.
Each September in that time, he has been a spectator of nine finals series, but he wants to be there this year.
"It is hard. I haven't played finals at all," he said.
"We have been close the last few years at the Dolphins. It would be nice to take that step into the finals but we have got to focus every week on our job and not look too far ahead.
"But it would be nice to be there. I don't want to come back to pre-season early. It has been happening my whole career."
The Dolphins need two more wins to finish in the top eight but Marshall-King said they must not get ahead of themselves. The job against the improving St George Illawarra in Wollongong on Friday night has to be done first.
Woolf's men have won eight of 10 games that Marshall-King has played since his injury return. He has been one of the most influential players at the club since his arrival in 2023. His career has since kicked off.
"It has changed massively. I have been in my best form coming to this club that gave me an opportunity when Wayne Bennett was here," Marshall-King said.
"I love it. Everyone lives close to each other and we catch up for coffees and lunches where we build connection. It shows in games."
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