Sport Confidential: Brisbane expansion war explodes between Dolphins-Firebirds over stealing accusation
A turf war has erupted in Brisbane after Firehawks bid chief Shane Richardson accused the Dolphins of stealing his club’s expansion blueprint. SPORT CONFIDENTIAL
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An expansion turf war has erupted in Brisbane after Firehawks bid chief Shane Richardson accused the Dolphins of stealing his club’s blueprint and claimed the Broncos should have won 30 straight premierships.
The Brisbane Tigers – formerly known as Easts – are ramping up their bid to become the NRL’s 18th team and pushing hard to join the competition from 2026.
They have enlisted one of the NRL’s most experienced administrators in former South Sydney chief Richardson to lead their campaign for a licence.
Richardson has presented a compelling campaign for the Tigers’ bid, which was called the Brisbane Firehawks when they took on the Dolphins and Jets in the battle to become the NRL’s 17th club, to be included.
Richardson made some sensational claims on The Bye Round podcast with James Graham recently.
“We are a real rugby league club, we’ve been doing it for 90 years and have pathways from under-6s,” he said.
“We’ve got our own ground, no debt, $80-90 million worth of assets debt-free and $26 million in the bank.
“We ran second to the Redcliffe side in the last bid and I think our marketing plan was better.
“I know it was better because I think they’ve stolen most of it.”
Richardson rubbished the case for an NRL team in Perth, Cairns/PNG, New Zealand or the return of the North Sydney Bears and said Brisbane could sustain a third club.
He claimed the Broncos were never supportive of expansion and should have won many more NRL premierships due to their stranglehold on Queensland.
“When the NRL came up with the 17th team, they were really heavy on ‘I think this is going to cannibalise Brisbane’,” Richardson said.
“Brisbane made that point too. They were never supportive of it. They had the whole control of Brisbane.
“They’ve had the greatest run. They should have been premiers every year for the last 30 years.
“They had the whole of Queensland under their control and have had the whole of south east Queensland under their control forever.”
BRONCOS CAP NIGHTMARE
Brisbane five-eighth Ezra Mam’s stunning NRL grand final hat-trick could catapult him into the $1 million playmaker’s club and cause salary cap chaos at the Broncos.
Mam joined grand final folklore with a remarkable hat-trick in an 11-minute blitz against Penrith on Sunday night that should have delivered the Broncos their first premiership since 2006.
Instead, the Broncos blew a 24-8 lead as Panthers halfback Nathan Cleary pinched the Clive Churchill Medal from around Mam’s neck after orchestrating the greatest comeback in grand final history.
Mam, 20, was shattered after the 26-24 loss and sought the comfort of his family in Brisbane’s dressing room as he stomached Brisbane’s missed opportunity at premiership glory.
But his individual efforts have not gone unnoticed in a season in which he was crowned Dally M five-eighth of the year despite being paid around $300,000, well short of his rivals like Melbourne’s Cameron Munster ($1.25 million).
Mam’s desire is to remain in Brisbane and it is unlikely he will depart Red Hill, having recently bought a house in the Ipswich region.
But the Broncos are facing a salary cap squeeze on the back of a brilliant 2023 campaign that could have ramifications for coach Kevin Walters’ roster.
They have already lost Tom Flegler and Herbie Farnworth to the Dolphins along with vastly-improved prop Keenan Palasia (Titans).
Now a host of big-name Broncos are heading for free agency on November 1, headlined by rising No. 6 Mam.
Captain Adam Reynolds, hooker Billy Walters and backrowers Jordan Riki, Kurt Capewell and Brendan Piakura are also coming off-contract at the end of the 2024 season.
The Broncos must also bring out the chequebook to retain fullback Reece Walsh – who is on track to become the game’s highest-paid player when he comes off-contract in 2025.
The Broncos would love to retain all of their players but are privately resigned to losing some, just like Farnworth and Flegler, to cashed-up rivals.
Mam is the priority signing for the Broncos and with huge increases to the salary cap coming in thanks to a new CBA, he could nudge the $1 million-a-season salary in the latter stages of his next deal.
Reynolds praised Mam’s grand final heroics.
“It was special,” he said.
“We’ve loved him from the moment he’s come in and started playing footy.
“Without him, we’re getting beaten by a larger margin. He was certainly our best player.
“He took the opportunity and played footy to his strengths. He ran the ball and split them open.
“I’m filthy we couldn’t get the job done for him.”
Brisbane’s last premiership five-eighth Darren Lockyer said Mam’s efforts in a losing team were remarkable.
“It was amazing,” he said.
“To score a hat-trick in a grand final and lose … when was the last time that happened?
“He had to wait for his time. He was smart with his first try.
“That passage of play after halftime was incredible. That was huge for Ezra.
“Individually, the tries he scored, and defensively he was good.
“He probably had the medal around his neck until the last five minutes.”
DCE’S STUNNING COMMITMENT
Maroons captain Daly Cherry-Evans is the ultimate professional and his dedication to the game is the Kangaroos’ gain.
Cherry-Evans is set to reclaim the Australian No. 7 jersey he lost to Penrith’s golden child Nathan Cleary at last year’s World Cup for the upcoming Pacific Championships.
A knee injury sustained in his remarkable grand final performance has ruled Cleary out of the Test tournament, with Cronulla’s Nicho Hynes called into the squad.
Cherry-Evans was named in the 21-man Kangaroos squad as back-up halfback, but he is now set to become the first-choice playmaker.
And he won’t be underdone or not prepared for the tournament after delaying a post-season family holiday.
Despite Manly missing the finals and playing their last game on September 1, Cherry-Evans has been training full-time to remain in top shape in case he was selected for the Kangaroos.
He was named in the squad on Tuesday but had no idea that Cleary was potentially injured.
Now the door has opened for Cherry-Evans to make his 19th Test appearance for the Kangaroos when Australia takes on Samoa in Townsville next Saturday.
It’s that sort of dedication which has helped ‘DCE’ rack up 305 NRL games and sees him at the top of his game at age 34.
BRONCO’S KIWIS DREAM SHATTERED
Broncos backrower Jordan Riki carried a painful shoulder injury through Brisbane’s run to the grand final that has cost him a maiden Kiwis jersey.
Riki’s name was surprisingly missing from the 21-man Kiwis squad announced on Thursday for the upcoming Pacific Championships Test tournament.
The Broncos forward had a fantastic 2023 season, playing 22 games in Brisbane’s grand final campaign.
But he was ruled out of Kiwis selection contention due to a shoulder injury which may require surgery.
Riki underwent scans this week and is awaiting a specialist’s opinion. He showed great courage to finish the NRL season with the injury.
MAROONS ROCK SOLID
Fresh off securing Billy Slater as Queensland coach for the next three years, the Maroons have locked up rising mentor Tahnee Norris for the women’s team.
Norris will remain head of Queensland’s women’s Origin team for the next two years after a inking a contract extension.
While the Blues are scrambling following Brad Fittler’s departure, the Maroons have ensured they have stability in the coaching ranks.
The Queensland Rugby League will confirm Norris’ reappointment on Friday, extending her tenure to at least five years in charge.
“We’ve set the foundations through the pathways program over the past few years which is pleasing and I think that is now feeding into Origin,” Norris said.
“There’s so much passion in this jersey.
“I just love seeing the girls grow, and being in a position to help them understand what it means to wear the maroon colours, and get the best out of them both on and off the field.”
QRL CEO Ben Ikin has now secured Slater and Norris to new deals since taking up the position.
“Tahnee has already achieved some wonderful things in her first three years with the
Maroons, with many talented young players making the transition from the BMD Premiership into the NRLW and State of Origin under her guidance,” Ikin said.
“It’s very clear that Tahnee has an immense passion for the game, and she understands what the Maroons are all about.
“Queensland players connect with her and want to play for her. They’re great qualities to have and it means the Origin program is in a really strong position moving forward.”
The QRL is also expanding the BMD Women’s Premiership with the addition of Sunshine Coast and Western Clydesdales teams next year.
The QRL’s expansion plan is for the Northern Pride and Ipswich Jets to enter in 2025, and the Townsville Blackhawks and Redcliffe Dolphins to field teams in 2026.
BILLY LOSES KEY STAFF
Maroons coach Billy Slater has lost a key member of his staff for next year’s Origin series.
Performance chief Andrew Croll has stepped down from his role to focus on his club duties with South Sydney.
As part of a two-year contract extension with the Rabbitohs, Croll has decided to relinquish his mid-season role with the Maroons.
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