Gold Coast Titans: 2004 Scandal around NRL team’s original name of Dolphins
The Gold Coast NRL side’s newly announced name sparked a furious reaction from another leading club which demanded a total rethink. FIND OUT WHY
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The Gold Coast Titans have not had a great first half of the 2024 season.
It’s been tough going for the team under new coach Des Hasler, having won just three of their 13 games heading into Saturday’s home clash against the Warriors at CBUS Super Stadium.
It comes 20 years after the team, which was then just a dream being pushed by a bid team, controversially revealed its initial name – the Dolphins.
It was a popular choice among those polled by the Bulletin at the time but there was just one problem – a team already had that name.
The bid was led by key figures Michael Searle and Paul Broughton who were keen to relaunch NRL on the Gold Coast six years after the collapse of the city’s previous team – the Chargers.
A Bulletin poll in early 2004 found the names most favoured were the Dolphins, Gladiators, Stingrays, Crusaders and Cougars.
The bid secured a major coup in June 2004 – the Gold Coast Arts Centre would host Channel 9’s The Footy Show, during which the team’s name, logo and colours would be unveiled to a crowd of 1100 people and a national audience of 500,000 people.
“This shows we are more than talk,’’ Mr Searle said at the time.
“It will show a large slice of the rugby league population just how far our cause has come and just how much momentum we have built.
“This will be great exposure for us and for the Gold Coast.’’
Bid team communications director Ian Buchanan said the Bulletin’s poll had helped inform the name.
``We’re rapt that we get the opportunity to announce the team name and colours on national television,’’ he said ahead of the unveiling.
``The name was selected from a survey conducted by The Gold Coast Bulletin, so its readers ultimately have been a key part.”
The unveiling of the Gold Coast Dolphins was initially hailed a success, with the team set to have gold and turquoise colours.
A message of support was even received from the Miami Dolphins NFL team in the US while ormer Maroons State of Origin player and coach, Paul Vautin, said it was ``about time’’ the region had another team.
Also named was the side’s inaugural coach – John Cartwright.
Even Matthew Johns’ Footy Show character Reg Reagan was impressed when he visited the Gold Coast Bulletin’s offices to celebrate.
Bid chairman Paul Broughton said the colours and name were created to appeal to female fans.
``We want to appeal to the untapped 50 per cent of the market … women,’’ he said at the time.
``We looked at a number of names and Dolphins said `Gold Coast’, but also some of the other suggestions, such as the Bulls were too macho.’’
But less than 24 hours later, the bid was in hot water over their name, with the Redcliffe Dolphins and its CEO James Hinchey “fuming”.
``We’re not happy and we’re looking at what action we can take,’’ he said at the time.
``There were a heap of names they could have chosen and they’ve gone and knocked off ours.’’
The battle over the name lasted well into 2005 before the name was terminated in April that year.
The wounds were healed soon after when the NRL confirmed the team would enter the competition in 2007.
The name Titans was soon announced.
They played their first season with Carrara as the home ground ahead of Robina’s stadium opening in early 2008.
The Dolphins would finally join the NRL themselves in 2023.
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