NRL officially unveils Dolphins as second Brisbane team

The NRL has confirmed the second team to be based in Brisbane with a cashed up new club drawing up a hit list to sign rival players.

The Dolphins are officially the 17th team in the NRL, the league confirmed on Wednesday.

It was revealed earlier this week the Redcliffe Dolphins’ clinched the league’s 17th licence, staving off bids from the Brisbane Firehawks and Brisbane Jets.

As revealed by The Courier-Mail, the Australian Rugby League Commission accepted the Dolphins as the preferred candidate on the back of the club’s $70 million assets and $20 million cash reserves.

The Dolphins will enter the NRL in 2023 — becoming the first expansion side to join the competition since the Gold Coast Titans in 2007. It is yet to be confirmed if the team

The Dolphins will be based in Redcliffe, approximately 40km from Brisbane’s CBD. However, the club reportedly won’t use “Redcliffe” in its name.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was among the first to celebrate the news on social media.

It’s official – the Dolphins have been confirmed as the 17th team of the @NRL 💪🐬🏉

The more Queensland teams in the competition – the better.

Congratulations Dolphins!#QLDER#NRLpic.twitter.com/5YUWEao0Ow

— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) October 12, 2021

The NRL confirmed the news in a statement on Wednesday.

“Today is an exciting moment in the history of our game. The NRL Telstra Premiership will expand to 17 teams in 2023 and on behalf of the Commission I would like to congratulate the Dolphins on being granted the 17th licence,’’ ARLC chairman Peter V’landys said.

“I would also like to acknowledge and thank the other bid teams for the work they put into their submissions. All three bids were of the highest calibre and highlight the strength of rugby league in Queensland.”

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He said one condition in the team being granted the franchise is for $2 million annually to be put towards growing the participation and engagement of women in south east Queensland.

V’landys last week informed the NRL’s 16 existing clubs the expansion would be going ahead following a $50 million surplus for the league.

According to the News Corp report, veteran coach Wayne Bennett is the most likely candidate to become the Dolphins’ foundation coach.

The proposed stadium for the new Brisbane Dolphins team.

Bennett’s attention will reportedly immediately turn to drawing up a hit list of players the club hopes to snare from rival clubs.

The veteran coach had already been linked to making a raid on Rabbitohs playmaker Cody Walker.

The Daily Telegraph’s Dean Ritchie on Wednesday morning speculated on Sky Sports Radio the state of the NRL player market means the Dolphins could target superstars, including Kalyn Ponga, Cameron Munster, Reed Mahoney and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui.

Dolphins bid chief Terry Reader earlier boasted about his team’s bid and the team released a celebratory statement on Wednesday.

“This is a momentous day in the history of the National Rugby League, Queensland Rugby League and, of course, the Redcliffe Dolphins who will now take on a new identity in the NRL,” the club said in a statement to its supporters.

“A huge thanks to the thousands of backers whose dream never wavered and who carried us on your shoulders all the way to the NRL. A community club like the Dolphins would be nothing without our family and the NRL had a keen eye on all of you in making its decision for the Dolphins.

To those who are new to the Dolphins family, we say “welcome”. The Dolphins have been waiting 72 years for this and now we’re here. Together, we did it.”

The Dolphins will effectively have 12 months to put together a 30-player senior squad and coaching staff before pre-season gets underway in November 2022.