NRL's 17th Team - The (Redcliffe) dolphins

[globaleagle]

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The ARL Commission is a fortnight away from formally announcing NRL expansion with a second Brisbane team to be added to the Telstra Premiership in 2023.
In a landmark moment for rugby league, News Corp can reveal the code is ready to embark on its first expansionary move in 14 years following a high-powered ARL Commission board meeting on Thursday.

It is understood ARL Commissioners heard an analysis of expansion, conducted by both League Central and external firms, showed the financial forecasting for a 17-team competition stacks up.

The final step involves ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys presenting findings and funding outcomes to the existing 16 clubs, but after 11 years of expansion heartache, Brisbane will get a second team to rival the Broncos.

V’landys has taken a cautious approach — and will not rubber-stamp expansion until he meets with the clubs over the next week — but the ARL Commission are unanimous in their backing for a fourth Queensland club.

The ARL Commission plans to make an expansion announcement after Sunday week’s NRL grand final. It will be the code’s first growth venture since the Gold Coast Titans were added to the NRL premiership in 2007.

It is believed the ARLC will first agree to expand the league, before then holding another round of talks with the Firehawks, Dolphins and Jets to land on the winning bid by late October.

That would give Brisbane’s successful second franchise time to begin an aggressive recruitment drive from November 1, when off-contract players can attract formal offers, in preparation for NRL entry in 2023.

There was talk of expansion being delayed until 2024 amid the Covid crisis, but the financials have been more positive than expected.

While the ARLC has the power to expand without the backing of the 16 clubs, V’landys is keen to have stakeholder support for one of the most significant strategic moves in the NRL’s history.

The NRL is locked in a sporting turf war with the AFL in Queensland and a second Brisbane club will give rugby league more ammunition to win a new generation of fans and participants.

Melbourne Storm chairman Matt Tripp threw his support behind the ARL Commission, saying a second Brisbane team is a “no-brainer”.

“Absolutely there is room for a second Brisbane team,” Tripp said.

etc etc etc

News Corp understands Redcliffe are the raging favourites to be Brisbane’s second team. It will take an eleventh-hour miracle for the Firehawks and Jets to trump the Dolphins, who boast an asset base of $100 million.

It is believed the Dolphins also have $20 million in cash reserves, easily meeting the $10m bank guarantee required by the ARL Commission.

 

[Woodsie]

Just do it ...

 

[47MVEagle]

Wayne Bennett takes a year off to help work on preparing the Dolphins for entry to the NRL & returns as their coach in 2023?

 

[Nordburg]

With a new team comes the need for players(obviously)so plenty of teams will be busy re-signing those that they don’t want to lose.This is why it’s critical to sign only players they need and not waste money on plodders.Imagine losing a very good player or up and coming one because they spent $300K on someone like Aaron Woods

 

[Disco]

Can we just call the Redcliffe Dolphins the Redcliffe Dolphins.

Not the Brisbane Dolphins, not the River City Dolphins not the Sun State Dolphons or whatever else

 

[Disco]

With a new team comes the need for players(obviously)so plenty of teams will be busy re-signing those that they don’t want to lose.This is why it’s critical to sign only players they need and not waste money on plodders.Imagine losing a very good player or up and coming one because they spent $300K on someone like Aaron Woods

Or just sign Woods on a 1 year deal and let him be a foundation Dolphin

 

[47MVEagle]

With a new team comes the need for players(obviously)so plenty of teams will be busy re-signing those that they don’t want to lose.This is why it’s critical to sign only players they need and not waste money on plodders.Imagine losing a very good player or up and coming one because they spent $300K on someone like Aaron Woods

Matt Dufty's ahead of the curve on this already with his 1 year deal at the Bulldogs next year.

 

[mickqld]

Can we just call the Redcliffe Dolphons the Redcliffe Dolphins.

Not the Brisbane Dolphins, not the River City Dolphins not the Sun State Dolphons or whatever else

That means the Broncos should be called Red Hill Broncos.

 

[40 years an eagle]

Wayne Bennett takes a year off to help work on preparing the Dolphins for entry to the NRL & returns as their coach in 2023?

I'm sure that was the plan all along.

 

[Disco]

That means the Broncos should be called Red Hill Broncos.

Not at all, South Sydney arent called Redfern etc

My argument isnt clubs need to be named after the suburb they are in, my point is Redcliffe are an established club and their history is part of their strength.

Everyone knows the Dolphins are Redcliffe so lean into it

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Not at all, South Sydney arent called Redfern etc

My argument isnt clubs need to be named after the suburb they are in, my point is Redcliffe are an established club and their history is part of their strength.

Everyone knows the Dolphins are Redcliffe so lean into it

Agree , 150%

 

[Eagles4Life]

That means the Broncos should be called Red Hill Broncos.

Or depending where this goes next year, they could just as easily be called the Brisbane Has-beens. Titans are on the up and the Broncos are on the nose. With the Dolphins looking like a done deal, the Ponies might well be a few years out of making the finals again. Couldn't happen to a more deserving organisation.

 

[tookey]

Inglis, Sam Burgess, Carney, Dugan and Folau all to make a comeback in 2023

 

[globaleagle]

the bogan blowholes

?

 

[Eagles4Life]

the bogan blowholes

?

Is that a proposed new name for the Broncos?

 

[globaleagle]

meh, it fits Brisbane but Qld in general

(lol)

 

[pt73]

Inglis, Sam Burgess, Carney, Dugan and Folau all to make a comeback in 2023

You could add Ash Taylor to that list and and call them the Rejects.

 

[The Who]

The 'Fins.
Short. Sharp. And the slogan could be:
We slice through surf and turf

 

[Pittwater Legend]

Would be good to have the Redcliffe Dolphins part of the competition

 

[wombatgc]

It’s gunna be hard to make a dolphin mascot scary. Everyone loves Dolphins, they make you smile, and are as funny as Fuuck. Redcliffe are going to have to find the only serial killer Dolphin (the one that blames it on the sharks, the one that just ain’t right) if their to have any success.