Letter from the CEO

Dear Dolphins fans and members.

We have just passed the halfway point of our inaugural NRL season and we cannot thank our Members and Fans enough for the overwhelming support we have received.

To have surpassed 28,500 members in our first year is something no one beyond the Dolphins ever imagined. Think about that for a second – 28,500 members! Already we are amongst the top teams in the NRL for members – a wonderful result.

In addition, we have seen enormous crowds at home – 32,000 against the Roosters and more than 51,000 against the Broncos, a record for club football at Suncorp Stadium. We are averaging 33,000+ at Suncorp Stadium and hosted two sell-outs at Kayo Stadium as well. Not only that, big crowds have also come to our games at almost every stop on the road. The Phin Fam have travelled far and wide.

There is no sugar coating the result over the weekend, it was a tough loss. Fortunately, adversity is no stranger to us. We want to let you know from the outset that we feel the highs and lows with you. Whether you look at our 75 years of history waiting for our chance to play in the NRL or how we navigated the bid process and built an NRL club without any support or concessions, it is with your continued support we can overcome any obstacle.  

It is that support which has been the key to our success. We always said we would have a competitive team, a team you could be proud of and one that would surprise a few people. We have certainly done that. To be sitting at seven wins after 14 games played, and recently having a stint at equal first on the NRL ladder, is not where the pundits outside the club had us placed at this point in the year. Wayne, Jesse and the rest of the team will continue to put in the work at training however, make no mistake, it is your support which will make all the difference.

Two weeks ago, we saw two Dolphins in the spotlight of State of Origin. Tom Gilbert is as tough as they come, and we can’t wait to see him back in the Queensland jumper soon. It was Hamiso who stole the show, scoring the opening try and then sealing the win with a streak down the sideline that would have made our past Origin greats proud. Our Dolphins legacy is continuing.  

We are also a club who want to make you proud of our contributions off the field.

We recently hosted our Black Tie Bingo event at the Royal International Convention Centre which saw over 450 people gather to raise funds for the development of grassroots Rugby League in Queensland. It was a night full of laughs with Matt Okine and Margaux Parker calling the numbers. Thank you to all who attended. Your contribution will make a huge difference to many junior Rugby League clubs across the state as we continue to develop the game and create new Dolphins fans from Brisbane to Rockhampton.

We are not limiting ourselves to just supporting Queensland. Several Dolphins including Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Edrick Lee, Herman Ese’ese, Mason Teague, Kurt Donoghoe and Jack Bostock gave up their bye week to visit remote and Indigenous communities across the Northern Territory.    

A combined effort with Tamboran Resources, the group travelled thousands of kilometres from Darwin to Katherine, Elliot and Daly Waters to develop Rugby League in the NT. It was an amazing opportunity for the remote communities to meet their NRL heroes, and you can see how much it meant to the players who had a chance to see first-hand the difference their contributions make off the field. If you haven’t seen it yet, check out the video covering the trip below.

Closer to home, we will hold an open training session this week on the Sunshine Coast, a foundation piece of our ‘northern corridor’ family. Kicking off on Saturday at 8am at Nirimba Sports Complex, it will be a fantastic day.  

The game against the Eels on June 24 itself sold out in under two hours and we have already sold out our next home game at Kayo Stadium against the defending premiers, the Panthers, on July 16 as well. Of course, on the horizon is the second edition of the ‘Battle for Brisbane’, which will capture the imagination of footy fans across Australia on July 1.

We will need your support at Suncorp Stadium for the upcoming back-to-back rounds on Friday August 25 and Saturday September 2. If you have not yet secured your seat, please answer the call, and book your place in the crowd for a chance to witness even more Dolphins history in the making.