While NRL CEO Andrew Abdo is adamant on beginning the 2023 season with a new Brisbane derby between The Dolphins and Brisbane Broncos, the Redcliffe-based franchise have other ideas.
The NRL's 17th side have instead suggested making their NRL debut against the Sydney Roosters. This is mainly due to the fact that both clubs have had the legendary Arthur Beetson play for their sides.
The Dolphins are using this fixture as a way to honour the seventh immortal of the game as the contest will be known as the Arthur Beetson Cup.
The Dolphins administration had no problem consulting the NRL with the links Beetson had between both clubs and the shared desire they would have in contesting for a trophy in his honour.
Chairman of the Roosters Nick Politis backed the proposal when speaking to The Sydney Morning Herald.
It's finally official; Brisbane's #Redcliffe Dolphins are confirmed as the #NRL's 17th team with super coach Wayne Bennett at the reins. @mymatedobbo #9News pic.twitter.com/W5lv3OnOPg
— 9News Queensland (@9NewsQueensland) October 13, 2021
โFor sure, weโd love to look at that,โ Politis said.
โItโs early days, but weโre open to any good ideas. Why not? Itโs good for everybody, itโs good for the game.โ
Dolphins chief executive and the man behind Redcliffe's bid Terry Reader said the club had also spoken with Beetson's family about future initiatives.
โWe had detail around that in our submission [to the NRL],โ Reader said.
โOne thing a lot of people donโt know, Arthur Beetson was part of our first-ever premiership that the Redcliffe Dolphins won in the BRL [Brisbane Rugby League] comp.
โIn 1965 he was a skinny centre and he went on to be one of the greatest, an Immortal of the game. He came back to captain-coach in 1981 after the 1980 Origin.
โHe did write in his book that it was his dream before he died to see the Dolphins play the Roosters in the NRL.
โHow wonderful now that we will be able to make that happen for him and especially for his family. Thatโs something we pitched, we had conversations during the bid process with the Roosters that weโd love to talk about how we do something with them, whether it be the Arthur Beetson Cup or something like that.
โHis family is really excited by that. That is one thing the Dolphins will represent for the game, we have a great story to tell.
โNot to rain on the parade of playing the Broncos, letโs build up to that.
โEveryone is going to be excited because weโre going to have a genuine derby here in Brisbane. Weโll have an old BRL side coming up against the biggest club in the NRL, itโs going to be a wonderful story and the narrative that can be written around it.
โYou only have to look at what happens in every code, the derbies are the biggest games. Weโd like to think we could have two sellouts there.โ
