The NRL has expanded, and the Dolphins are coming.
That’s right, the Redcliffe – no, sorry, not Redcliffe. The Brisbane Dolphins – wait, not Brisbane. Okay, the Moreton Bay Dolphins. Actually, no, it’s none of those. A trick name then: Moreton Bay-Sunshine Coast Dolphins?
Wrong again. It is simply ‘the Dolphins’.
I don’t know why I expected anything different from the NRL. It is the league that tries to be all things to all people and often ends up nothing to anyone. Don’t get me wrong, the rest of the bid pitch seems excellent – the club has money, assets and links to the grassroots and has pledged to help build pathways for the game, all of which is what every rugby league fan should want from an expansion team.
So what’s in a name, right?
Without a name it feels fake, hollow and soulless. It feels like a marketing committee has created a brand that targets as many people as possible. In most business cases that is what you want. Still, sport is a unique business with oddities that make it stand apart from other products. Rugby league – and most team sports, for that matter – are based on geographical links and representation. Not having that as part of the club’s fabric gives the club a false and shallow feel.
If I had a crystal ball, I would predict in time that the Dolphins will end up playing most of their games at Redcliffe and a couple on the Sunshine Coast, with marquee games against the Broncos and a select few other clubs at Suncorp. And if this happens, will the club change its name?
Ultimately there is nothing wrong with accepting the fact that the Dolphins are not based in Brisbane and that calling the team by their location – either Moreton Bay Dolphins or the Sunshine Coast if they do play games there – and including that aspect into the name as well. In essence, the Moreton Bay-Sunshine Coast Dolphins is still better than the Dolphins.
Not having a name may be a silly complaint, but not allowing the expansion team to have a complete name feels completely disingenuous, and it can limit any tribal following it wishes to obtain.
Still, the Redcliffe Dolphins is a well-resourced organisation. I have no doubt they will be a successful club moving forward, and hopefully one day very soon they will rethink the no-name approach.
Nat
Roar Guru
You might be pleasantly surprised. I read that they may move away from the tradional Red & White. It may go toward a largely grey, red and another colour. Don't quote me though.
Josh
Guest
I’d like to see them call it what it is: the Corporate Marketing Dolphins or CM Dolphins for short! That way the board get to stay true to themselves without “alienating potential supporters”. win/win!
Onya.
Guest
I know it’s rarely that a teams mascot has anything to do with the colours that they wear. Still, Dolphins & a Red Jersey? Seems kind of weird. How about some more ocean or dolphin based colours?
no one in particular
Roar Guru
NY Giants and NY Jets play in a different state
Beergardener
Roar Pro
Exactly. Old Trafford is not in Manchester proper. LA Angels are in Anaheim not LA. Washington's NFL team is based in Virginia an plays in Maryland. Based on these precedents, what does it really matter if Brisbane Dolphins play mostly in Brisbane but represent Moreton
criag
Roar Rookie
I find the whole thing utterly ridiculous! Just let them be what they are - the Redcliffe Dolphins! Anything else, as the article states would feel 'false and shallow'. Do we remember the Sydney Tigers and the Sydney Bulldogs? That went well, didn't it! It's not going to widen their appeal being called anything else. In fact, it would probably have the opposite effect. People will know who they are and people will follow them or not regardless. Fans from all over follow every NRL team in Sydney and beyond that have never been to Manly, Canterbury, Kogarah or wherever. Fans follow teams in the EPL representing places they have never been to and never will. They follow them for reasons far beyond any clueless marketing guru could ever comprehend. As the song in Yesterday goes......just 'Leave it Be'!
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
Name, where they play games, and Qld Cup affiliation are secondary issues. If they win games they will claim better broadcast slots, and more positive exposure, and therefor more fans and sponsors. Many Queenslanders considered the Broncos an enemy because they had striped talent from the BRL, but as soon as they flogged Manly ( the most hated) the crowds and supporters came.
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
"A team with no identity & playing at 3 separate grounds spread over about 80kms will be doomed to fail in the long run." My concern exactly. It is like the Dolphins are being set up for failure. Being the only club in the NRL without an identity is discriminatory and cripples the club's chances to promote and market their product and build their membership base.
Mick Holland
Roar Rookie
Glory, Thanks for taking the time to find this clip for me, I've only seen the short version of this so thank you. I apologize for saying your mistaken I would also interpret the same as well but they didn't say they couldn't so I'll leave with a bit of hope. A team with no identity & playing at 3 separate grounds spread over about 80kms will be doomed to fail in the long run. They will be another West Tigers once the novelty runs off. The Nomad Dolphins.
Exitstrategy
Roar Rookie
Well theories are a many regarding the Locals caring about the Lack of Redcliffe in the name . Let’s ask the Mayor : Peter Flannery mayor@moretonbay.qld.gov.au Are you there Peter ?
Exitstrategy
Roar Rookie
On Radio Tab sports show they’ve already Aussied the name by calling them the “Phins” I think it was Phil Rothfield from the Courier Mail . Maybe it will take .
Admiral Rockocker
Guest
So, who do the folks who didn't like Redcliffe in the BRL follow?
Micko
Roar Rookie
Might have to take the NRL to court in a few years then!
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
Micko, the NRL will just give the franchise to one of the other two applicants and the Dolphins will never get another look in. The only way this will turn around IMHO is if there is enough public pressure, on social media and via the sporting media, to force the NRL to backflip. It's what got the Rabbitohs back into the NRL after all.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Redcliffe should have the guts to withdraw their NRL bid offer. Unless the NRL categorically stated that they would decide the identity or/and they won’t accept “Redcliffe” if that bid was successful at the start of the process, then I don’t think Redcliffe should back down on determining their NRL identity without any interference from the NRL.
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
I found the reference I was looking for in which NRL Chief Executive Officer Andrew Abdo confirms that "The Dolphins" will be the only name the club is allowed to use. There will be no change. It isn't up to the Dolphins to decide but rather the NRL and the NRL commission, and they have made their decision. Listen carefully to the following question and answer section of the press conference dealing with this question. (link below) - 11:55 - 14:40 https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/10/13/dolphins-announced-as-17th-nrl-team/
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
What did you find? Anything detailed mentioning St George Illawarra Steel Dragons? We all know that it was mentioned at the time and called during broadcasts. How or when it changed I couldn't verify but at the end of the day it is not a subject worthy of me investing any more time in. If you find anything more detailed please share.
Wayne Hickman
Guest
I agree with teams having geographic names too like Brisbane Melbourne, Sydney etc but other teams that had there town name on their logos change to just mascot name like The Knights for example, if you grew up with League like we have we would know where they are from but someone new to league wi
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
But we are talking about the end of 1998, and, as you suggested, good luck trawling through web pages to verify anything from back then!
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
I remember with all the joint venture proposals at the time, the idea was one team would provide the location and the other would provide the mascot (such as Parramatta Tigers). The problem with the Dragons and Steelers was that 'St George' and 'Dragons' worked in tandem (like Newcastle Knights). There was a lot of talk about the St George Steel Dragons as a result, to include something about Illawarra. Their eventual name was a lot better. I imagine commentators mostly used Steel Dragon references because it was topical and because it was still shorter than St George Illawarra, and they wanted to acknowledge the new combination. I remember a lot of joke proposals for Manly and Norths to be the Beagles.