Bennett unveiling hijacked by fiery topic

3 years ago 390

The NRL's newest squad has erstwhile again been forced to support its name, erstwhile a press league to denote Wayne Bennett arsenic their inaugural coach was hijacked by the contented connected Thursday.

The Dolphins were past week unveiled arsenic the winning bid successful the contention to the competition's 17th licence and they volition participate the league successful 2023, with now-71-year-old Bennett astatine the helm.

But they instantly caused contention upon revelation the NRL squad volition beryllium known simply arsenic the Dolphins, dropping Redcliffe from the sanction of the nine that inactive has little people teams referred to by the afloat name.

The reasoning has been the NRL wants the Dolphins to gully fans from a wider portion than conscionable the Moreton Bay country northbound of Brisbane, contempt the squad being based astatine Redcliffe and sharing their location games betwixt Moreton Daily Stadium and Suncorp Stadium.

But News Corp reports a big of influential figures including Moreton Bay politician Peter Flannery, Queensland Origin fable Petero Civoniceva, and national curate Peter Dutton are starring a run to person the Dolphins adhd Moreton Bay to the beforehand of the name.

Bennett confirmed arsenic Dolphins NRL coach

The property league connected Thursday erstwhile again turned towards the issue.

"We're known arsenic The Dolphins and that's what we'll beryllium known as," Dolphins Group brag Tony Murphy said.

"I'm beauteous bully mates with Peter Flannery and each of the councillors. I've known Peter for 20 years and get connected precise good with him.

"Peter is precise keen to propulsion his docket which arsenic politician of Moreton Bay Regional Council, he's got to bash that.

"It's each portion of his job. I tin recognize they truly request to person thing that tin solidify their council.

"We're successful Moreton Bay, that's wherever our basal is and wherever we're operating from, but we're a nationalist marque and request to entreaty to mode much radical than southbound eastbound Queensland."

Murphy denied Flannery and others were guaranteed the squad would beryllium known arsenic the Moreton Bay Dolphins during the bidding process and said the nine could past if assembly pulled its funding.

"We have, it has been told to them," helium said.

"We had tons of meetings with the council. The assembly truly conscionable came connected arsenic 1 of our large sponsors.

"With the magnitude of sponsors that person been knocking connected our door, I'm definite we'll person that covered (if they withdraw).

"We bash beryllium close successful the mediate of Moreton Bay Regional Council and they're a fantastic council. Mayor Flannery has a occupation to do. He's got to marque definite Moreton Bay Regional Council is retired determination successful beforehand of people.

"It's been a hard roadworthy for those guys to unite Petrie, Redcliffe and Caboolture together. They saw this arsenic an opportunity.

"We volition propulsion Moreton Bay each time of the week but we're a nationalist brand. The Redcliffe Dolphins volition ever survive, they volition play successful the Queensland Cup.

"The Dolphins is simply a nationalist marque and we've got to dainty it similar a nationalist brand. That's the sanction we're going to enactment with.

"I'm definite we volition person immoderate much discussions with council. There's nary problem. We'll get things worked out, that's for sure."

The Dolphins person not ruled retired adding a geographical facet to their sanction earlier their NRL debut successful 2023.

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