The Redcliffe Dolphins are a rugby league team based in the city of Redcliffe in Queensland, Australia. The Redcliffe Dolphins were founded in 1947, accepted into the Brisbane Rugby League premiership in 1960, and since 1996 have played in the Queensland Cup. The Dolphins are one of the greatest survivors of rugby league in Australia, having being the most thriving Brisbane Rugby League team until the admission of NRL team, Brisbane Broncos which caused the decline of the BRL. The Redcliffe Dolphins have won the most Queensland Cup titles out of any other teams with 6 premierships and is considered one of the most successful rugby league clubs in Queensland.
History
Redcliffe District Rugby League Football Club Inc. was founded on 27 February 1947, and in its first year entered Under 17, Reserve Grade and First Grade teams into the Sandgate Suburban Rugby League competition. Through the 1950s Redcliffe also played in the Kilcoy, Murrumba and Geraghty Cup competitions. On 19 November 1959 Redcliffe received full district club status and was accepted into the Brisbane First Grade competition. Throughout the 1960s, a number of famous players came through the ranks of the Dolphins to represent Queensland and Australia, including Trevor Harken and Arthur Beetson. Redcliffe won the Brisbane Rugby League Premiershipfor the first time in 1965. In 1972 Redcliffe were coached by former Kangaroo Ken Day. Redcliffe's halfback Greg Oliphant was selected to go on the 1978 Kangaroo tour but did not play in any Test matches. Australian national coach Frank Stanton coached Redcliffe in 1980. The Redcliffe club won further premierships in 1994 and 1996 and has appeared in seven Queensland Cup grand finals, making it the most successful team in that competition. In the 2000s a new National Rugby League team to be based on the Gold Coast was going to call itself the Gold Coast Dolphins. This was decided against after the Redcliffe Dolphins threatened legal action. The team was ultimately decided to be named the Gold Coast Titans. The Dolphins won the 2006 Queensland Cup, beating Toowoomba in the grand final at Suncorp Stadium under the coaching of Anthony Griffin. in 2011.
NRL Bid
The Redcliffe Dolphins have revealed that they have ambitious plans to join the NRL. The Dolphins have rich historical success, financial stability and with a new stadium, the club believes it is ready to enter the NRL."With our facilities to support a team I would have thought there was no-one that has got anything compares to what we already have," Redcliffe Dolphins Chairman, Bob Jones said.
2019 squad
Home ground
Redcliffe's current home ground is Dolphin Oval, Kippa-Ring, which was first opened in 1979. After multiple upgrades of the stadium, in mid-2018 the eastern stand of the stadium was officially opened. In 2016, the Des Webb Stand was completed and later the following year, the construction of the Eastern side of the stadium was announced.
