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Moreton Bay is being called upon to turn red, white and gold as the Dolphins gear up for the biggest game of their NRL journey so far, with a place in their first Grand Final waiting on the other side of Friday night’s clash with the Sydney Roosters.
City of Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery joined Dolphins mascots Sandy and Phinny to raise the club’s flags on Thursday, calling on supporters across the region to “paint the town red” ahead of the preliminary final at Suncorp Stadium.
The rallying call carries a little more weight around Redcliffe than the usual pre-game show of colours. The Dolphins’ story began on the peninsula in 1947, long before an NRL licence seemed within reach, and almost eight decades later the name that grew out of Redcliffe is 80 minutes away from rugby league’s biggest stage.
“We couldn’t be prouder of the Dolphins and their incredible achievement to reach this stage of the NRL finals,” Cr Flannery said.
“To be only 80 minutes away from an inaugural grand final is testament to the skill, resilience and sheer brilliance the boys have shown throughout the season.”
A Long Road From Redcliffe
Council’s connection with the Dolphins predates their arrival in the NRL. It backed the push for entry into the national competition and, according to Cr Flannery, has remained behind the team from that campaign through to its first NRL game and now its deepest run into September.
There is also a neat symmetry to the opponent waiting on Friday night. The Roosters were on the other side of the field when the Dolphins made their NRL debut at Suncorp Stadium in March 2023, an occasion that ended with the newcomers upsetting the established Sydney club 28–18 in front of more than 32,000 people.
Three-and-a-half years later, they meet at Suncorp again. This time there is a Grand Final place waiting for the winner, and considerably more company in the stands — Friday night’s preliminary final is sold out.
That prospect has captured Moreton Bay, where Cr Flannery said “Phin Fever” was building ahead of the game.
“I’m calling on our community, and all of South East Queensland, to get involved and show your true colours,” he said.
“Let’s get the red, white and gold out and make things truly Phintastic.”
A City Behind Them
The Dolphins have given their supporters plenty of reason to believe they can keep this run going. They head into Friday chasing a ninth consecutive victory and have won their past eight matches at Suncorp Stadium, while both regular-season meetings with the Roosters this year also went their way.
Kristian Woolf has kept faith with the same 17 that beat the Warriors 26–16 in Auckland in the qualifying final, a win that earned the Dolphins a week off before their first preliminary final. Felise Kaufusi, who brings premiership experience from his years with Melbourne, has been named at No. 18 in the extended squad.
The Roosters arrive with a significant reinforcement of their own. Halfback Sam Walker is set to return after undergoing surgery on the syndesmosis injury he suffered when the teams last met in Round 26.
For Redcliffe, however, the occasion reaches much further back than this season, or even the Dolphins’ arrival in the NRL four years ago.
“From humble beginnings in 1947 to their remarkable rise in the NRL, the Dolphins are an intrinsic part of the story of Moreton Bay and its proud rugby league tradition,” Cr Flannery said.
“It’s time to get your Phins Up, make some history and send our boys to the big one.”
The Dolphins and Roosters kick off at 7.50pm AEST on Friday, 25 September at Suncorp Stadium.
For the supporters who followed the Dolphins at Redcliffe long before the NRL came calling, Friday night is the sort of occasion that once belonged to imagination. Now they are one win away.
Published 24-September-2026
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