Logistics of hosting a rare league double

Photos: Courtesy of Dolphins NRL

A rare double for Suncorp Stadium on Saturday will be a chance to celebrate Brisbane’s two teams in the NRL competition, with the Dolphins and Broncos lighting up the spiritual home of rugby league on the same day.

Dolphins NRL CEO Terry Reader and Suncorp Stadium general manager Alan Graham have today explained how it will work for the more than 70,000 fans expected across the two games.

The Broncos play the Warriors at 3pm after which the stadium will be completely cleared of fans ahead of the Dolphins V South Sydney game at 7.50pm. Separate tickets will be issued for each game.

To buy tickets to the Dolphins’ game, visit the website.

Graham says it will be a logistical challenge.

“We’ve done double-headers before, but not to the point where we’ve actually had to move one crowd out and bring a whole new crowd in,” he explains.

“That’s the real challenge. Some of the biggest issues we’ve had to address are things like transport and traffic control because we’re moving in large numbers and moving them out, and having to move another lot in. We have synchronized the transport to suit both requirements.”

He says the ‘window’ for moving the crowd will be same as people normally experience on game day and special transport services will run as they usually do in the two hours before kick-off.

He says his team will be looking for co-operation from the earlier crowd to move out when asked.

Creative solution

The unusual situation is a hangover from Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, which forced the Dolphins to move their first game of the 2025 season against the Rabbitohs to Sydney.

Reader thanked Suncorp Stadium, the Rabbitohs, Fox Sports as well and the NRL for agreeing to the change.

“With the cyclone, we had to move it (the game) with a couple of days’ notice and were staring down the barrel of perhaps playing it in Sydney in front of no-one and it was our home game,” he says.

“What we’ve been able to do together is a real testament to people buying in and making things happen. It’s amazing that it’s now here.”

Reader says the Dolphins and Rabbitohs came to an agreement ‘almost with one phone call’ because it was good for the game, and is an example of good co-operation between the clubs.

“The big thing for their fans (the Broncos) and our fans to understand is that it is two games, so everyone’s got to go out … and there’s two hours between full-time in their game and when gates will open again for our game,” he says.

“It’s never happened before.”

He expects Caxton St will have a ‘mini–Magic Round’ atmosphere.

Reader says the success of the Battle For Brisbane shows “people do live and breathe rugby league in our town”.

“We have another great night to show the other states just how big this sport is in our town,” he says.

The historic event aligns perfectly with former Dolphins Head Coach, and now Rabbitoh’s Head Coach, Wayne Bennett’s ‘homecoming’.

“We spoke about it when we played them (South Sydney) in round one. He was actually quite excited that we were going to do something that had never been done before,” Reader recalls.

“He’d be coming up here with a smile on his face, I’d say, and looking forward to it. We’ve got a wonderful relationship with him and he left a legacy at our club. We’ll welcome him back. We just hope he’ll be leaving with a disappointed look though.”