Origin night draws crowd despite rain

A bit of wet weather wasn’t enough to stop local footy fans turning out in force for Norths Leagues Club’s State of Origin event last night, featuring Dolphins stars Jamayne Isaako, Felise Kaufusi and Kodi Nikorima.

Presented by Ausbuild, the night kicked off from 5pm with player signings, as hundreds lined up for photos, autographs and the chance to meet the Dolphins trio ahead of Origin Game 1.

From 7pm, crowds filled the Spirit Bar where former Warriors enforcer Mark Tookey hosted a lively Q&A session with the players, featuring plenty of laughs, stories and banter between the Dolphins stars and the crowd.

Fans then settled in to watch Queensland take on New South Wales, with the atmosphere staying lively throughout the night despite the Maroons narrowly falling short in a heartbreaking finish.