Redcliffe Dolphins launch: ‘Coming second isn’t an option’

Chairman Bob Jones declared “coming second isn’t an option” in launching the Redcliffe Dolphins’ 2025 Queensland Cup and BRL seasons on February 27.

The club celebrated the start of the 2025 season, with its supporters and sponsors, during an event at Redcliffe Leagues Club.

The launch featured a panel discussion with Dolphins NRL Head Coach Kristian Woolf, new Hostplus Cup (Queensland Cup) Coach Eric Smith and BRL Coach Dunamis Lui, and was a chance to meet the teams and introduce their captains.

Woolf, Smith and Lui will work closely together to ensure there is a clear pathway and transition for players from BRL to Hostplus Cup and the NRL.

Dolphins Chairman Bob Jones said incoming Hostplus Cup Coach Eric Smith had been working the team hard, aiming to go one better this year following a heartbreaking 2024 Grand Final loss.

“We’re sure our boys will give the competition a real shake,” Bob said.

He said the BRL side was lucky to have a Coach of Lui’s calibre and his team had also worked hard during the preseason.

“To our supporters, strap yourselves in, coming second isn’t an option,” he said.

High expectations

Smith coached the Northern Pride to the 2024 Hostplus Cup minor premiership, only to be knocked out by the Dolphins who went on to play Norths Devils in the Grand Final. The Devils won 34-20.

He said it didn’t take much to convince him to take on the role and make the move to Redcliffe, when he met with Kristian Woolf and Scott Clark.

“Coaching in this competition before, I’ve known what a powerhouse Redcliffe is,” he explained.

He also loved the facilities the club had and the lifestyle the Peninsula had to offer.

Smith believes his side has the right blend of experienced and emerging players.

“One thing I’ve seen over the last couple of seasons in this Queensland Cup competitions is there’s a lot of changes in a lot of teams most years – players seem to chop and change quite a bit,” he said.

“There’s new faces here, (but) I think we’ve been able to keep a really strong core group from last year’s Grand Final together, which is great.

“Hopefully, Bob, we’re going one better.”

Smith named Max Bailey and Kyle Schneider as the 2025 season Co-Captains, with Josh James as Vice-Captain.

Lui named Ewan Coutts and Troy Hanita-Paki as Co-Captains, saying the pair had led the squad through their words and actions throughout the preseason.

“They embody our standards, our values and what this team is about. I have great belief that these two boys are the perfect two players to lead us this season,” Lui said.

Player pathways

Dolphins NRL Head Coach Kristian Woolf said Trai Fuller and Max Plath were proof there was a genuine pathway to the NRL from Hostplus Cup (Queensland Cup).

“They’re great examples of guys who didn’t get opportunities straight away, or straight out of school but they kept at it and worked hard. They’re great competitors, those two guys and that’s what stands out,” he said.

“For people who do still want that opportunity, who are playing in the Queensland Cup, it’s a really good example. We’ve got a squad of 36 players … the 17 who play every week, there’s plenty who go back to the Queensland Cup, which means our presence is still there.

“We’re always at games and it’s an extremely important competition, a really high-level competition and it’s one I’ve got a lot of respect for. I know the NRL competition has a lot of respect for as well.”

Redcliffe Dolphins' Chief Executive Scott Clark says the Redcliffe Dolphins rugby league club and the NRL club’s share a common goal to develop grassroots talent in the sport and win some competitions along the way.

The Hostplus Cup kicks off with a Grand Final rematch against Norths Devils at Bishop Park on March 9 (kick off 2.10pm).

Redcliffe will play Wynnum on March 22 at Kayo Stadium in round three (kick off 1.45pm) as a curtain-raiser to the NRL side’s game against the Tigers.