Bennett the key for NRL in expansion plan
ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys has revealed how signing Wayne Bennett was a non-negotiable condition for the entry of the NRL’s 17th team.
V’landys attended the Dolphins’ debut at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday and was blown away by the 28-18 boilover of the Roosters that heralded the rise of Queensland’s fourth NRL team.
The appointment of Bennett was a masterstroke by the Dolphins and V’landys said the 73-year-old coach was a key requirement if the $100m Redcliffe empire wanted an NRL licence.
“When the commission decided on the Dolphins, that (Bennett’s hiring as head coach) became a massive condition of mine, yes,” V’landys said. “Because if anyone could build a new franchise from day one, it had to be Wayne Bennett. That was the best decision we made. Without him, we wouldn’t be where we are on expansion.”
Across key metrics of the code, the Dolphins are already a powerhouse of the NRL.
They have 21,000 members – double that of Queensland rivals the Cowboys and almost triple that of the Titans – and have amassed a $10m sponsorship portfolio, making them one of the richest clubs in the league.
Round 1 TV ratings were a raging success for the Dolphins, who attracted 567,000 viewers against the Roosters, outperforming the 552,000 who watched cross-town rivals the Broncos beat Penrith.
The Broncos are considered the NRL’s premier brand but V’landys believes the Dolphins have the infrastructure to challenge Brisbane.
“I have no doubt they can be as big as the Broncos and challenge them. I can’t wait to see their new rivalry develop,” he said.
“I was ecstatic at their victory, everything we hoped for came to fruition on Sunday.
“There were some concerns about expansion but I always said the business case had to stack up and I was confident it would. It’s a long season, so I’m not going to pop the champagne corks yet, but the beginning is very exciting. There’s 26 rounds to go and there is a lot of work ahead for the Dolphins.”