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Warriors reach agreement with Redcliffe Dolphins.

Rich102

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Staff member
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11,752
The Vodafone Warriors and Redcliffe Dolphins have today jointly announced a landmark Trans-Tasman rugby league partnership with far-reaching benefits for both organisations.

The trailblazing relationship brings together New Zealand's only professional rugby league franchise and the highly successful Brisbane powerhouse which has produced some of the biggest names to come out of Queensland including the legendary Arthur Beetson, Petero Civoniceva, Chris Close, John Ribot, former Vodafone Warrior Brent Tate and Daly Cherry-Evans.

Vodafone Warriors CEO Cameron George and Redcliffe Leagues Club CEO Tony Murphy say the partnership is founded on a shared vision which will enable outstanding young players from Queensland and New Zealand to benefit from the best pathways structure available in the game.

"It's time we revamped our club and in the Redcliffe Dolphins we have the perfect partners who share the same big dreams for the future as us," said George.

"Redcliffe is a hugely successful club with a big talent pool and well-established senior and junior pathways.

"We have to improve as an organisation to achieve the expectations we have of ourselves. We need to be different and do things differently to secure the future we see for our great club."

Murphy said the Redcliffe Dolphins have identical ambitions.

"The Warriors-Dolphins partnership is a fantastic fit for our club moving forward post Covid-19," he said.

"All clubs need to look at their current structure into the future and we have found a perfect solution for both clubs.

"The mutual benefits between both our footy clubs will be enormous. Our aim is to help the Warriors win that elusive NRL premiership and establish an Aussie base here at Dolphin Stadium.

"Outside of footy the benefits to both our regions with tourism and business is something our council is very excited about."

Redcliffe Dolphins general manager of football operations Grant Cleal said the opportunity was far-reaching for both clubs.

"The Dolphins are joining forces with a very professional organisation that cares about the game," he said.

"That has been more than evident during the Vodafone Warriors' relocation to Australia during the successful reboot of the 2020 NRL season.

"Purely on the football side of things, the partnership will assist the premiership aspirations of both clubs while fostering the growth of junior rugby league in the entire Moreton Bay Region."

George said the Vodafone Warriors had changed their structure by joining the Queensland Cup after withdrawing from the New South Wales Rugby League's Canterbury Cup NSW competition.

Through this initiative a number of players from outside the Vodafone Warriors' NRL squad will appear for the Redcliffe Dolphins in the Queensland Cup each week.

There will also be potential for the Vodafone Warriors to play games at Redcliffe's Dolphin Stadium.

George and Murphy said their clubs will align their pathway programmes to capture talent to achieve long-term on-field success while staff from both clubs will work closely together to create better opportunities for personal development.

Redcliffe has won a record six Queensland Cup premierships since the competition started in 1996 while being runner-up six times and winning the minor premiership six times.
The club is situated in the Moreton Bay Region, the third biggest local government area in Australia.

LU news.
 

Big Marn

Bench
Messages
2,963
i think this is good news. Auckland schools are no longer a happy hunting ground for talent for the Warriors anymore due to other codes like basketball and soccer increasing in popularity, plus other NRL clubs are becoming more popular destinations for the league talent that is discovered. Having access to Australian developed talent is going to help the club.
 

Fufu Andronez

First Grade
Messages
8,464
So does this mean that redcliffe will be our feeder team? Or we will only have access to some of their players?
 

KeepingTheFaith

Referee
Messages
25,235
I've been saying we should do this for years. Developing fringe players in QLD Cup. Allows us to keep more players on the books and develop them in a different environment.

Bonus, it's also my local QLD Cup team so I might have to wander down and catch a few games next year.
 

LeagueNut

First Grade
Messages
6,980
I'm not sure about this. We've done the 'feeder club' thing before both with NSW and QLD based teams - why didn't it work then, and why will it work now?

I just hope it's a genuine attempt at stronger development and not just a cost-cutting exercise to get rid of our NSW Cup team.

(Gee I'm getting cynical in my old age)
 

BLN2

Juniors
Messages
383
It's 100% cost cutting. I want more details, naf all in that article. Why would you sign as a fringe NRL player for the Warriors, now you'd have to travel back and fourth every weekend to play a game of League. Seems crazy to me.

I'll wait for the full details, but it's hard to see how this would be a step forward when compared to having a team full of Warriors contracted players. The Storm seem to go OK at it to be fair.
 

Fufu Andronez

First Grade
Messages
8,464
It's 100% cost cutting. I want more details, naf all in that article. Why would you sign as a fringe NRL player for the Warriors, now you'd have to travel back and fourth every weekend to play a game of League. Seems crazy to me.

I'll wait for the full details, but it's hard to see how this would be a step forward when compared to having a team full of Warriors contracted players. The Storm seem to go OK at it to be fair.
Surely they'd be based in Queensland and would come across once they've made the FG squad?

The rest would be scattered across the nz comps right?
 

BLN2

Juniors
Messages
383
Well if that's the case, they'll be completely disconnected from both the NRL coaches and Team. Would be pretty tough to get a call up to NRL and be that out of the loop. I don't get it, with no Radiosport NZ sport media seems to have fallen off a cliff.
 

morningstar

Juniors
Messages
827
A classic CG press release. All style no substance. Smart financial move in Covid tines but there are a lot of questions to be answered.

What happens locally? Where do the fringe NSW cup players go?

Is there going to be any partnership or investment with ARL to improve Fox Memorial standards and pathways to the Warriors in lieu?

Has anyone thought about the logistics involved? Assuming they will copy the Storm/Easts Tigers model. Qcup players based in Melbourne and fly up to Brisbane Thursday for training and return on Sunday after the game. Bit of a pain in the arse but only a 2 hr flight.

Our boys are looking at a 6am flight every Thursday morning to get to Brisbane on time for captains run. It takes 4hrs to get there plus clear customs and travel to airport atleast 7hrs of travelling. Ideally they fly back on the 6pm flight on Sunday, but most Qcup games are on a Sunday and not all in Brisbane, so sometimes they will be on the 6am Monday morning flight.

So 14hrs of travel every week, having to wake up at 3am twice a week to get to the airport and at best you get to spend 3 days a week with the top squad to catch the eye of the idiot who coaches our team.

...not to mention how this will affect players personal lives. All good if you are young single fella. What about guys with young families or are studying?
 

Shaun Hewitt

First Grade
Messages
6,464
Just checked out their 2020 squad.
One name took my interest in particular... Jayden Nikorima

I know he got in a bit of trouble a few years ago

Wonder if he's turned it around.
 

Tongue

Juniors
Messages
595
Some highlights from last weekends game.
Fus looks like he needs a big pre-season. (who am I to talk)
Nikorima looks good but some average defence too.

 

cumbrian Mackem

Juniors
Messages
2,232
Some highlights from last weekends game.
Fus looks like he needs a big pre-season. (who am I to talk)
Nikorima looks good but some average defence too.

Nikorima is heading to the storm next season.

it’ll be interesting to see if he would declare himself for the kiwis if his form is good?
 

Rich102

Moderator
Staff member
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11,752
Isn't Redcliffe one of the clubs vying for the new NRL franchise in Brisbane?
 

Rich102

Moderator
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11,752
So not likely to be a long-running partnership.
Or am I missing something?
 

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