Luke Howarth (Petrie, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence Industry) Share this | Hansard source

Actor Kevin Costner famously said, 'Build it and they will come.' Here we are on the eve of what is set to be a great first season for our newest National Rugby League team, the Dolphins, backed by a strong line-up that has attracted new supporters all over Queensland. Led by legendary supercoach Wayne Bennett, the 2023 NRL season is set to be a truly exciting round of sporting skill and mastery.

I'd like to thank the Dolphins for the invitation to their inaugural season launch last week. It was a fantastic night. It was great to see the men pumped up and itching to get on the field for their first official match against the Sydney Roosters on 5 March. I had the opportunity to meet the team's captain, Jesse Bromwich, who's a prop for the Dolphins. He's a great leader.

A total of $8 million was invested by the former coalition government to build a world-class facility at the heart of the peninsula that is being utilised by many in the community. This was Dolphins stadium. We built it, and now they're in the NRL. We've had games there, including the Brisbane Roar A-League games, women's matches and so many other matches that have brought people into the community, into South-East Queensland. I'm immensely proud to stand here today and reflect on the sheer power of what started as a grassroots campaign back in 2015 to see the dolphins in the NRL. Our region will go from strength to strength.

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