Dolphins Fever Grips Redcliffe Ahead of Historic Prelim Final

Redcliffe has been transformed into a sea of maroon and pink this week, with thousands of supporters turning out to watch the Dolphins put the finishing touches on their preparations for Friday night's preliminary final against the Sydney Roosters at Suncorp Stadium.

The turnout reflects just how far the young club has come. A preliminary final berth is uncharted territory for the Dolphins, and the training run at their Redcliffe base doubled as an impromptu celebration for a fan base that has waited a long time for a finals campaign of this magnitude. Club officials say the crowd numbers took even seasoned staff by surprise, with families and long-time league fans lining every available vantage point to catch a glimpse of the squad going through its paces.

Friday's clash represents a genuine step into the unknown for the Dolphins, who face a Roosters outfit with far greater finals pedigree. A win would send the club through to its first grand final appearance, an outcome that would have seemed fanciful when the team entered the competition only a few seasons ago.

Away from Redcliffe, one of the more candid storylines to emerge this week has come from Broncos winger Selwyn Cobbo, who has spoken openly about how much it hurt to miss out on his club's premiership triumph last season. Cobbo said watching the Broncos go all the way without him left a mark that has stayed with him throughout the off-season and into the current campaign.

Rather than let the disappointment linger, Cobbo has used it as fuel heading into 2026, telling reporters he is determined to prove a point this year after being sidelined for the biggest moment in the club's recent history. His comments add an extra layer of motivation to a Broncos squad looking to go back-to-back, and serve as a reminder of how quickly fortunes can change for individual players even on a triumphant team.

For Queensland rugby league fans, the timing of the two storylines has made for a big week in the build-up to the finals. The Dolphins' surge towards a maiden grand final and Cobbo's very personal redemption arc have combined to keep the spotlight firmly on the state's NRL contingent, with Friday night's preliminary final now shaping as one of the most anticipated fixtures of the finals series.

Suncorp Stadium is expected to be at capacity, with the Dolphins hoping home-state support can help carry them past a Roosters side that will not be intimidated by the occasion. Whatever the result, the scenes at Redcliffe this week have already confirmed that Phins fever has well and truly taken hold across Queensland.