Moreton Bay mayor Peter Flannery will up the ante in his fight for new NRL team the Dolphins to have a geographical name, seeking answers from ARLC chairman Peter V'landys.
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The Dolphins' name continues to be one of the biggest talking points 10 days after the NRL announced the Moreton Bay-based team will join the competition in 2023, with officials ruling out any other title being added this week.
In doing so, the Dolphins become the only Australian-based side in the NRL, AFL or A-League not to have a geographical location in their name.
News that the Dolphins would go without a city or region in their name was only revealed by NRL CEO Andrew Abdo at the 17th team's announcement.
Abdo claimed that the lack of a locator would allow the club to spread its wings from Greater Brisbane to as far north as Central Queensland.
However as recently as a day before that, Dolphins CEO Terry Reader had said the club would consult fans on their full name and whether it would include a geographical location.
"I'm asking them to go to the community, which they said they would, and go and test different names and go through the process," Flannery told SEN.
"It's been a snap decision, either by the club or and the ARL, they're not listening to what the community wants.
"Eighty per cent of the community up here on the polling that's been done by media outlets all want the name to have a geographical location."
"I just want them to reconsider their position on not having a geographical location attached to The Dolphins' name, it doesn't make sense to anyone up here."
Flannery said he tried to contact V'landys during the week, and planned to call him again as well as Abdo.
It comes after Dolphins Group CEO Tony Murphy denied council claims during the week there had been an agreement that Moreton Bay be in the name.
Flannery said he was also happy for the club to be known as the Redcliffe Dolphins if there was a change of heart, but believed Moreton Bay was the best option.
The Dolphins club base is in the Moreton Bay suburb of Redcliffe.
He pointed to the fact his council area had the third highest population of any in Australia behind Brisbane and Gold Coast, with just under 500,000 residents. They are spread between northern Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast .
"It's all about trying to build a new supporter base across Australia and if you just have the name The Dolphins, nobody knows where they're from," Flannery said.
"They could be Darwin, West Australia or Tasmania. It doesn't build that brand they're trying to build.
"You're going to dilute the supporter base dramatically.
"You won't have that core tribalism that NRL, rugby league and all sports are built on."
Australian Associated Press
