Capping off a Phintastic day for Dolphins supporters

Beetson’s memory was honoured by both the Dolphins and the Roosters leading up to the match and on match day as well; and there was a special Artie Legacy Medal forged in his name to be presented to the player of the match each time these two teams meet.

Today, fittingly, it went to a forward in Felise Kaufusi, who turned back the clock to show just why he was the first of the major signings announced by the Dolphins to come across to join the new team.

The crowd - many wearing their ceremonial red supporter fins atop their head - roared with glee and rode every defensive surge with the Tongan Test and Queensland Maroons representative forward, who inspired his side with some crunching hits to produce turnovers of possession and also in one particularly heavy tackle, a try.

The vocal crowd were certainly appreciated by the players, with Dolphins hooker Jeremy Marshall-King telling assembled media in the sheds after the match that it was a thrill to get the first win for the fans.

"It's a great feeling to win your first game under a new club in the NRL and it's a special win to all the fans and all the community out in Redcliffe and what it means to them,” Marshall-King said.

“I'm just glad to get that win for them and you could hear them in the crowd and it's just great performance by everyone.”

That fan base was already strong due to the affiliation with Queensland's Hostplus Cup side, the Redcliffe Dolphins, and before a ball was kicked, the club were on the front foot to make every signing and sponsor announcement an event to help create hype and awareness around the side hoping to make a splash at the home of one of the NRL’s best-supported sides, the Brisbane Broncos.

The Dolphins have been the subject of a three-part Stan documentary series called ‘Dawn of the Dolphins’ outlining their entry into the competition which will be broadcast tomorrow and their last Pre-Season Challenge game at Redcliffe’s Kayo Stadium attracted a 7000-plus crowd of people, who had no qualms travelling into the city to see the team play, despite their loss on that day to the Gold Coast Titans.

While many pundits had suggested that the Dolphins would struggle to win a game – and they were rank outsiders to beat premiership contenders the Roosters – the home side made a mockery of those doubters with their assertive performance, which shocked the visiting side, claiming a dominant 28-18 win.

Coach Wayne Bennett, who is no stranger to setting up new teams having been part of the inaugural Brisbane Broncos season in 1988 as well, was pleased with the day's events and spoke about the parallels between the two clubs at the post match press conference.

“It was special for a lot of reasons today. Certainly, for Arthur (Beetson), the club and the chance they took for being in the NRL and to have 30, 000 people here," Bennett said. 

“There’s so many winners today, but the biggest winner is the game. That’s the biggest winner. 

“Of course it compares (to 1988) … we played Manly that day and no one gave us a chance, no one gave us a chance here today. It’s terribly significant.”

The crowd played a huge part in lifting the Dolphins to victory and were very vocal with skipper Jesse Bromwich saying “the crowd were awesome” and “turned out in numbers” to support the side.

“It was a really big week, a really emotional week for the club and today was a really big day, and they really made that atmosphere for a big day, it was really good,” Bromwich said in the post-match press conference.

Bennett agreed.

“I think the Broncos had 15, 000 the day we played our first game all those years ago and there was 30, 000-plus here today and it was a great atmosphere, and it was a great atmosphere that day as well, but today was pretty special,” Bennett said.

“Just to see all the colours, and even the grandstand seats – our colours – red and gold – so it was a very, very, very good day.”

Before the game, the Dolphins were going to be marked on their effort and what they would do to set standards for them to stick to for the entire season.

Opposition Roosters coach Trent Robinson said he wasn’t surprised by what the Dolphins produced on the field and expected them keep that up for the rest of the season.

“I expect them to play like they did today, they have got an experienced forward pack who are going to do their work and do it consistently which they did today and they have got one half there that is going to get them around the park and a developing half as well,” Robinson said.

The challenge now for the Dolphins, having soaked in all the hype of the first-round win, is to ensure they do maintain those standards. They will get their first chance to test themselves and can aim to go back-to-back when they return to Kayo Stadium on Saturday, taking on the Canberra Raiders in Round 2.