On the day the Dolphins launched their first pre-season, coach Wayne Bennett has declared the new club will not be wooden spooners under his watch.
Bennett said the Dolphins would forge a cross-town rivalry with Brisbane to match that of the Manchester derby in the Premier League.
The Dolphins are short-priced favourites to finish bottom of the ladder, but Bennett was having none of that.
"I'm not allowed to bet on rugby league, but if I was I wouldn't be betting on the Dolphins getting the wooden spoon," Bennett said.
"I don't believe we will be there. It won't happen."
Fifteen development players and train-and-trial hopefuls trained with Parramatta recruit Ray Stone at Moreton Daily Stadium on Monday, one day before the Broncos host their first pre-season run.
Bennett, Brisbane's foundation coach in 1988, said the Dolphins' rivalry with their near neighbours had the potential to rival the world's great derbies.
"It will be driven by the fans. Two Brisbane clubs together it will be a bit like Manchester City and Manchester United and so many competitions around the world where you have that sort of derby," Bennett said.
"I want it to be that way. It creates huge interest. When the (South Queensland) Crushers were here, we had 40,000 people turn up to games ... because everyone saw the local rivalry. It will be great for the game.
"If you look at the script of what we did at the Broncos in 1988, it won't be much different to what we do here in 2023."
Brisbane have recruited hard-nosed forwards such as the Bromwich brothers - Kenny and Jesse - from Melbourne. Former Storm forward Felise Kaufusi and former South Sydney front-rower Mark Nicholls are also on the books.
"If you look at the players we recruited, particularly the older players and their background, it gives you a pretty good idea of what we are chasing in regards to how we want to be seen," Bennett said.
"Recruiting has been totally different (to 1988). It's been a lot more difficult because we can't pick up half the Queensland Origin team because the Brisbane comp was pretty strong in that era and they weren't all in Sydney. But there are 16 other clubs in the NRL."
The Broncos had a five-year plan to win a title when they started in 1988, and achieved it by 1992.
"The bottom line is we will start the competition with everybody else next year, we have a plan in place about how we want to be perceived and the young men will buy into that. It will be a process," Bennett said.
"Whether it takes five years or 10 years (to win a premiership) who knows? If you get the process right, you are a lot closer to success."
