Sunday will be a significant day in the history of the NRL, with the competition's 17th franchise, the Redcliffe Dolphins, making their debut.
One of the greatest coaches in the modern era of the game, Wayne Bennett, will lead the side, while rugby league immortal — the late Arthur 'Artie' Beetson — will also be there in spirit.
His youngest son Christian Beetson said the Dolphins' premiere in the NRL will fulfil a prophecy of his late father, with the Beetson family to "live that dream for him".
"It was a dream of his to see the Dolphins entering the NRL, particularly playing against the Roosters," Christian said.
Birthplace of Beetson's career
Artie Beetson, the first Indigenous captain for Australia and Queensland's first State of Origin skipper, came to Redcliffe from Roma in 1964 before winning the club's very first premiership 12 months later.
At the Dolphins, a young Artie would catch the eyes of scouts in Sydney, before playing for the Balmain Tigers and later the Sydney Roosters, where he won two premierships in 1974 and 1975.
"He's going to be looking down, probably playing cards, watching the footy," son Christian told the ABC.
"It's huge, and what the Roosters and the Dolphins are doing for the family and how they're honouring our dad is unbelievable."
As part of the Dolphins' first official match in the NRL, the player of the match will be awarded the Artie Legacy Medal.
The Beetson family will also talk about Artie's legacy before the match, before his grandchildren deliver the match ball ahead of kick-off.
Why the Roosters at Brisbane's Lang Park?
Artie's eldest son Brad said both the Sydney Rosters and Redcliffe Dolphins played a big part in his father's life, both on and off the field.
"He always said to me that the hardest thing and one of the hardest decisions he ever made was to actually leave here [Redcliffe] and go back to the Roosters and coach," Brad said.
Artie died in 2011 following a heart attack, aged 66.
A year later, he was immortalised with a statue at Brisbane's Lang Park, where the round-one clash will take place.
The Roosters also commemorated Beetson's contribution to the club at the new-look Sydney Football Stadium.
His heart always remained with Queensland, despite being forced to play first for the New South Wales Blues due to selection criteria at the time.
A change of rules in 1980 allowed Artie to lead the Maroons to a 10-point win over NSW in the very first State of Origin match at Brisbane's Lang Park.
Brad said his father's Origin captaincy gave him a "great affiliation" to Lang Park, where the Dolphins will play several matches in their debut NRL season.
Supporting future Indigenous players
Beetson brothers Brad and Christian are torn on who they will be backing this Sunday between the Dolphins and Roosters.
"I think they're both really family clubs," Christian said.
"They've been fantastic for us, not just this week, but you know, throughout the last sort of 10 or 12 years since Dad's passed away."
The Beetson family hopes part of the tribute match will also shed light on the work of the Arthur Beetson Foundation, which aims to increase pathways for Indigenous rugby league players with its annual Queensland Murri Carnival.
"Sixty-six is obviously way too young to be dying, and that's something we do with the foundation," Christian said.
"The education and closing the gap, where every player that comes to the carnival has to have a health check [and] the education of 90 per cent attendance at school," Brad added.
Dolphins recruit Brenko Lee and NRL players David Fiifita and Braydon Trindall are all alumni of the foundation.
"To see them come through the carnival and then see them run out and represent first grade … hopefully we can continue to do that for a long time to come," Christian said.
Redcliffe's rich rugby league history
The Beetson family is also looking forward to the rich rugby league history of the Dolphins club being on show in 2023.
While the club may be new to the NRL, it has been an institution in the Redcliffe peninsula for 75 years.
Dolphin Park – which was built on an old rubbish tip in the 1970s – is no stranger to the league, having hosted first-grade games during seasons disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
While most Dolphins home games will be played at Lang Park this season due to capacity, at least three matches each year will be hosted at the Redcliffe stadium.
Long-time fan, club patron and poet Rupert McCall said the 2023 season will mark a new chapter in the club's story.
"I think it's going to be obviously exciting, but a little bit emotional. Because I know so many who pulled on that jersey over the years who won't be there," he said.
"You're going to see a sea of red, white and gold on Sunday afternoon.
"It really is a celebration of rugby league, not just for people from Redcliffe like me, not just for Dolphins fans, but the whole community of rugby league."
