1947 – The Beginning

Extract from “From Shellgrit to Dolphins”

Before the inaugurate meeting on February 27, 1947, the late Bill McLeod bookmaker of Evelyn Street, Margate, tennis court owner, conferred with Hugie Harvey, who had strong Rugby union ties, and Tom Maule of Scarborough, then playing with Brothers in the Brisbane competition, as to their interest in helping to form and play with a new Rugby League Club based in Redcliffe.

After settling at Tattersalls Club of a Monday, Bill would discuss with Hughie and Tom and the complement of the team for the next Sunday. These meetings would be in Bill’s car while the two players were in their lunch break from work.

According to Tom’s reckoning, the players, beside those coming from Redcliffe, were from rugby union (Eagle Junction Club) and Brisbane Rugby League clubs who were invited to play with the Club on Sundays, bearing in mind in those days all city football was played on a Saturday.

Bill’s interest was in Sunday football, thus giving him an outlet from his favourite horse-racing sport of a Saturday.

There was no shortage of support for the move to formulate a Club by very keen sports-minded officials such as Cliff Benson and Bill Highman from the Peninsula Boxing Club and local Alderman Dave Baldwin and Bill Richardson. It was an enthusiastic gathering who attended the foundation meeting.