Battle for Brisbane (rugby league)
The rugby league Battle for Brisbane is the name for the series of matches between the professional rugby league clubs in Brisbane.[1]
| Location |  Brisbane |
|---|---|
| Teams |  Brisbane Broncos  Dolphins  South Queensland Crushers (former) |
| First meeting | 31 March 1995 |
| Latest meeting | Dolphins 12 – 18 Broncos (24 March 2023) |
| Next meeting | 1 July 2023 |
| Statistics | |
| Meetings total | 1 |
| Most wins | Broncos (1) |
| All-time series | Broncos: 1 wins Dolphins: 0 wins |
| Largest victory | Broncos – 6 points (24 March 2023) |
The original series was between the Brisbane Broncos and the South Queensland Crushers during the ARL competition in the mid-1990s. The Brisbane Broncos won both encounters.
In 2023, the new Dolphins franchise re-ignited the series,[2] with the teams striking a new Battle Medal as the player of the match award, as decided by prominent rugby league commentators.[3][4]
Results
Broncos vs Crushers
The Brisbane Broncos would meet the South Queensland Crushers just twice in the then ARL-controlled competition. The first meeting at Brisbane's ANZ Stadium came on the night the Super League war broke out in 1995.[5] The long-awaited clash between Brisbane's two teams ended up a bit of a non-event, with the Broncos having a glut of possession to race out to an early 12–0 lead, extending it further in the second half.[5] The Crushers lack of penetration in attack was their ultimate downfall, as they were held scoreless in just their fourth competition fixture.[6]
The second match between the teams came over a year later in the 1996 ARL season, with the Broncos again winners, in front of a then competition record crowd of 34,263 at Suncorp Stadium.[7] The Crushers would take an 8–6 lead into halftime, before the Broncos overwhelmed the Crushers in the final ten minutes with three tries.[7]
Due to the split between the farcical Super League competition and the establishment ARL competition in 1997, the two teams would not meet again before the Crushers ultimate demise in December 1997.[8]
| Game | Home | Score | Away | Date | Venue | Crowd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brisbane Broncos |
32–0 | South Queensland Crushers |
31 March 1995 | QE II | 49,607 |
| 2 | South Queensland Crushers |
8–28 | Brisbane Broncos |
12 April 1996 | Lang Park | 34,263 |
Dolphins vs Broncos
| Game | Home | Score | Away | Date | Venue | Referee | Attendance | Battle Medal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dolphins |
12–18 | Brisbane Broncos |
24 March 2023 | Suncorp Stadium | Adam Gee | 51,047 | Payne Haas[9] |
References
- Walter, Brad (24 March 2023). "'We are the Broncos': Scene set for Battle of Brisbane". NRL.com. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
- "The Battle for Brisbane". dolphinsnrl.com.au. 10 November 2022. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
- Crockford, Nick (24 March 2023). "Medal battle in Dolphins-Broncos blockbuster". moretondaily.com.au. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
- "Battle medal unveiled". dolphinsnrl.com.au. 24 March 2023. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
- Middleton, David, ed. (1996). Rugby League 1996. Surrey Hills: Harper Sports. pp. 87–89. ISBN 0732256720.
- "South Queensland Crushers results". Rugby League Tables. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
- Middleton, David, ed. (1997). Rugby League 1997. Sydney: Harper Sports. pp. 62–63. ISBN 0732257875.
- Alan Whiticker; Ian Collis (2004). The History of Rugby League Clubs. New Holland Publishers (Australia) Pty Ltd. ISBN 1741100755.
- Gates, Zachary (24 March 2023). "Friday night NRL AS IT HAPPENED: Kotoni Staggs wins derby thriller, hits Dolphins with screaming message; Payne Haas wins inaugural 'Battle Medal'". Nine's Wide World of Sport. Nine Media. Retrieved 27 March 2023.