Dolphins Arrange Charter Flight Home for Saturday as Cyclone Alfred Approaches

The Dolphins found themselves grappling with uncertainty ahead of round one, largely due to the looming threat of Cyclone Alfred. Consequently, they won’t be able to return home immediately following their match against the Rabbitohs.

On Friday evening, the NRL announced that a charter flight had been arranged for the club, as there were worries that the team might be stranded in Sydney for a lengthy period after the game.

Unlike the Broncos, the Dolphins will not receive a police escort to Sydney Airport, as the NRL has organised for the team to stay overnight in Sydney.

However, the Dolphins are set to return to Toowoomba to prepare for Cyclone Alfred, with a charter flight scheduled to depart Sydney on Saturday morning.

The decision to remain in Sydney overnight was made due to challenges with scheduling, as the team could not reach Sydney Airport from CommBank Stadium, Parramatta, before curfew restrictions.

Multiple major airlines have announced that they will not be operating flights to and from Brisbane, Gold Coast, and Ballina airports until at least Sunday.

The game against the Rabbitohs was initially planned to take place in Queensland on Friday night; however, it was relocated due to escalating concerns over the weather.

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Coach Kristian Woolf expressed his admiration for how well his team dealt with the tumultuous circumstances and the adjustments that were made to their preparations.

“We had quite a bit happening during the week,” he remarked on Nine.

“We faced various decisions… but once those were settled and we arrived at the airport, there was an undeniable spirit amongst the group.

“I’m very impressed with how (the team) has coped with everything.

“They all have concerns awaiting them back home, but they are focused on the task at hand.”