Redcliffe Dolphins

In 2020, coinciding with the opening of a new Moreton Daily Stadium (known commercially as Kayo Stadium from 7 December 2022), the Redcliffe Dolphins launched a bid on 22 September 2020 for the inclusion of a separate new team in the national competition.

Granting of NRL licence (2021)

On 13 October 2021, the 17th NRL licence was granted to the Dolphins after they competed for it against two other consortiums (the Brisbane Firehawks and Brisbane Jets) also linked to existing Queensland Cup clubs. Wayne Bennett was signed as the NRL team's first head coach. On 26 November 2021, the Dolphins made their first major signing for their 2023 entry, recruiting Felise Kaufusi from the Melbourne Storm. Not long after, he was joined by Storm team mates, Jesse Bromwich (who was named as the Dolphins inaugural team captain in February 2023) and his brother Kenny Bromwich. Although separately licensed, the Dolphins NRL venture is owned by the Redcliffe Dolphins and is its fully professional spin-off club.

In December 2021, it was confirmed that Queensland Rugby League (QRL) team the Central Queensland Capras had secured a full affiliation deal with the Dolphins. The Capras and Dolphins deal should see up to six Dolphins NRL players compete for the Capras in the Queensland Cup competition each week. In May 2022, the PNG Hunters announced a strategic pathways partnership with the Dolphins that includes full NRL pre-season participation for four young Papua New Guinean players, beginning in the PNGNRL Digicel Cup, through to the PNG Hunters in the QRL state competition and then directly into the Australian NRL system.

Wayne Bennett era (2023–24)

On 7 November 2022, pre-season training for 2023 began. Pre-season trial matches were played against the Central Queensland Capras at Marley Brown Oval in Gladstone on 4 February 2023 (the Dolphins won 24–8), against the North Queensland Cowboys at Barlow Park in Cairns on 12 February (the Dolphins drew 22–22), and the Gold Coast Titans on 19 February at Kayo Stadium (the Titans won 40–16).

The Dolphins' first NRL match was against the Sydney Roosters on 5 March 2023 at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane to honour rugby league Immortal Arthur Beetson, a former player and coach of both the Redcliffe Dolphins and the Roosters. The Dolphins won 28–18 in front of a crowd of 32,177 fans. Jesse Bromwich captained the side. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow scored the Dolphins' first points with a try. Subsequent points were added by Mark Nicholls (one try), Connelly Lemuelu (one try) and Jamayne Isaako (two tries and four conversion goals). The Artie Legacy Medal for player of the match was awarded to Felise Kaufusi. Prior to NRL Round 7 2023, the combined leading try-scorers for the Dolphins were Jamayne Isaako and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, both on eight tries.

In round 3 of the 2023 NRL season, Tesi Niu became the first player in the Dolphins NRL history to score a hat-trick when they defeated the Newcastle Knights 36–20 at McDonald Jones Stadium. After winning their first three NRL matches, the Dolphins hosted their first Battle for Brisbane derby in Round 4 at Suncorp Stadium on Friday 24 March 2023 and were defeated 18–12 by the Brisbane Broncos. On Friday 7 April 2023 in the Dolphins' round 6 victory 32–22 against the North Queensland Cowboys at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow equalled a 115-year-old NRL record, scoring tries in six straight matches for a new club. In round 8 on 23 April 2023, the Dolphins equalled the greatest comeback in premiership history to defeat the Gold Coast Titans 28–26 at Suncorp Stadium, after trailing the Titans 26–0 after the first twenty-six minutes. The record for a winning comeback in premiership history dating to 1908 was set in 1998, when the North Queensland Cowboys went from being down 26–0 to defeating the Penrith Panthers 36–28 at full-time.

In Round 9 of the 2023 NRL season, the Dolphins played their first golden point game but lost 30–31 to the Canberra Raiders at McDonalds Park, Wagga Wagga. The NRL later conceded that match officials missed a crucial knock-on call late in Canberra's golden-point victory when the former regained possession after knocking the ball into the arm of a Dolphins' player. "The NRL's head of football Graham Annesley said referee Peter Gough was obscured in his view of the knock on, but the sideline officials should have pulled the play up." Nevertheless, Annesley advised that no policy changes could be considered until the current season is over.

In Round 13 of the 2023 NRL season, an illegal try on the seventh tackle of a set was awarded to the St George Illawarra Dragons in their 26–12 loss to the Dolphins at Kayo Stadium; the decision would not have been overturned even if the Dolphins had lost the game.

By the end of the Dolphins' inaugural season, goal-kicking winger Jamayne Isaako recorded both the highest number of NRL tries and points in the 2023 competition; a feat last achieved by Canberra Raiders goal-kicking centre Mal Meninga in 1990. At the Dolphins' Inaugural Presentation Ball held at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre in September 2023, Isaako was awarded the

Arthur Beetson Medal Player of the Year as well as the Best Back, the Most Consistent, and the Players' Player awards.