Roosters chasing new boss
Walsh joins bid for funds
The Gold Coast junior rugby league club that produced the likes of NRL stars Reece Walsh, Kevin Kingston and Mat Rogers will appoint a new president to lead it out of financial crisis on Monday.
Nerang Roosters took to crowd-funding website GoFundMe last week to ask for $100,000 in donations to enable juniors to participate in 2024 due to “unforeseen circumstances.”
Walsh, the Brisbane Broncos star dubbed the face of rugby league, joined the fundraising drive when he issued a plea for support on national television over the weekend.
“The club’s going through a bit of a tough patch at the moment,” the injured star (pictured) told Channel 9. “I thought it was only right for me to get back down here … give a helping hand where I can.
“My whole childhood revolves around this club.
It just has that real family vibe and I am who I am today because of this club.”
Rugby League Gold Coast chairman Peter Daly said Nerang was a critical development club in the district.
“Nerang plays an important role in the rugby league ecosystem on the Gold Coast and has produced a number of wonderful players over the years,” Daly said.
“Not just at NRL level but in the local A-grade and Queensland competitions. Daly is confident that while the club has experienced some “hiccups,” it is heading in the right direction for this season. “We just have a few things we’d like to work through with them but everything is positive and on the rise,” Daly said. “They’ve ordered jumpers and everything and Rugby League Gold Coast has given their support.”
The Roosters advertised the presidency last week. They asked for applicants who had been a part of the Nerang JRLFC committee for a minimum of two consecutive years. Along with the presidency being up for grabs, Nerang has also advertised the positions of vice-president, secretary and treasurer.
“Once the AGM is finalised on Monday night, it will be back to normal with the Roosters’ under-6s through to senior grades playing the greatest game of all time,” Daly said.
A host of NRL players took their first steps towards rugby league stardom on the back paddocks at the Roosters. Titans forwards Keenan Palasia and Klese Haas, Broncos backrower Brendan Piakura, Manly winger Jaxson Paulo and Eels playmaker Daejarn Asi are active players who spent time at the Nerang club.