RUGBY’S DILEMMA
PIRATES’ QUESTIONS
THE Bond Pirates are calling on Gold Coast District Rugby Union directors to consider options that will make their life easier in the wake of their reserves team being shuffled down to third grade.
GCDRU released a revised draw last week in response to Palm Beach Currumbin’s late exit from the top division; the Alleygators instead slotted into second grade between the Pirates’ premier and reserves teams.
The net result is a fixture that flows well but Pirates forwards coach Emerson McLeod declared the changes would hurt his club.
Given that third-grade matches kick off at 1.30pm, McLeod noted it was a big ask to have those players wait around to back up for 4.10pm starts in first grade.
“That means we would need an extra 20 players. We have only got 35 or 40 as it is,” he said.
“You’re going to have to have a squad of 23 or so for first grade and then a similar squad for thirds because there is no way on Earth they are going to hang around for two hours and play again.
“Strappers and physios – rather than paying them for two games, we are going to have to pay them for three games now so that’s an extra couple of hundred bucks a week because you can’t say while you’re standing there doing nothing for seconds, we’re not going to pay you.”
While McLeod is resigned to the fact that their reserves won’t be moved back to second grade, he hopes GCDRU can take some steps to “soften the blow”.
“If they went to all of the clubs and said you open up your No.2 field so when Bond plays you, their thirds play on the No.2 field at the same time as second grade because it won’t affect any other grades and then (our players) can back up,” McLeod said.
He acknowledged that may not be possible in fixtures against Griffith University Colleges and Helensvale, who both have teams in all three grades. Coomera, Coolangatta Tweed and Hinterland Celtics by contrast only figure in thirds.