Gold Coast bosses stunned by limits
THE Gold Coast’s biggest community sporting bosses have joined in the chorus condemning the controversial government return-toplay regulations.
Rugby League Gold Coast boss Peter Daley said the current restrictions would bankrupt local clubs.
“I’ve got no idea what these people are thinking,” he said. “These protocols that have been put forward, it’s a joke the way the Queensland Government are handling the situation.
“This ‘little bit of this, little bit of that’ approach will send our clubs broke.”
Gold Coast District Rugby Union chairman Kim Bending said the tight restrictions could force the cancellation of rugby union on the Coast.
“Our game is right on the edge at this stage, and we’ve got a meeting next month to see if our club presidents want to abide by the protocols,” he said.
“If they don’t we may not have a competition because it’s just not practical.”
Magic United football general manager Adem Poric said the government’s restraints made returning to play logistically impractical if not impossible
Coast club.
Poric said he anticipated a participation downturn of 10 per cent but would still need to juggle 400 players across two fields at the club.
“It becomes an impossible task,” Poric said.
“We’ll be training until midnight every night because we don’t have the room or the time (to safely train 20 players at a time). for his Gold
“I agree with what the government are doing in principle but there needs to be some common sense.
“They’ve got to look at a (case-by-case approach) and break it down into the sports, and if the numbers don’t work for them then tell us that it’s over.”
Poric said the government would be better served calling off all sport than forcing clubs to limit visitors to 100.