CDRL facing pickle

AS ONE team is seeking to be included in a 2020 Cairns and District Rugby League season, if and when it gets under way, there are growing concerns that a current club won’t be able to participate due to COVID-19 restrictions.

CDRL secretary/operations manager Pat Bailey said she had doubts about whether 2017 premiers Yarrabah Seahawks would be able to play in a 2020 season due to laws imposing coronavirus restrictions on indigenous communities.

Yarrabah has been in lockdown during the COVID-19 crisis, with no access to the township without biosecurity determination.

At this stage, community rugby league competitions can return to play from mid-July, but there is no timeframe on Yarrabah’s restrictions.

“If people can’t get in and out without quarantine, it’s going to make it impossible for them to play,” Bailey said.

Seahawks president Sam Bann Sr said the lockdown had already impacted the club’s playing roster.

“We started off really well this year but when the lockdown and COVID-19 restrictions came in, the enthusiasm went out,” he said.

“We have a couple of boys that live over in Cairns and Gordonvale and they would usually come over for training.

“It’s difficult, but I think we’re surviving over here.

“If we can play, we will.” Earlier this week, the Northern Pride put forward a proposal to CDRL clubs to have its Hastings Deering Colts (under-20s) side compete as a 12th team for a oneoff 2020 season.

Bailey said whether or not Yarrabah would be able to enter the competition could be the deciding factor.

“If Yarrabah can’t play, we’d only have 10 clubs, and that’s probably more achievable,” Bailey said.

She said Yarrabah players who didn’t reside in the township could be given portability to play with another CDRL club for the season.

“It means they still get to play football, but as of October 25, they would have to go straight back to Yarrabah,” she said. “Ultimately, it’ll be up to the clubs. It’s their decision – I just do the workings of it.”