CLUBS FEARFUL OF FOLAU IMPACT

Price hikes and decreased participation numbers: Concerns over QRL’s $500k court bill

RUGBY League Gold Coast clubs fear the potential $500,000 legal bill that could could come with the QRL’s legal stoush with Israel Folau will flow down to them.

RUGBY League Gold Coast club presidents are bracing for fee hikes on players and parents if Israel Folau’s legal challenge against Queensland Rugby League reaches the Supreme Court next month.

The QRL is already out-ofpocket $50,000 for the first stage of court proceedings and the body which oversees grassroots footy in Queensland fears that could multiply up to 10 times if the case continues in a month’s time.

If Folau (pictured) wins the case the QRL could also be slammed with orders to pay legal costs for the plaintiff, with few options available to the governing body to fundraise that amount without leaning on the community.

Currumbin Eagles senior president Pat Asquith said a bill of that magnitude was unprecedented in Queensland rugby league.

“I know the QRL stumped up a lot of cash to keep grassroots clubs running during Covid last year,” Asquith said.

“At the moment grassroots rugby league fees are less than other sports so if this results in increased fees it could have a detrimental effect to how many play the game.

“If QRL are hit with a halfmillion dollar bill there will be a flow-on effect that will affect us all.”

Helensvale president Wayne Court placed his faith in the Coast rugby league community to assign the blame for any price hike to the party responsible: Folau, and his billionaire backer at Southport, Clive Palmer.

“At the end of the day if Folau wants to transfer in from overseas it doesn’t matter who he is, he just has to go through the process,” Court said.

“It’s a simple thing. If he gets the clearance (from Catalans) he plays.

“It’s not the QRL who are wasting money, they’re only doing what they can do.

“I think Gold Coasters will be filthy at the source who is making it happen.”

Rugby League Gold Coast chairman Peter Daley said the code would cross that bridge when it was time.