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Nedlands Rugby Club bears ‘brunt’ of pandemic
Victoria Rifici
Western Suburbs Weekly
June 3, 2020 1:00PM
NEDLANDS Rubgy Club vice-president Josh Aislabie fears for the group’s future after it experienced the full “brunt” of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
State rugby pre-season training was put on pause on March 16, almost two weeks before the 2020 playing season was to begin, because of the coronavirus outbreak.
As a result, the 18-time premiership winning club witnessed dwindling player numbers, with some leaving WA to return home.
Mr Aislabie said he was concerned player numbers wouldn’t be as “strong” as they had been in the past.
“We rely heavily on people to come over from New Zealand, over east and sometimes the UK,” he said.
“We don’t begrudge the boys and you have to do what’s right for yourself in this situation, but we have definitely been stung with Jobkeeper allowances because all the boys we did have here couldn’t get it effectively, and had to go home.”
Mr Aislabie said sponsorship revenue was also “on hold” as he was unsure whether the club’s sponsors still had the financial capacity to commit to its 2020 season.
“We’re just wary that the sponsors will still be there but not in the full capacity,” he said.
“A sponsor might give you $5000 normally and given what’s happened, it might only be $1000 or $2000 and we’ll be stoked what we get out of them, but at the same time we’re naturally concerned”.
But light is at the end of the tunnel for the 500-member club, which has tentative plans to restart pre-season preparation on July 4.
“Training starts properly this week (May 26) because with rugby you need contact otherwise the body seizes up pretty quickly and passing the ball and everything else,” he said.
“Pre-season had been put on hold and now it’s all back on again so with that we have now found ourselves in awkward position where we are trying to get players back involved in the game but also implementing social distancing.”
Mr Aislabie said there was no denying the 40-year-old club would remain active but to support the club, community members should play rugby and get involved.
“Once the bar and canteen re opens buy a few beers and burger and if you’re a local business or a business that wants to be part of the journey sponsorship in any capacity would be great appreciated,” he said.
https://www.perthnow.com.au/community-news/western-suburbs-weekly/nedlands-rugby-club-fears-for-financial-future-c-1051718
'I may be a Senator but I am not stupid'
https://omny.fm/shows/the-alan-jones-breakfast-show/cameron-clyne
Link to Senate Report http://www.aph.gov.au/senate_ca
https://www.change.org/p/rugby-australia-petition-for-cameron-clyne-to-resign-as-chairman-of-the-rugby-australia-board
Stage 2 of RA’s restructure involves cutting back on payments to member unions so don’t hold out any hope there.
Gotta keep the Wallabies and Johnson and Rennie and the new CEO well cashed up first. Then there’s the Rebels and their bottomless begging bowl. Then about $28million of other liabilities and executive salaries and freebies. There will be about 50cents left over for the community game. And that’s if we are really lucky.
Proudly Western Australian; Proudly supporting Western Australian rugby
'I may be a Senator but I am not stupid'
https://omny.fm/shows/the-alan-jones-breakfast-show/cameron-clyne
Link to Senate Report http://www.aph.gov.au/senate_ca
https://www.change.org/p/rugby-australia-petition-for-cameron-clyne-to-resign-as-chairman-of-the-rugby-australia-board
Nedlands expected the Australian Taxpayer to pay the wages of its extensive cohort of New Zealand 2020 imports?
Their sense of entitlement knows no bounds.
Maybe they'd like the taxpayer to refund them the airfares, sign on fees, accommodation expenses and car allowances they paid their "loyal" overseas players?
Fat chance of that happening.
Back to raiding local clubs, as usual, for them I'm afraid.
Genuine enquiry Falvio, any news on how the other clubs are travelling?
Kalamunda have recommenced training. We will hopefully understand numbers for different grades shortly, no import players at our club. The club extension has gone ahead and the female change rooms will be open for the start of their season even potentially before.
Junior numbers looked better than I expected on Tuesday with the covid plan in full swing. Parents in car parks and kids signing in with temperature checks. We will know where we stand better over the coming 3 weeks when word gets out and more restrictions are lifted.
Generally speaking you aren’t learning much if your lips are moving!!!
Due to everything covid, I have had very little contact with rugby people, particularly those from other clubs, over the last three months. I think all clubs will be doing much the same as Kalamunda with their juniors, and most are starting up again with reduced numbers. I doubt there will be sufficient numbers all around for there to be more than two or three senior grades this season (what little there will be of it), including colts.
A few clubs have been badly burned financially by buying and importing overseas players early, with the attendant costs and the expenditure of the good will of their members, only for those players to take off.
Many lower grade local players have simply decided to have the year off, written off the season.
My club didn't recruit overseas players as we have had a local development program for several seasons now, which appeared to be coming to fruition when Covid struck. Hopefully those players are still around.
I think this year will make us appreciate what we had.