New TRL chairman announced

THE fallout from the Toowoomba Rugby League AGM has seen a change at the top for the 2020 season.

Rex Zeeman will step into the role as TRL chairman. Picture: File

RUGBY LEAGUE: Rex Zeeman has been voted in as the new face leading the TRL Premiership into 2020 and beyond.

Zeeman in recent years has been best known for his work as president of Southern Suburbs, overseeing the club during a tumultuous period, and helping to keep them afloat amid personnel issues in 2018.

The incoming chairman brings a pedigree in league spanning over three decades that saw him spend 10 years as a division manager and in admin at the QRL, as well as earning life membership with the Tigers.

Zeeman said he was looking forward to the challenge that the new roles brings.

“It’s something that has come up in more recent times,” Zeeman said.

“The thought of being there came about this season, and I was approached by a couple of people to put my name forward, and after considering it, I did.

“Prior to the AGM I wrote to the clubs and current board of directors outlining what I was hopeful of achieving.”

Something that Zeeman is keen on implementing to take the league forward is a strategic plan, to set out the vision of the TRL.

“The first thing on the agenda is to develop a strategic plan for the next 5-10 years in terms of competition structure, affiliated clubs and the like,” he said.

“In the last two years, who’s in and who’s out has been a bit hit and miss, particularly in second division.

“It’s suggested that we need to look at requests (to come into the competition) from the context of a strategic plan.

“With future requests we want to be in a position where we know what we want to achieve and assess these requests in how they match with the plan.”

The AGM also confirmed grand final day will take place at Clive Berghofer Stadium on September 6, with the season to commence on March 21, and the women’s competition still in talks as to how it would be structured.

Zeeman paid tribute to those in the chair before him to get the competition to the strong state it is currently in.

“The level the competition is at now is a credit to those that have been in the chairman role for the last 10 years or so,” he said.

“The standard of representative football is superb, and that’s due to the work of Brian (Gilroy) and the people before him.”

While long-serving director Tony Coonan continues on as secretary, former Brothers president Joe Hannant moves into the role as treasurer, after Janeen Maguire opted against standing.

TRL 2020 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chairman – Rex Zeeman

Secretary – Tony Coonan

Treasurer- Joe Hannant

Directors – Greg Platz, Mick Merchant, Justin Roach, Adrian Suey, Andrew Fox, Peter Tozer

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