Rouse Hill Rhinos JRLC ‘haemorrhaging money’ over issues with turf at home ground
Junior rugby league players have been forced off their home ground — after “disgraceful and sloppy” turf was laid — losing the club thousands of dollars.
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PLAYERS from one of The Hills largest Junior Rugby League Clubs have been forced to find other sporting fields across Sydney — after “disgraceful and sloppy” turf was laid on The Rouse Hill Rhino’s home ground at Wrights Road Reserve.
Club president Paul Fuda told The Times players were two weeks into the season, and had been unable to play a home game.
“As a volunteer, this has consumed my life for the last six weeks,” Mr Fuda said.
“I … took a level out there and the centre of the pitch was 260mm higher than the rest.
“It’s almost a foot higher. It’s disgraceful. The work’s just sloppy.”
Mr Fuda said the club was losing money with estimates reaching $800 in the first week.
“That’s money that the kids are never going to get,” he said.
“Council said it’s fine to play on and if you don’t like it, play somewhere else.
“We’re the third biggest club in the Parramatta Junior Rugby League.
“We won club of the year last year — it’s fair to say we won’t be winning that again.”
The club and its 500 members has been forced as far as Canley Vale for ‘home games’ at the start of the season, due to issues with the field.
“There’s every chance someone’s going to get an injury but we’ve got to get back to our home ground,” he said. “We’re just haemorrhaging money and if we keep going like this we won’t be able to recover.”
Hills Shire councillor Robyn Preston raised the concerns of the club president with council staff earlier this month — who said a lack of contractors and a massive increase in the cost of synthetic turfing was to blame.
“I understand for the last two years we have had a turf mat that we have been able to use over the cricket pitch, so it is smoother when players use it,” Cr Preston said.
“We are now using actual turf and there is quite a high mound built up — which makes it really dangerous and hard for the players.”
Cr Preston said she had seen “angst from players and the club” but knows council have been working with representatives to resolve the issue.
A council spokesman said the pitch had been covered in a synthetic turf for the past two years.
“But that wasn’t the case this year,” he said.
“Following discussions with the club, they were in agreement that we put natural turf down due to a lack of contractor availability to roll out the synthetic.
“This was a compromise as a method of assuring adequate service. We have rolled the pitch and addition turf was laid out yesterday.”
Hills Shire Council general manager Michael Edgar said the cost of synthetic turf has risen from $1300 to $8000: That is almost double the fee we get from the ground”.
“The method in doing it this way is far more cost effective and meets standard,” he said.
“I accept the criticism but in the timing we had available, which was about 21 days, that is all we could do because of the problems with the contract.
“Covering with soil is not unusual in The Shire — synthetic was very cost effective and weighs eight tones, we couldn’t get it in time so we used the alternate method.”
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