After Covid and floods, Lismore’s rugby league clubs are cautiously positive about 2023

They’ve weathered Covid-19 and have been devastated by the floods. And now, as season 2023 approaches, rugby league clubs in Lismore are praying for just one thing. Here’s what they want this year.

Alex Pichaloff

4 min read

March 3, 2023 - 1:39PM

Local Sport

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Bush footy is fighting back after the devastating floods in northern NSW.

As the 2023 season draws near there is a sense of cautious optimism that this year will be better than the past few.

But there’s still plenty of challenges at hand for local Lismore clubs playing in the Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League competition.

Footy players are still homeless, some also without jobs.

There still aren’t any operational lights at either Oakes Oval or Crozier Field in the centre of town.

The floods inundated large parts of Lismore, including sporting field Oakes Oval and Crozier Field. (Photo by Dan Peled/Getty Images)

And it’s touch and go whether or not all the home grounds will have change rooms with power and running hot water by the time the season kicks off on April 16.

“Things are definitely more positive,” says Lismore Marist Brothers president Al Petty.

“Even around town, even though we’ve got the anniversary (of the floods), the feeling is positive. We’re looking forward to having a home ground with actual facilities: hot water, electricity – that sort of stuff.”

On the footy field, things are looking brighter too, with the Marist Brothers buoyed by the signature of former NRL star and Marist Brothers junior, David Mead, who retired last season after a long career with Gold Coast Titans and Brisbane Broncos.

Marist Rams Lismore players put footy on hold and dug in for the flood recovery Picture: Marist Rams Lismore.

“That’s massive for us,” says Petty. “Our first grade coach Matty Barber just went and spoke to him and Davey had no hesitations.

“He grew up here, he wants to give back to the town as well. He’s a massive pick-up.”

In many ways it’s a huge success that clubs like Marist Brothers, whose first grade side plays in the Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League competition, are still up and running at all.

With the twin floods of February and March last year devastating the entire town, even doing something seemingly as simple as hosting a home game became incredibly difficult.

“Last year, for our first two home games, we actually didn’t have any dressing sheds, no running water, no toilets,” says Petty.

“Our home and away sheds were basically a couple of QuikShades that we put up and walled in.

Both Northern United and Marist Brothers will line up in the Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League competition this season. Photo: Ceebee’s Photos.

“As the year went on we were using one of those camp showers that you can hook up to your gas bottle and use that way, so the blokes could have a quick shower to tub after the game, but that was about it.”

The $600,000 flood relief package from NSWRL announced in March last year provided support for 30 clubs and 4700 players involved in the Group 1 Northern Rivers Region and Group 18 junior league competition only held on the far north coast of NSW.

The financial support helped replace items such as jerseys, shorts and socks for players and footballs, tackle pads and goal post pads for clubs and paid for the total annual cost of insurance for all clubs in those areas to allow them to play Rugby League again.

NSW coach Brad Fittler and the Blues team visited Lismore during Origin to show their support to the region that has produced many great players including True Blues Cody Walker, James Roberts, Matt King and Ben Kennedy.

Despite all the positivity, a year on, there’s still been an impact on player numbers and finances, while the direct effects of the floods are still being felt by many in the community.

“Players are still homeless,” said Djaan Jarrett, the president of fellow Lismore club Northern United which was established by members of the region’s Indigenous community.

The club has seen first-hand how aboriginal people have been affected over the past year. It’s why the club will cover the registration costs of their players this year.

“There’s still a loss of jobs that people are trying to recover from, the loss of businesses that were part of the club,” Jarrett added.

“All round, there are still difficult times for everyone. It’s just not as magnified as it was 12 months ago.

“But I do think people are a bit more positive. We learned a lot last year, and we’ve put things in place at the club to support our players. Not just from a football perspective but also a community perspective.”

Off the back of two years disrupted by Covid-19 and one year being completely decimated by floods, it’s fair to say that rugby league clubs in Lismore have had a pretty rough run of it of late.

But a new season brings new hope and when asked what their wishes for the upcoming season are, both clubs were united in their response.

“We just want a normal season,” says Petty. “To be able to train Tuesday, train Thursday, show up Sunday with our canteen that’s got power, walk into a dressing shed that’s got hot water.”

It’s a sentiment Jarrett wholeheartedly agrees with.

“No more disasters, no more rain – we just want to get on with our lives and play footy,” he added.

NSW rugby league clubs flood affected

Ballina

Ballina JRL

Bilambil Jets Rugby League Club

Bilambil JRLFC

Byron Bay

Byron Bay Lennox Head JRL

Casino RSM

Casino RSM JRL

Clarence Coast JRL