Goalposts snapped, grounds underwater: TC Alfred’s toll on Gold Coast sport
A local Aussie Rules club had a goalpost cleaved in half, a rugby club is cut off from their clubhouse and another is in desperate bid to carve a ditch to a river to save itself. Toll on GC sport
Gold Coast
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The Gold Coast Eagles rugby union club is digging a ditch from their Southport clubhouse to the Nerang River in a desperate bid to save around $40,000 of gym equipment from flooding.
Around two-dozen volunteers attended the clubhouse on Sunday afternoon as rising water levels triggered by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred threatened to inundate the club’s precious gymnasium.
“We’ve got a fair bit of water building up around the clubhouse,” Eagles president Penny Stabler said.
“At the moment (4pm Sunday) it’s getting pretty deep so we’ve got our footy players out with shovels, trying to dig a trench towards the Nerang River.
“We’re not sure the Council is going to love that but that’s what we’ve got to do to save the club.
“We actually have people from other clubs here helping us which is awesome to see.”
Volunteers have fashioned DIY sandbags out of plastic rubbish bags to keep the water from entering the clubhouse, which has served as the Eagles home since the Gold Coast’s foundation rugby club relocated from its original location in Burleigh decades ago.
Bond Pirates, GCDRU
“The club went through unscathed,” president John Cameron said.
“We lost power so we had to go in and rescue some food - and god knows what the fields are like. We’ll see how we go, that’s one of the assessments we’ll have to make on Tuesday.
“I daresay there will be a lot of water sitting around the edge of the field but they drain pretty well.”
Burleigh Bears, RLGC and QRL
“At this stage (Sunday AM) only a loss of power,” chief executive Damian Driscoll reported.
Coomera Magpies, AFL Queensland
“We are all good here,” president Robert Templeton said.
Cricket Gold Coast
Gold Coast Cricket Club’s Cheltenham Oval has been several impacted by flooding.
However, Cricket Gold Coast vice president Mark Middleton said that is not an uncommon occurrence and that all other clubs were OK.
“No clubs have reached out for assistance so far,” Middleton said.
Currumbin Eagles, RLGC
“The club is holding up OK,” A Grade coach Matt Geyer said.
“We’ve actually been offering it to community members if they need anything that we can offer.
“We’ll have to wait a day or two to see how the field holds up but it’s only water now so it will run away eventually, I suppose.”
Griffith Uni Colleges Knights, GCDRU
“We haven’t been able to fully check the clubhouse but it appears to be okay at the moment,” seniors co-ordinator Josh Scott said.
“We haven’t been able to check internally.”
Helensvale Hogs, GCDRU
“We have been okay,” president Neil Cowen reported.
“We had some flooding on the back part of the field (but)
“We got power back today and opened up for a few hours for locals.”
Helensvale invited locals to charge their phones and watch the Queensland Reds’ 43-19 loss to the Crusaders on Sunday afternoon.
Helensvale Hornets, RLGC
“We had one shadesail come down but other than that we’ve had no damage that I’m aware of,” president Kelly White said.
“We’ve still got power so we were pretty lucky.”
Labrador Tigers, QAFL
“As of (Saturday) everything was in good nick,” committee member Kieron Turner said.
“A few fence signs folded in, but no major concerns.”
Nerang Bulls, GCDRU
“Bulls are good,” president Jacinta Smith said.
“Clubhouse luckily is up high and haven’t sustained any damage. Fields are wet but holding up well.
“Our driveway and access is another story. Won’t be getting in there any time soon.”
Nerang Eagles, FQPL
“Haven’t been there yet. A member reported that the shade sails over the playground have been damaged,” club president Fred Stone said.
“Field will be waterlogged and out of action for at least one week.”
Palm Beach Currumbin Alleygators, GCDRU
“We’re all good, all sorted,” director of rugby Ryan Roberts said.
“The club actually traded yesterday.
“Our fields are closed now but that’s about all we have to report.”
Palm Beach Soccer Club, FQPL
“Our club is still without power and therefore remains closed at this present time,” the club posted on social media.
“We will update you as soon as we are in a position to reopen.”
Runaway Bay Seagulls, RLGC
“I haven’t been down since the rain but basically there won’t be any damage,” football operations manager Glen Kuhnemann said.
“What we did prior to the rain and the wind was all our juniors, seniors and old boys got together and removed all the signs from around the perimeter of the field so we didn’t have any missiles flying around.
“I reckon we’d be underwater but our field takes a lot of water - it was built on sand from the old tip, back in the day. The field soaks up water but will be under now for sure.
“Our clubhouse was closed but will reopen Monday.”
Surfers Paradise Dolphins, GCDRU
“Surfers Paradise Rugby Club is closed until Alfred and its impact abates,” president Don Jolly said.
“As soon as possible we will have our team surveying the grounds and any repairs and recovery needed.
“The grounds are impacted so the council and our club will review the impact and best recovery as soon as practical.”
Surfers Paradise Demons, QAFL
“We can’t get there at the moment but have had reports of a goalpost down and tree damage,” club president Katrina Pridmore said.
Tweed Coast Tigers, AFL Queensland
“We haven’t come off too badly,” president Andrew Ryan said.
“We have had a goalpost get snapped off at the ground and also a couple of trees down. “Overall we have faired OK.”
Runaway Bay Bayhawks, FQPL
“We have been out a couple of times and it seems all good, we lost power but we have got a generator set up for that,” junior boys director Jake Playforth said.
Broadbeach Cats, QAFL
“Our club has faired pretty well just fence signs and a large umbrella lost it’s sails, ground is flooded - overall pretty good,” president Dale Perkins said.
Labrador Hockey, GCHA and BHL
“There is no damage to the Gold Coast Hockey facility or our club,” president Andrew Proctor said.
“Flooding is still a possibility based on the current rain and tides but so far so good.”
Gold Coast Knights, NPL QLD
The Gold Coast Knights’ grounds were severely flooded and the club released a statement on Monday morning which said: “The club has been heavily impacted by the rain as the whole area of Carrara has and we are currently assessing the situation.
“We will provide regular updates as we work through the clean-up process.
“At present all training is postponed until further notice.”
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