SPL 2020: Palm Beach Currumbin’s Queensland School Premier League hopes have been dealt a huge blow due to new border restrictions

Palm Beach Currumbin State High’s chances of a triple Queensland School’s Premier League grand final berth have been dealt a serious blow by new Queensland border restrictions.

PALM Beach Currumbin State High’s chances of a triple Queensland School’s Premier League grand final berth have been dealt a serious blow by new Queensland border restrictions.

PBC’s senior boys, junior boys and junior girls teams have all qualified for SPL semi-finals but are facing widespread availability issues as several players across the three squads are New South Wales residents.

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Under the new border bubble arrangement, New South Wales residents can only travel as far as Ormeau, making it illegal for players to play in Thursday’s scheduled semi-finals at Logan.

The three captains of the three competing teams will be forbidden from attending as will PBC senior boys coach Luke Morley and excellence coach Shane Robinson.

PBC senior girl’s coach John Costello will take over game day coaching duties for the senior boys who are gunning for back to back SPL titles.

Robinson, who is also the SPL competition chairman, said they discussed the possibility of moving games to the Gold Coast but it was too difficult to change the venue at late notice.

“As chairman, I have to wear a few different hats and there are seven other schools who aren’t affected so we’ve accepted we will go in understrength and hopefully qualify for the grand finals,” Robinson said.

“It would have thrown out the schedule and the live streaming.

“It’s going to be a big test of our depth across the program but we’ve always prided ourselves on our depth and now some players are going to get an opportunity they might not have had previously.

“It happens in professional sport all the time, players step up and take their chance when called on.

“The players that aren’t available are devastated, especially the Year 12s as it could be their last chance to win a competition title.”

Palm Beach Currumbin State High School won the senior boys' Schools Premier League football (soccer) premiership in 2019.

It’s believed the junior teams will be significantly weakened by the border closure but the senior boys, boast enough depth to cover for their absent players.

The Gold Coast is also now a strong possibility to host the SPL Grand Finals later this month.

With three teams in contention for a grand final spot, Robinson said it was a testament to the quality of PBC’s program, which now boasts former Matildas goalkeeping coach Paul Jones and ex Socceroos Jason Culina and Michael Thwaite as specialist coaches.

“We want to provide a pathway for players to leave school and crack it as a professional,” Robinson said.

“We’re getting applications from as far as Warwick and Port Macquarie so the profile of our program has grown.”