How Monday’s Rugby League Gold Coast board meeting affects your club

Gold Coast Rugby League chairman Peter Daley has revealed what decisions were reached at Monday night’s landmark board meeting on the future of the 2020 season.

Kevin Gordon with Southport Tigers under 8s.

Rugby League will return to the Gold Coast from the 25th of July if Queensland’s state government adopts a policy permitting one person every four square metres at a venue.

Gold Coast Rugby League chairman Peter Daley said that restriction would permit up to 1000 people per field which was enough for competition to resume.

“If that all happens all clubs will be back to normal,” Daley said.

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Rugby League Gold Coast chairman Peter (Pete) Daley.

“One international field is an acre, so that’s 4000 square metres so we’ll be allowed 1000 people.

“With two fields that’s 8000 (square metres) and 4000 is good enough for us.

“We’ll be allowed to have crowds at senior games, and if that’s to happen I think community sport in Queensland would be very happy.”

The news will thrill the five Gold Coast senior clubs who committed to some form of football if restrictions eased.

Runaway Bay and Ormeau, who said this week they were not in favour in returning to play, would be welcomed back with open arms if they decide to reverse their decision, the governing body’s chairman said.

“That will be up to their club(s),” Daley said.

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“(Ormeau) have got their new clubhouse and sheds, and there is still going to be a cost that will hurt clubs a little but to a lesser extent than was previously though.

“If they want to come back in they’re more than welcome but we support their decision and we’ll stand by them no matter what.”

Daley said discussions on competition structures would continue over the next week but expected a staggered return to training for seniors and under-20s first, before juniors in the under-15 to under-18 age brackets were permitted to return.

Juniors from under-12 to under-15 could be next before non-competition juniors from the ages below were allowed back to training.

Kevin Gordon with Southport Tigers under 8s.