Revealing the heartbroken faces behind Gold Coast footy closure

They are the heartbroken faces of a league season thrown into chaos.

THEY are the heartbroken faces of a league season thrown into chaos.

Ormeau Shearers players Luke Torda, 6, and Lazeryth Sua, 22, won’t get a crack at Rugby League Gold Coast rivals in 2020 following the club’s decision to withdraw from the pandemic-hit campaign due to financial strain.

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RLGC board members last night held a meeting to decide the fate of the rest of the competition, though an announcement won’t be made public until today.

A RLGC spokesman told the Bulletin the board had come to a positive decision, though wouldn’t disclose the final outcome which will impact about 8000 registered junior and senior players across 16 Coast clubs.

Luke Torda 6 and Lazeryth Sua upset at the news there will be no League at the club this year. Picture Glenn Hampson

“The meeting went well,” he said. “We came to a positive decision and we’ll be releasing all details (today) once something is typed.

“Positive outcomes were reached with many more decisions still to come with guidelines lifting.”

Any decision is too late for Ormeau, who have already conceded they won’t compete after outlaying funds to build a clubhouse in recent months.

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Torda said that he’s going to miss emulating his favourite player, Penrith Panthers and Samoan international dynamo Brian To’o. “I’ll miss scoring tries,” he said.

And Luke’s dad, Matt Torda, who also coaches Luke’s under-6 squad, said footy was an important part of the routine for his juniors.

“They all bonded last year and most of the team were coming back,” he said. “The kids miss the friendship, they enjoy talking to each other and playing and running around the park.”

Lazeryth is a mainstay at the club, rising through the juniors to senior ranks.

He didn’t mix his words when asked for his thoughts on the cancellation of the season.

“I’ve been at Ormeau for 10 years and it’s heartbreaking, we were building up momentum and had put in a lot of hard work during the pre-season,” he said.

The player’s comments hint at the plight of the Shearers, who are desperate to prove they are no longer the cellar-dwellers of the Coast comp.

A-grade coach Peri Creamer said the club is ready to break the shackles of the past.

“From where we started in November during the pre-season, to where we are now, the club has improved without having played a game,” he said.

“The recruits from this year will definitely come back into the picture, they are keen.

“We have done a lot of work behind the scenes even though we haven’t been able to play footy.”

Coach Creamer said he has a plan for the players for the rest of this year, with a focus on bonding and using the club’s new facilities.