Where have they gone: Gold Coast club refuses to answer questions after women’s team disbanded

A Gold Coast rugby league club has refused to answer questions after their grand finallist women’s side has gone missing from the 2024 season. Find out more.

A ‘family friendly’ Gold Coast rugby league club has refused to answer questions after their successful women’s side was left without a home for the 2024 season.

The Ormeau Shearers are keeping mum, despite suggestions the club blocked their women’s side from taking the field under the club’s banner in the SE Women’s Holcim Cup competition.

It comes less than 12 months on from the same women’s team playing in the grand final against Goodna Eagles.

It is understood players from that grand final team wanted to play alongside each other and for the club, but the Shearers opted against registering a women’s team in time for the competition cut-off.

It is believed most players have been registered at different clubs around the league.

The Shearers, who describe themselves as “family friendly, not-for-profit sporting club with junior, senior male and senior female teams” on Facebook, elected a new board in the off-season.

When contacted about the club’s lack of a women’s team, new president Shane Robertson declined to comment on the matter.

The Shearers’ women’s coaching panel also declined to comment.

Rugby League Gold Coast chairman Peter Daly said the decision to opt against registering a side was ‘internal’ at the club.

“(It) has nothing to do with the RLGC,” Daly said.

“For reasons I don’t know, they missed the cut-off date for registration.

“The new committee set some guidelines, but obviously felt they weren’t met and made a decision.

“It’s unfortunate they’re not playing at Ormeau together after being grand finalists last year... but it’s not as if we’re losing them to the game, they’ve found other clubs.

“Those people were elected to their positions to run the club, so you’ve got to respect that.”