Newtown Lions appeal decision to terminate their TRL membership

A rugby league club has signalled its intentions to fight a decision to terminate its membership. Club chairman Peter Dann has now revealed why.

Newtown celebrate a Jay Melrose try against Oakey in a TRL A -grade round 12 rugby league at Jack Martin Centre in 2021. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Newtown Lions have filed an appeal against their Toowoomba Rugby League membership termination.

Lions chairman Peter Dann said he believed the club had been “denied procedural fairness” and all they want now is a little more time to prove they deserve to compete in 2025.

“It was a real shock,” Dann said of the club’s TRL membership being terminated last week.

“I really feel for our women’s team. I think they have been treated unfairly with the whole club being banished.

“Before this season they had played in two of the three previous grand finals, there’s a great core of players and some young girls coming through our juniors.

“Yes the men struggled and we acknowledge that but there were some mitigating circumstances there.”

Those circumstances included the unexpected departure of their A-grade coach and the sudden death of a well respected Reserve Grade player that had a profound effect on the mental health of the playing squad.

Janet Morofa for Newtown against Valleys in TRL women's competition round four rugby league at Jack Martin Centre. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Despite the difficulties Dann said the club had been proactive in their rebuilding efforts, but were denied the simple request of ‘more time’ to prove their efforts.

Section 4.2.2 of the TRL Constitution reads “If the Board proposes to suspend or terminate a member’s membership, the Secretary must, within seven days after the decision, give the member Written Notice.”

Section 4.2.2 B reads “stating that the member may address the Board at a meeting to be held not earlier than seven days and not later than 28 days after the service of the notice.”

Dann claimed the club was given just nine working days to respond.

“I do believe we have been denied procedural fairness,” he said.

“We asked for more time to state our case but that request was denied without any explanation.

“All we were asking for was more time.

“We wanted to be able to give the TRL some KPIs at the end of November for player numbers, our financials at the end of December and then another update about player numbers in January – which we believe is the latest they can change the draw without affecting the competition.

“We have been working on recruiting for next season since July August of this year.

“The club has also gone to great lengths to secure a coach, former Lions player Steve Brown, who we believe would be a great asset in changing the culture and bringing in players.

“Even if it were just Reserves and Women next year I think it would be important for the club and the growth of rugby league in the region.”

On November 6, then TRL chairman Joe Hannant said the decision was the result of weeks of deliberation with Newtown before the TRL committee made an unanimous vote earlier this week.

“We have had a number of meetings and there has been a lot of deliberation around it and we explored every possible avenue,” Hannant, who was replaced as chairman at the TRL AGM on November 10, said.

“We met with a representative of the club on Saturday hoping for some assurances and answers around their plans on and off the field for 2025.

“Unfortunately we were not satisfied with the outcomes there.

“It was not an easy decision.

“We were very reluctant but ultimately it’s for the health of the entire competition and the 11 others clubs we have to consider.”