THE Mount Isa Rugby Union has unanimously opposed a cost hike to playing fees set down by the sport’s governing body.
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The association’s four sides – Euros, Warrigals, Keas and Cloncurry – met last Thursday and discussed the proposal made by the Australian Rugby Union.
“All four clubs unanimously opposed the proposed changes sent to us by the ARU,” Mount Isa Rugby Union president Michael O’Connor said.
“Our main concern is that our players will be forced to pay double the playing fees that they do now.
“The ARU claim they have been in consultation with clubs leading up to this proposal but we had no prior notification.
“We have contacted Dan Morton, from North Queensland Rugby Union, and said it will be a sad day for grassroots rugby in this country if they don’t reconsider the proposal.
“With our development officer more than 1000 kilometres away in Townsville, we are unsure what we receive for the extra costs.
“The ARU claim that we can apply for grants and rebates, but we don’t know if we are eligible for them.
“With half the players only playing half the season, due to shiftwork, this could see a halt in rugby in Mount Isa.
“We have run it just fine for 40 years and will see out the rest of this season, but after that is completely unknown.”
Warrigals coach Rob Peters echoed the thoughts of O’Connor, saying that the move would hurt the sport in Mount Isa.
“It’s not looking positive because if they have a blanket rule for all clubs in Australia, the ARU are going to lose people from the sport,” he said,
“From our perspective, we don’t mind paying money if we know exactly what we are getting in return.
“But as it stands, we aren’t set to benefit from that $173 that the ARU are asking for, and that’s the biggest concern.”
The ARU outlined plans to change the costs of playing rugby union in Australia.
Instead of paying only a club registration fee, players are now forced to also pay $173 a season registration cost with the ARU.
This change – part of the ARU’s National Participation Game Plan: Transforming Our Game for Future Generations plan – could cripple rugby in Mount Isa.
Phillip Pope, general communications officer of Queensland Rugby Union believed this plan – which has been in place for nearly a year – is for the future benefit of the sport.
“This is the most significant reform the sport of rugby has made in the last 20 years,” he said.
“Up until now, Queensland has been the only state that hasn’t charged its participants for services, but the ARU can’t afford to maintain this historical level of funding.
“The QRU are currently the only profitable part of Australian Rugby, investing close to $8 million a year to the sport.
“Now under this new up-front model, participants will understand where their money is going and I assume most will stay with the sport.
“Of course some will leave, but it is important that we are still attracting new players and retaining players moving forward.
“The safety of our participants is the most important thing, so I believe most will appreciate the changes.”
Queensland has the most state participants in rugby union, with 296,356 registered players currently, through schools, clubs, rookies, sevens and entry-level participants.
But Pope acknowledges that Mount Isa Rugby Union is a different situation to most counterparts in the QRU.
“Due to the nature of the industry in Mount Isa and shift nature of the community, we will need a sustainable plan for the sport,” he said.
