I've lived all over the GC in my life, I played for the Nerang roosters as a kid. I know the Gold coast mate
Tweed is northern NSW and gives opportunity to the Northern rivers, Burleigh is south GC.
Yeah, there's a massive need to get more junior clubs on the Northern GC. Pimpama, Coomera areas need teams and maybe that's where QRL needs to start. I'd loved to see the flood on sign on day in those areas!
If ignoring this massive growing population is how things work at QRL headquarters, then maybe it's more a discussion about how it doesn't work.
Not sure you understand how QRL works.
QRL have a lot of regions to facilitate. It’s not their job to help start up clubs - only to assist them (and the districts those clubs play in) where they can.
GC as a whole has a strong local competition with a sound amount of junior RL clubs. Further to that - there is a good amount of schools playing in RL comps/tournaments. Titans have done a great job to streamline majority of it. The region is well serviced. It’s pure heartland.
Hornets in Helensvale, Cutters in Coomera and Shearers in Ormeau have adequately provided JRL opportunities to locals in and around those clubs locations. Hornet and Shearers generally have good participation numbers, I’m not sure about Cutters as they’re relatively new’ish.
I’m not sure throwing in a random Q-Cup side here really helps anything progress further than what it currently is. There are no current servicing issues here from a JRL perspective.
So unless Runaway Bay JRL really wants to do it, then it is what it is. There’s a considerable amount of resources and investment required to get a club to that level of competition from ground zero. Plenty of overhead costs factored in. Hence why I asked you about what your other proposed options are (outside an existing club elevating itself). I doubt there’s any I haven’t heard before and all have been easier to say/type/write than to actually execute.
I’m all for QRL and its various district regions and clubs growing. Including more in Northern GC. More, the merrier. But it’s been a historically volatile process. Wide Bay Bulls stands the best chance at successful going up and even then they are extremely apprehensive about that last step from junior Q-Cup into proper Q-Cup. Clydesdales are barely keeping their heads above water. It’s not easy.
Which then brings me back to the first point. QRL have a responsibility to ensure those other regions have the proper resourcing in what has been traditionally limited investment (from external parties) back into the game there. GC is fine as it is, it can wait for further growth. Burleigh Bears and Tweed Seagulls aren’t going anywhere and neither are the junior clubs that feed the GCRL. But TRL and WB&BRL now they are tippy toeing and we can’t lose them. Focus should be on them.
