By Jon Tuxworth
SUNSHINE Coast Falcons CEO Brett Winkler will unveil a comprehensive long-term plan to Sunshine Coast/Gympie Rugby League clubs in a bid to resolve growing “animosity” between the two franchises.
Winkler will address all nine clubs to help ease the FOGS Cup outfit’s concerns they are perceived as the “10th local club”.
The Falcons are becoming more and more agitated at the lack of support they are receiving from local clubs.
Their biggest concerns are some clubs’ refusal or reluctance to provide their best players for Falcons duty, and rumours clubs have contacted Falcons-registered players in a bid to entice them back to their local clubs.
Winkler is hopeful the presentation, to be made at the Sunshine Coast/Gympie Rugby League’s next general meeting on May 21 at Nambour Crushers Leagues Club, will be the first steps to a more amicable relationship.
“Virtually our thing is we’re not the 10th club and we’re being viewed by the nine local clubs as that and they’re treating us accordingly,” Winkler said.
“We admit that things could have been done better in the past, but we’re one-year-old.
“This (creating the Falcons) was endorsed 9-0 by the local clubs.
“If they voted unanimously to create this entity, then they should be supporting it 100%, and we should have the best players on hand wherever possible.”
One of Winkler’s proposals is his wish for every player to be dual registered with the Falcons and a local competition club. If they aren’t selected for the Falcons, they return to the local competition.
“It’s not every club and not the majority of clubs, but there are a few who are holding it back and who we know are saying ‘don’t go to the Falcons’ and really giving it to us,” Winkler said.
“They formed it, and that’s why they should be supplying the best players on hand."
Sunshine Coast/Gympie Rugby League CEO Billy Moore is looking forward to the nine clubs’ response.
“The clubs that I represent, while they are stakeholders in the Falcons, they do feel a bit isolated,” he revealed.
“They’re not consulted with how it (Falcons) is run and how it’s progressing.
“I’m looking forward to having the nine clubs see their plan and where they’re going, and that way they can have some input and say ‘yes, we’re behind it’ or ‘no we’re not’.
“In principle the clubs support it, but they get no tangible feedback and I think with Brett’s plan they’ll get to see that.
“I think the last few months the animosity has been growing and growing, and I think it’s really positive that all the cards are going to be shown and then we can really find out whether they’re going to support it or not.”
