The NSWRL Board has announced a flood relief package worth more than $600,000 to assist Rugby League communities across NSW, particularly in northern NSW, which have been devastated by the severe wet weather conditions.
The package covers competitions in Group 1, which is held in the Northern Rivers Region, and Group 18, which is a Junior Rugby League competition only held on the far north coast of NSW. All up, there are 30 clubs and 4700 players who will benefit from the package.
The package includes a $300,000 fund to replace items such as jerseys, shorts and socks for players and footballs, tackle pads and goal post pads for clubs, with the NSWRL working with its various licensed suppliers to achieve this goal.
The NSWRL Board has also made the decision to fund the total annual cost of insurance for all clubs in those areas to allow them to play Rugby League again this year free of those costs at an estimate of $217,380.
The package is on top of the $100,000 the NSWRL has already pledged as part of a relief fund in conjunction with the NRL and QRL to assist grassroots clubs affected by the club in both NSW and Queensland, bringing the total to $617,380.
“Like all Australians, the NSWRL has been deeply affected by the impact the recent floods have had across the east coast of Australia,” NSWRL Chief Executive David Trodden said.
“The communities which have been affected have a rich history of playing Rugby League and have produced many wonderful players including True Blues Cody Walker, James Roberts, Matt King and Ben Kennedy.
“The NSWRL wants to do whatever it can to assist them in getting back on to the field as Community Rugby League is the lifeblood of our game and will always have an important role to play.”
The NSWRL announced a similar package for Rugby League clubs on the NSW south coast which had been affected by bushfires in 2020 which included funding insurance premiums, supplying all football requirements and donating $250,000 of football boots.
The NSWRL will create similar funds for other flood-affected areas where necessary.
NSWRL Flood Relief Package
Insurance: $217,380
Gear fund: $300,000
NRL contribution: $100,000
Total: $617,380
Clubs affected
Ballina
Ballina JRL
Bilambil Jets Rugby League Club
Bilambil JRLFC
Byron Bay
Byron Bay Lennox Head JRL
Casino RSM
Casino RSM JRL
Clarence Coast JRL
Colts JRLFC
Cudgen
Cudgen JRLFC
Evans Head
Grafton JRLFC
Kyogle
Kyogle JRLFC
Lower Clarence
Marist Brothers Lismore
Lismore Marist Brothers JRL
Mullumbimby
Mullumbimby JRLFC
Murwillumbah
Murwillumbah Colts JRL
Northern United
South Grafton JRLF
South Tweed Heads JRLFC
Tweed Coast
Tweed Coast Raiders JRLFC
Tweed Heads Seagulls JRLFC
Tugun JRL
