Roosters get chop from top comp

Lack of playing strength has forced the Rosewood Roosters to pull out of this year’s Ipswich Rugby League A-grade competition. Photo: File

THEN there were seven.

The Ipswich Rugby League A-grade competition kicks off in just over a week but it will do so without Rosewood.

The Roosters took the decision not to field an A-grade team after losing a dozen of last year’s players, including many of their best, and being unable to replace them.

“We didn’t want to go out there and make fools of ourselves,” Rosewood president Ken Bassett said.

“We didn’t want to be made laughing stocks. It is not good for the game of football and you’re going to lose players by doing that.”

The Roosters have lost Wade Seden, Colin Walker, Tyrone Walker, Daniel Thompson and Joel Swan to rival club Swifts and Peter Shepley and Ian O’Shea to Toowoomba Rugby League club Gatton.

“It is a big gap to try and fill,” Bassett said.

“We’ve had players turn up to training but not the quality.”

Why the players have left, Bassett could not be certain, though he suspects money has plenty to do with it.

“We can’t compete against the bigger clubs money wise,” he said.

Rosewood had no success trying to entice a number of new players to the club.

“They just didn’t want to come out this way,” Bassett said.

“They say it’s too far to travel.”

Bassett has been involved with the club through the juniors for 12 years and the seniors since they entered the IRL and he admitted it was a hard decision to make to drop out of A-grade.

“It was very hard,” he said.

“I spoke to the players last Thursday night. A lot said they came here to play A-grade, not Reserves.

“But a lot said they will stay to help us build next season.”

Bassett has between now and then to work out how to get new players to the club.

“It is achievable,” he said.

“There are players out there. Our biggest thing is getting sponsorship.

“In a small town like Rosewood, we get small sponsors but not really big ones.”

In response to Rosewood’s withdrawal, the IRL has gone from an 18 round competition to 21 rounds.

That will make the season one week longer than previously.

The other rounds will be made up on the two weekends that had been IRL free.

But with a bye every week now, the clubs agreed to play on those weekends, IRL operations manager Brendan Rose said.

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