By Kerry Larsen

• Lack of commitment puts club in jeopardy
• League to contact Sharks' players

The governing body of the Mossman-Port Douglas Sharks has placed the future of the rugby league club in the hands of its own players, as the annual lack of player support throws the future of the club in jeopardy once again.

The Cairns and District Rugby League has also threatened the Sharks may lose home and away fixtures against southern clubs Tully and Innisfail to neutral venues in Cairns, if it means getting players to attend scheduled games.

On Saturday night, the Sharks’ A-grade side not only had to field three under-18s players in order to fulfil its fixture, but 44-year-old coach Trevor Cobb was forced to don the boots to scrape together a 15-man side, which was eventually demolished by the ninth-placed Tully 74-12.

The Sharks reserves also forfeited due to lack of numbers and the under 18s had notified the CDRL earlier in the week they would not be travelling to the Tully Showground for the clash.

CDRL administrator, Pat Bailey, told The Newsport on Monday that home and away games between Mossman, Tully and Innisfail may have to be played at a neutral venue in Cairns in the future to prevent loss of vital income for the home side.

“Tully would have lost a lot of revenue on Saturday night, and that’s not good for the competition,” she said.

“We may have to look at staging Tully-Mossman or Innisfail-Mossman games at Cairns venues such as Vico Oval, Manns Street or West Barlow, to ensure the players turn up and the home club doesn’t lose revenue.”

The lack of player support is not new for the embattled Sharks, who have struggled to hold onto players, coaches and committee members for a number of years.

Late last year, an emergency meeting was held between the CRDL and the Sharks with the hope of retaining contracted Northern Pride players at Mossman, and to address lack of employment opportunities for interstate players lured to the Far North Queensland club.

However, with contracted Pride player and centre Davin Crampton’s good form keeping him in the reigning QRL premiers line-up this season, and ex-NRL player Brenton Bowen in and out of the side with injury, the load has been placed on local players.

The Sharks A-grade side currently sits at the bottom of the CDRL table with one win from 14 games and an average weekly losing margin of around 50 points.

Bailey says the league will be personally contacting each registered Sharks player by letter this week to urge them to support their club and save it from folding.
 
“This happens each year – Mossman always has problems in the second round where they have to travel, players just don’t turn up,” she said.

“We will be writing letters to each registered player this week, asking them if they are really interested in saving this club then every player needs to show their commitment and turn up to training and games.
 
“The Sharks actually had four sides nominated to play in the competition at the beginning of the season,” Bailey said. “But we need a commitment from the Sharks local players for the whole season.

“Even if it takes someone driving a bus to pick up each player before games – that’s something other clubs do. It’s a club worth saving.”

The Mossman-Port Douglas Sharks joined the Cairns and District League Competition in 1955. Their home games are played at Mossman Showground.

Homepage photo by www.sportingpulse.com.au