Maitland City Council has banned The Pickers from training on their home ground this week ahead of their make or break clash against arch rivals Kurri, so No. 1 Sportsground can be prepared for this weekend’s A-League trail between Newcastle Jets and Central Coast Mariners.
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Frustrated Pickers President Frank Lawler said the team feels like second-class citizens, punted off their home turf before one of the most important weeks for the Rugby League side which could potentially put them through as minor premiers.
It has been a terrific comeback for Maitland under new captain-coach Luke Dorn after three consecutive wooden spoons, and understandably the team is feeling deflated by council’s decision.
“I just think they (council) are out of touch with their local sporting community and not just rugby league, but a lot of sports in Maitland,” Mr Lawler said.
“At the moment they just treat us like second class citizens. Here we are playing in Maitland, playing for Maitland, on sports fields that are paid for by the ratepayers and we’re not allowed to use it.
“I’d like to say what I really think, but we’ll end up with council hitting us from here on. Aren’t they supposed to be representing us, the people of Maitland?
“I’d like to think they are, but when you are dealing with them it is very difficult to think they’ve got the interest of Maitland at heart. I’m all for the soccer game, it’s great, but there’s no reason why we can’t train on the ground this week,” Lawler said.
Council’s Manager Community and Recreation Laurie D’Angelo said council is excited to host the A League trial match between the Jets and Mariners. “It’s wonderful for the city and another opportunity to showcase the redeveloped sportsground,” he said.
“There are a range of works that need to take place to prepare the ground for the match including removal of goal posts and line marking, mowing and maintenance, and installation of football goal posts. These works are similar to the NRL trial match held in February and will ensure the ground is at a suitable standard for elite level sports,” Mr D’Angelo said.
But Lawler pointed out it’s an important week for The Pickers too.
“We don’t need the upheaval of being thrown off our home ground just because of a trial game coming up,” he said. “It’s a sporting field, it is meant to be used. We’re certainly not going to be impacting anything by training on Tuesday and Thursday night. The council don’t work between six and eight at night.
“I’m frustrated for the players, everyone involved at the club. We have to pick up all our gear, strapping tables and treatment tables to go down to Thornton for a week and the ground is going to be sitting there unused and untouched. They did the same thing back to us with the Knights,” Lawler said.
“We are a Maitland team, we live in this community, we pay our rates and taxes and we’re told we can’t train on there.”
Lawler said the club appreciated calling the Maitland Sportsground home and had tried to work with the council but it was difficult.
“How long do you keep quiet about it, I’ve probably protected them (council) as much as I can this year as far as not really saying what I think about the way they have been treating us. We’ve tried to get along with them.
“We protect that ground like it is ours. The boys do all their warming up on the far side of the field. They virtually do just straight running on the field. They look after it.”
Lawler said it was fast approaching the point when all sporting organisations in Maitland joined together in their dealings with council to get a better deal.
“We need to get together with different sports and we might have more of a voice if we do that. They may start to listen and understand how important local clubs are to this community,” he said.