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By Liam Butterworth, Gladstone Observer - Wallabys and Valleys rugby league clubs are awaiting to hear the outcome from talks regarding their respective futures. Senior rugby league in Gladstone has received a jolt leading into the 2009 Central Queensland Challenge Cup season with two clubs unable to field teams in different divisions.

The sport is attempting to recover from an unfortunate year in 2008 when Marley Brown oval went into receivership and was closed to the city's proud rugby league community.

Co-operative efforts between government and business have seen the oval become available once more and it is hoped to be ready in time for a representative fixture in April.

The allowance of the Calliope Roosters to field just one team in the Reserve Grade of the CQ competition was also seen as a positive step in the future of the sport in the city.

Traditionally, Challenge Cup teams have been required to field teams in the A Grade, Reserves and U20 divisions of the Gladstone and Rockhampton competition.

But Valleys and Wallabys senior rugby league clubs inability to field teams in the A Grade and U20 Grades respectively due to lack of numbers could affect their involvement in the competition.

Rob Crow, division manager of the QRL Central Division, said a decision on the clubs was to be made between the Gladstone Rugby League and Rockhampton Rugby League associations this week.

“If we can get away with it we want to avoid situations where teams are forfeiting games due to lack of numbers,” Crow said.

“I think it's time the clubs had a long hard look at where they're at, and for the future.”

He said it was 'quite possible' that the clubs may be dropped from the competition all together.

Crow said the QRL Central Division was responsible for administering the league and would step in should the associations be unable to reach a decision.

“Hopefully they'll come to a resolution.”

Crow said an outcome was preferred by Monday March 2 “at the latest” given the competition is scheduled to start in little over three weeks.

Gladstone Rugby League president Glenn Butcher said they were in consultation with both clubs to try and reach a mutually acceptable proposal.

“We have a few proposals that we're looking at with the clubs,” Butcher said.

“These obviously take time and once we get a resolution we'll have to go to Rocky.”

When asked whether Gladstone had too many clubs for a city of this size, Butcher said he thought the economic climate was having an affect on numbers.

“At the moment we have a lot of players working shift work who are not wanting to risk their jobs. And that has shown in registration numbers.”

“Traditionally these clubs have been around for 70-80 years and are now going through a bit of a down time,” he said.

Butcher was adamant that the association did not want to drop clubs.

“We don't need to drop clubs, because once they're out, they won't be coming back.”

The GRL president felt negotiations with Rockhampton Rugby League would be difficult saying he thought the northern association was 'pretty dead set.'

“They've got a lot of money coming through their leagues club and have one less team than us even though they're a bigger city,” Butcher said.

“They're trying to use this as a bit of a power play which isn't in the best interests of the game.”

“We're trying to promote football and want as many teams as possible in the competition.”

He also raised the possibility of returning to just a local league.

“The extended league is not the be all and end all, but this is the competition the players wanted and a better competition is the goal we're going for.”

“In the end we're going to look after our own.”

Butcher said he thought it was possible that clubs may merge in the future but it was 'up to the clubs.'

“We're just trying to work together and achieve a good outcome for everyone involved,” he said.

President of the Rockhampton Rugby League Association president Mick Johns said no decision had been made to date and had 'no comment' regarding the matter.

Wallabys Senior Rugby League Club president Adam Hamilton said the club still hoped to be part of the CQ Challenge Cup, but were awaiting a decision.

“We have applied to enter without under 20s because of the lack of commitment from the guys we had signed to go to training...because of work or play station commitments,” Hamilton said.

“We decided to be open and honest and to let all the other clubs in the competition know that we couldn't guarantee that we would have an Under 20s for them to play against every week.”

“We believe that this will enable our club to be able to look after the two other sides better and help ensure the future of the club which was first established in 1923.”

“We are yet to be accepted in the comp and face an anxious wait over the next few days.”

Valleys senior vice-president Cameron Smith said he hoped a decision was made that would preserve the identity of the club.

“Our main focus is to preserve our identity,” Smith said.

“We're trying to move forward as a club.”

Smith said the club's junior base was another reason the club wanted to continue.

“We want to maintain something for the juniors to aspire to.”

“We want to make sure we'll still have a senior team for them to move into.”

Similar to Hamilton, Smith said lack of commitment was hurting the club. A decision on the matter is expected later this week.