Roosters run foul

KIAMA Rugby Union Club President Mark Burns has hit out at the Sydney Roosters NRL team for showing what he says is a total lack of respect for the community after the players spent two days in Kiama last week on a training camp.

Mr Burns was angered when the Roosters chose to hold two training sessions last Thursday and Friday on the rain soaked Chittick Oval, despite Kiama Council closing all sporting grounds in the municipality last Tuesday due to flooding.

Coaching staff went ahead with the sessions despite the muddy ground.? A? Grounds Closed sign was left discarded on the ground.

As a result, Kiama Rugby Union Club was forced to travel over an hour to play a home game against Avondale at Wollondilly on the Saturday due to the condition of the grounds.

Club President Mark Burns expressed his anger at the Roosters said he? expected better from such a well-known club.

It is very unfortunate that a professional sporting team would have such a blatant disregard for our facilities, he said.

It belies belief that you could walk into another town and not care less about their facilities. It is absolutely staggering. I am very disappointed.

The Roosters have also been criticised in local sporting circles for not putting something back into the community during their stay in Kiama, a stance Mr Burns agreed with.

Local officials claim the Roosters did not notify? them of their visit and no coaching clinics with the games juniors or autograph signing opportunities were arranged.

They had no positive interaction with the municipality at all, he said.

It is unfortunate but they left our town worse, not better for their visit.

You simply do not expect to see a professional sporting team act with such a disregard for the community.

I cannot imagine someone like the Waratahs acting with such reckless abandonment and nor should the Roosters.?

A Kiama council spokeswoman said council only became aware the Roosters were planning to train on the ground after receiving a complaint from a member of the public.

The Manager of Works was informed and he immediately went to the oval to investigate. He found the team were just leaving.

When contacted by the Kiama Independent the Sydney Roosters media manager Kim Reynolds seemed surprised by the phone call going so far as to ask if it was a big deal.

She maintained that despite signage on the ground, the Roosters were unaware they could not use the grounds.

The coaching staff assumed they had permission to train on the ground, she said, she said.