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Aspley Rugby League Football Club Inc.  Est. 1968

29 Kirby Road Aspley Brisbane Qld

The Aspley Leagues Club

From 1979 on, the history of the Norths Aspley Rugby League Football Club became inextricably entwined with that of the Aspley Leagues Club a body set up to complement the functioning of the Football Club. Initially, the Leagues Club was to take responsibility for the running of issues within the Clubhouse. These included, the operation of the bar, functions and entertainment and attending to the breaches of discipline within the building and its immediate surrounds. The Board of Directors was structured in such a way that the Football Management Committee would have a controlling influence through its recommendation of 6 of the 8 directors and it was assumed from the early years that the main function of the Leagues Club would be to facilitate the operation of the Football Club. Nobody in 1979 could have foreseen the spectacular growth in numbers that would characterize the Leagues Club over the past 15 or so years nor the accompanying tugs of loyalty that this growth has created. While the Football Club remains the major destination of Leagues Club profits, the Board has had to recognize its obligation to 17,000 plus members at three locations, the majority of whom do not identify with the Football Club nor even in many cases with Rugby League.

By 1979 it was obvious to many Football Club members that administrative changes had to be made if the Club were to be able to concentrate on its core business of football for youngsters. Anthony Lalor who was to be the first Chairman of Directors of the Aspley Leagues Club estimated that “in 1979 the Management Committee of the Norths Aspley RLFC spent 90% of its meetings running a Clubhouse and only 10% of its time was donated towards football.” Throughout 1979 a sub-committee had operated, planning and drawing up a proposed constitution for a Leagues Club to complement the Football Club. At a special meeting of the Management Committee on August 8 1979 a provisional Board of Directors was elected to set up and commence operations of the Aspley Leagues Club Limited.  The Provisional Board was to operate until the election of Board members in March 1980. The Provisional Board was made up of the following Football Club members: Mr. A.J. Lalor (Chairman), Mr. R.G. Smith (Secretary), Mr. R.D. Kelso, Mr. K.L. Rolls, Mr. A.G. Scamp, Mr. W.J. Langley, Mr. O.P. Buckley and Mr. B.G. Osbourne.

The case for a Leagues Club was presented by Anthony Lalor towards the end of 1979 and consisted of four main arguments. First he argued that to apply for a liquor licence under the Liquor Act the Club either had to drastically alter its constitution or form a separate body, namely a Leagues Club, in the form of a limited liability company. A senior barrister contacted by the sub-committee believed that it was more favourable to proceed by way of a company. In Section 6 of the Memorandum of Association of the Leagues Club the liability of each member was limited to four dollars. Under a club constitution should a club have to be wound up each member was liable to his or her share of the indebtedness. The third argument related to the ability to sue and be sued. For the Football Club to sue over a dishonoured cheque, for example, the Club would have to involve each Club member as a plaintiff in a legal action. The Leagues Club, however, being a company could sue in its own name. Finally Mr. Lalor pointed out that because the Club was an affiliate of Norths, though the likelihood was remote, Norths could commandeer funds from the Football Club at any time. This would not be possible in the case of a Leagues Club since the Leagues Club was divorced from Norths in every way.

Given that the Norths Aspley RLFC held the lease over all of the property at Kirby Road a sub-lease of the clubhouse premises to the Leagues Club was necessary subject to approval by the Brisbane City Council. The motion to approve the sub-lease was passed unanimously at a Special General Meeting of the Norths Aspley RLFC on October 10 1979. Under the terms of the agreement, in simple language the Leagues Club became responsible for the management of any activity carried on inside the Clubhouse.

To ensure that the control of the Leagues Club remained in the hands of the Football Club the original constitution stipulated that not less than six of the eight Directors should come from representatives of the Management Committee of the Football Club with the other two being elected by members. In 1982 this requirement was amended to read that “not less than six members of the Management Committee of the Football Club or members of the Aspley Leagues Club approved by a meeting of the Norths Aspley RLFC Management Committee at the time of their election.” These qualifications were to be known as special qualifications and were to be a powerful weapon in maintaining Football Club control of the Leagues Club. Under the current constitution “The majority of the Board of Directors shall be approved by the Football Club and may be removed by the Football Club.”

The newly formed Leagues Club saw the gaining of a liquor licence as its most urgent priority. Its first request in 1980 was denied but learning from the experience the Leagues Club submitted a much better case in its following submission and a licence was granted in 1981. Throughout out the 80’s the Leagues Club made every effort to make meals available and to provide regular entertainment but met with little success and lost many thousands of dollars in these areas. The kitchen had been operated through leases and through a Club-employed chef but to no avail. In the area of entertainment it was agreed that the quality was tops but support was just not forthcoming.

The most significant action of the Leagues Club in conjunction with the Football Club was the purchase of 19 acres of freehold land at Lacey Road Carseldine. The purchase price of $105,000 was financed jointly by an advance from the Football Club and partly by a bank loan. It was recognized that it would be many years before the land would be able to be developed as a sporting complex but the prospect of re-establishing at Lacey Road remained a goal over the years to come. Various suggestions as to what to do with the land in the interim were put forward and these ranged from cutting down the timber and selling it, to developing a golf driving-range, to establishing a caravan park and truck-stop. For a period the land was leased for the agistment of horses. In 1984 a Queensland Institute of Technology design student drew up plans for the future development of the property as an assignment. Debate continued about what best to do with the land and while this was happening its value continued to increase.

In the 1990’s several offers were made for the property but invariably they were rejected or failed to materialize. In 1999 however a serious offer was made to purchase 13 hectares at a price of $3.6m. After expenses of rezoning the land to residential and sport and recreation, and a repayment to the bank of $900,000 on loans already secured the Leagues Club looked forward to being left with approximately $2 million and 6 hectares of rezoned land ready for development. No money was to be seen, however, for 3 ½ years with that period being taken up by meetings, studies, court cases and appeals. In 2000 an appeal against the sale of the land was made on environmental grounds. It was argued that it was a natural habitat for numerous squirrel gliders and that several trees were frequented by rare species of raptors. The matters were finally settled and the sale went through in 2002, with the proceeds being placed in term deposits having been stipulated as not for paying Kirby Road debts.

The supporters of resettlement at Lacey Road were hoping that a start could now be made on developing the residual land but in the same year a further offer of $3.7 million for the remaining 6 hectares was made and the sale was approved at the next AGM. With significant funds available for investment, the Leagues Club decided to increase its assets base and to develop a cash flow to ensure the futures of itself and the Football Club. Subsequently, three commercial properties were purchased at Toowong and Willawong. Returns from these commercial properties in 2007 approximated $479,237 allowing in the words of Leagues Club CEO Tim McNamara “the Club to guarantee the future funding of the Football Club whilst at the same time freeing up the Club’s operating proceeds to be used for continued growth and returns to members.”

In 1990 membership stood at only 295 and the Leagues Club desperately wanted to build on this as the allocation of poker machines was likely to be a function of club membership numbers. Extending social membership to prospective members at a reduced cost was a natural response to this problem. Problems with the Council lease also meant that the car park had to be surfaced and landscaping carried out. Major renovations to the Clubhouse had occurred in 1982 and further renovations were made in 1994. In 1992 the government allotted Aspley 10 poker machines subsequently adding to these with two further allocations of 10 in each.  In 1993 the Leagues Club purchased the neighbouring property for $140,000 and added to this the purchase of the general store in 2002 and the hairdressing property in 2003. The Leagues Club had long realized that the one-time plan to add a second storey to the Clubhouse would not get Council approval.

To a large degree the Leagues Club struggled in the 90’s despite the introduction of poker machines. Running costs were high and the kitchen continued to make significant losses. The problem was exacerbated in 1997 when the Queensland government decided that clubs would have to buy rather than lease their poker machines. At a cost of $12,000 to $14,500 each and a life expectancy of 4 years clubs were looking at a new scenario. The acceptance of reciprocal memberships had also made it difficult to attract members and in 1997 the Club had a membership of 1432. The period also saw some tension between the Football Club and the Leagues Club with some Directors feeling that the Football Club did not appreciate the tough times the Leagues Club was experiencing and members of the Football Club Committee feeling that some directors were not sufficiently attuned to the needs of the Football Club. Matters came to a head with the election of Directors in 1998 when the Football Club declined to give retiring Leagues Club Secretary and Football Club Life Member, Pat Buckley, special qualifications and successfully moved that the six Football Club nominees be appointed to the Board despite five of them having received fewer votes than the former secretary. This action caused two Directors not up for election, Graeme Browne and Brian Darben to resign in protest. In 1999 the Board formulated a strategic plan and approved renovations which were to cost over $2 million. A new constitution was adopted and specific targets included getting poker machine returns up to a desired level and improving the aesthetics of the entrance, function and dining areas. In 2001 the bill for the renovations came in at $2,034,000 in return for a new lounge, restaurant, TAB area, outdoor beer garden entrance and reception area and an extended car park. Included in the development were also the Bob Anderson Function Room and the Bert Meares bar named for past Presidents of the Leagues Club who had died in previous years. 2002 was one of the most successful in the Leagues Club’s history with a new catering system installed, bar prices kept low and membership approaching 5000. During the year Tim McNamara stood down as Chairman Of Directors and was appointed to the position of Chief Executive Officer. Over the next five years he was to drive an amazing period of prosperity and growth.

In 2003 membership climbed to 7,800 and the Board adopted the mantra of “increasing revenue, keeping costs down, collecting debts, and looking after valued customers and staff.” With profits increasing $220,000 was made available to the Football Club in that year, further renovations were undertaken and the restaurant was contracted out to Sunrise Restaurants with the Leagues Club subsidizing meals to club members. The year also saw the establishment of a community benefit fund, through which the Leagues Club could assist needy local charities and sporting organisations. In 2005 membership passed 10,000 and gaming revenue was up by 46% with the introduction of 22 new poker machines.

In 2005 membership passed 12,000 and the League’s Club investment assets totalled $8 million. A proposal from the Pine Rivers Shire Council for the Club to run Club Bunya was accepted and the club was opened for business after refurbishment in Sept 2006. Aspley members had automatic membership of the new club. Further renovations were carried out in 2006 but in his Chairman’s Report of that year, Doug Hale, referring to the no smoking laws acknowledged that “there has been a noticeable slowing of growth which indicates the volatile nature of the Club industry.” He spoke of the need to enter a period of debt reduction and pointed out “your Club’s major current expenditure is far and away Aspley Rugby League Football Club Inc, which currently utilizes 32% of our net profits, making it the best funded junior sporting club in Queensland. While the entire Board is supportive of the Football Club it is recognized that any further increase in funding must be carefully considered in light of current returns to all 14,000 members.”

In 2007 Aspley membership stood at 12574 and Bunya’s at 4537. The Club was planning to spent over $1 million refurbishing the main bar, sports bar and building a new restaurant bar in 2008. Further into the future the Club architect was preparing plans to relocate the Football Club office and dressing rooms to the western side of the oval (subject to Council approval). It was also reported that the Bunya Club no longer had to be subsidised and plans were under way to extend the kitchen facilities there. It had also been decided to increase the Football Club’s grant by $5,000 per month in 2008. The Sunrise Restaurant was catering for 5,500 members and non-members per month, with members’ meals being subsidized to the extent of $146,394 per year. The Community Benefit Fund had distributed $92,962 to charities and sporting organizations outside of the Football Club. Aspley High School alone benefitted from a grant of $5,000 to its Chaplaincy Program and of $24,700 towards the installing of a sound system at its assembly hall.

Football, and in particular the operation of the Aspley Rugby League Football Club inc, however, remained the Leagues Club’s major focus at this point. In 2007, the Leagues Club provided 52% of the Football Clubs costs, an amount of $417, 509, representing 33% of its net profits. History dictates that the Football Club can reasonably expect to share in the Leagues Clubs increasing wealth into the future especially that derived from the investments of money derived from the sale of Lacey Road. The Board has been at pains to stress however that it has other financial obligations to its members at Aspley and Bunya.

In September 2008 it was announced that Aspley Leagues Club had been the successful bidder for the ill-fated Shawsportz Club at Zillmere Road Zillmere, which had been placed in the hands of receivers. Aspley Leagues’ third licenced club presented it with new challenges and new opportunities to continue its amazing growth.

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