Geraldton-based football club Rovers pleads to council to write off $50,000 debt for cancelled project

A Geraldton-based football club is urging the local council to write off nearly $50,000 worth of outstanding debt for a project to update their changerooms that never got off the ground.

Rovers Football Club told the City of Greater Geraldton agenda forum on Tuesday that they were not in a position to pay off the debt immediately.

Back in 2022, Rovers was approved for a grant application and self-supporting loan to upgrade the changerooms and canteen at its home ground of Greenough Oval.

According to the city, Rovers received its first payment of $48,717 in December 2023, but due to the project changing from the original approved design, delays occurred.

The agenda forum document for May stated the Department of Local Government, Sport, and Cultural Industries in November informed the club their funding had been withdrawn, and no other money was paid.

Two months later, Rovers wrote to the city advising they were unable to complete the project, and was unable to repay the first payment having already spent the funds on design and engineering.

The club requested the amount be waived, and to negotiate a “reasonable settlement”.

However, the council’s executive recommendation was to not approve the debt write off, and to negotiate a repayment schedule of the full amount plus four per cent interest over seven years.

Speaking at the agenda forum, Rovers vice president Clive Edwards said the club was hoping to defer the payment until next year when they would be in a better financial position.

He said there were members of the committee who changed the plans without the approval of the rest of the board, causing the costs to increase.

Mr Edwards said those responsible were no longer on the board, with the club on an upward trajectory financially, having acquired new sponsors.

He said the club had managed to pay back the majority owed to creditors, but was mindful there were only four home games left for Rovers in 2025, saying the club would struggle to pay back the finances immediately.

According to Mr Edwards, his partner was a “book keeper by trade” and had taken on the treasurer role to help stabilise the club going forward.

Cr Kim Parker asked if the decision to waive the debt would open other groups to do the same.

Chief executive Ross McKim said setting precedence was something councils needed to consider, adding it was tricky.

Rovers has been a club for more than a century, producing a number of AFL talents including Liam Ryan and Judd McVee.

The club has had recent on-field success, winning three league premierships in four years between 2019 and 2022.

Council will debate and vote on the matter at the council meeting on Tuesday, May 27.