Ryan to depart Reds amid coronavirus cost-cutting

Thu, Apr 2, 2020, 10:25 PM
Beth Newman
by Beth Newman
Reds defence coach Peter Ryan will not be working with Queensland during the coronavirus shutdown. Photo: RUGBY.com.au/Stuart Walmsley
Reds defence coach Peter Ryan will not be working with Queensland during the coronavirus shutdown. Photo: RUGBY.com.au/Stuart Walmsley

Reds defence coach Peter Ryan has revealed he is one of a number of contractors who will no longer be employed by the QRU amid the coronavirus shutdown.

The QRU opted against standing down any of its employees who were eligible for the Federal Government's JobKeeper payment, instead keeping them on with reduced hours and pay.

However, contractors are not eligible for the JobKeeper payment and as such a small number of staff were told they would no longer be able to be employed as the QRU works to weather the  storm.

In a statement and a press conference on Tuesday, the club did not specify the impact on the high performance team but did say that Brad Thorn and general manager of professional rugby Sam Cordingley would be overseeing the Reds' players wellbeing and their remote training programs..

In the comments section of a RUGBY.com.au story on the Queensland Rugby situation, Ryan responded to a query about his future, saying he was told he was no longer able to be employed by the Reds.

Ryan said he was understanding of the decision. 

"I have no ill feeling towards the Reds," he wrote in a public Facebook comment.

"David the CEO is making decisions in the best interests of the business to be sustainable.

"I am a contractor to the Reds, working for my own company Ryno TT (Tackle Tech).

"I completely understand the actions that need to be taken in these challenging times. I have a wide ranging support base that I am tapping into. Thanks I appreciate your support."

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