Queensland Firebirds CEO Kate Davies has issued the following statement in relation to recent media reports.
As a club we have a duty of care to prioritise the health and wellbeing of our players and staff and to uphold Suncorp Super Netball competition rules.
With the approval of Romelda, the Club can now provide additional information around Romelda's pregnancy announcement and the process of contracting a replacement player.
The club can confirm that we will not be contracting Maria Folau.
When the club has officially signed its replacement for Romelda we will announce the decision accordingly.
Romelda's baby news is brilliant, and the club has been fully supportive of her playing right through until she's ready to step away.
Heading into the 2022 season, Romelda is sitting on 198 games and is intending to make it to her 200th milestone.
Unfortunately, she has been experiencing severe illness and disruptions to her ability to complete her training loads.
Romelda was fully intending to play at Team Girls Cup, but due to Covid affected complications, particularly around dehydration, it was deemed unsafe, seeing her ruled unavailable.
Romelda is still fully contracted as part of our 10, and hence the club has no ability or desire to name a replacement until she formally withdraws from the team.
The club has been completely transparent to the playing group about the recruitment discussions and will continue to do so right up until that replacement is required and signed.
