community rugby - Australian Sports Commission

MEMBER & AFFILIATED UNIONS
PERTH GOLD
Back Row: Damian Wilson, Dan Bailey, Tyler Edwards, Trefor Thomas, John Menehra, James Weir, Peter Adams, Dwayne Grace.
Middle Row: Justin Barich (Physiotherapist), Wayne McCulloch (Manager), Ross Trend, Ashley Murphy, Bryce Mowll, Chris Rovira, Kyle Edwards, Sean Ashton,
Greig McKenzie, Andy Cole (Assistant Coach), Stuart Dart (Community Rugby Manager).
Front Row: Steve McFarland (Assistant Coach), Justin Webster, Tim Newton, Matt Shaw, Nathan McCort, Tim Davies, Scott Batters (Captain),
Mike Rowe (Vice Captain), Leon Felton, Brendan Thomson, Ryan Tyrell, Ross James, Des Thornton (Head Coach).
Rugby WA
It should come as no surprise that 2005 was a landmark year for RugbyWA.
Winning in December 2004 the right to host Australia’s newest Tooheys
New Super 14 team was the trigger for massive change in the way Rugby is
administered and developed here in the West.
What was an organisation of seven employees now boasts approximately 50
staff, not including the professional player roster. Pre-2005, annual revenue
was around $800,000 and is now moving rapidly towards $20 million. Rugby
is quickly becoming more mainstream in local newspapers and sponsors have
been keen to get on board.
However, perhaps the most telling statistic is the membership base of the
Emirates Western Force. We budgeted for 4,400 members and now have in
excess of 20,000 members and more than 270 corporate supporters – the
biggest membership base of any Australian Super 14 team.
The response by the West Australian public has been fantastic and vindicates
the ARU’s decision to locate the fourth Australian team in Perth. It has also
forced us to review our stadium needs.
This rapid change in the face of Western Australian Rugby has meant an
enormous amount of work from staff and volunteers in a relatively short space
of time. For that, we are grateful.
The coaches, led by John Mitchell, have done a great job adding to that
foundation, recruiting an impressive list of professional players and launching
an academy aimed at developing home grown Wallabies in the West.
Community Rugby, under the guidance and direction of former Wallaby
Mitch Hardy has also taken big steps forward, with the development of a new
competition structure for 2006, which will see members of the professional
team playing for local clubs.
The 2005 club season saw Wests-Subiaco pick up their third consecutive
Premier Grade title, a third consecutive victory for coach Tom Fearn, who is
now a member of John Mitchell’s coaching staff.
With Rugby poised for further significant change in WA, we would like to thank
the ARU for its support. If the game is to truly become national and grow its
supporter and player base, the ARU must remain committed to acting in the
game’s wider interest, through dialogue and investment, which it has proven
it will do.
Now, get ready for a new force in world Rugby!
Office Bearers:
Chairman: Geoff Stooke OAM
President: Tony Harvey
Chief Executive Officer: Peter O’Meara
There is arguably none more worthy of praise than RugbyWA Chairman, Geoff
Stooke, who was not only instrumental in formulating Western Australia’s
Super 14 bid, but, once successful, immediately began putting together the
right building blocks of change.
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