CANTERBURY Bankstown Rugby League Club chief executive Andrew Hill and NRL star Aiden Tolman will be in Port Macquarie and South West Rocks this Wednesday to formalise an agreement between the Bulldogs and the North Coast Region.
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A first grade front rower with the Bulldogs, Tolman, who hails from Hat Head, started playing rugby league in the region. He represented North Coast as an under 18 before heading to Canterbury. Group Three Rugby League chairman Wayne Bridge will be at the signing along with the presidents of the Group Three and Group Two junior leagues. East Coast Region community engagement sports officer Dave Hamilton is also expected to attend as is Country Rugby League chief executive Terry Quinn.
This will be the culmination of negotiations that started earlier this year.
Andrew Hill, Canterbury recruitment manager Mark Hughes, board member and former coach Chris Anderson and pathways performance manager Andy Patmore along with Country Rugby League operations manager Bert Lowry met with Group Three senior and junior officials to discuss the plan. They later met with Group Two officials.
Mr Hill told Fairfax Media the meeting in Taree was ‘very positive.’
Group Three chairman Wayne Bridge said all the details have been finalised.
While the partnership will have an emphasis on the region’s junior leagues, Mr Bridge said there will be benefits for senior clubs in terms of coaching and training courses, while under the plan promising juniors would stay in this area instead of relocating to Sydney while still at school.
Mr Hill said the long term strategy is to get more boys and girls playing rugby league.
"And keep them at home longer, they’ll complete their schooling and stay at home with their parents,’’ he said.
“This isn’t about solely looking at the best kids and getting them ready for Sydney. This is an NRL club understanding that we have a broader responsibility for the game. It’s a long term strategy and a responsibility shared between the Bulldogs, local rugby league and the Country Rugby League.’’
Mr Hill added that the Bulldogs could use to area for pre-season camps or to play trial games.
“It’s not goo saying ‘yeah, we’ve got that area’, the club needs to be seen,’’ he explained.
Mr Bridge understands the agreement will initially be for five years, but added the Bulldogs are looking long term.
“In five or 10 years when the region is ‘Bulldogified’ it will be something that people will hopefully look back and say it was a really important time for the game, where we were able to bring in some extra resources,’’ Mr Hill said.
“The more engagement we get with local councils, schools and other community stake holders, the better.’’
