In a historic move for rugby league in the region, the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs officially announced their five-year partnership with the North Coast Country Rugby League today and declared additional intent to help increase rugby league participation rates at South West Rocks.
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The new partnership will see the creation of a representative development pathway for Group 2 and Group 3 rugby league participants, with a clear visual link to the club throughout the North Coast.
Bulldogs Chief Executive Andrew Hill claims the main benefit from the partnership is the ability for talented junior rugby league players to stay living on the North Coast, close to family and friends, and still be on the radar of an NRL club.
“This isn’t about grabbing the 15-year-old boy and bringing them to Belmore, far from it – it’s the exact opposite,” Hill said.
“It’s a long-term strategy that we are putting in place and through some great vision and leadership it has all come together.
“We will put programs in place which allows for young boys, primarily, to be able to stay at home and play.
“I think as a game we have all learned from the mistakes of trying to take young boys away from home too early and I think the game is maturing where we realise the best nurturing environment for players is to stay at home and receive the care from mum and dad and complete their education with their mates.”
In the past, talented players have slipped through the cracks as they haven’t been able to adjust to life in the city as teenagers and have returned to their hometown.
Hill has also been in discussions with South West Rocks Country Club CEO David Cunningham and the two plan to grow the sport in the region.
“We are attempting to increase junior rugby league participation levels in South West Rocks,” Cunningham said.
“We aim to get rugby league’s presence at the top of people’s minds.
“Andrew has graciously agreed to partner with the South West Rocks Country Club and do what he can from his end to help us do what we can, which is great to be a part of and I really appreciate Country Rugby League and the Bulldogs.”
While the partnership between the Bulldogs and North Coast CRL allows for aspiring NRL players to remain at home for as long as possible, Hill conceded there would be a point in a player’s development where they would have to leave the region to pursue a career in the National Rugby League.
“At some stage if they want to play in the NRL they will have to leave (the North Coast) until (the North Coast) has an NRL team,” he said.
“It’s inevitable they’ll have to leave, but we’ve learnt from the mistakes of previous years and it’s about staying and playing in the right environment (in the meantime).”
The club already had a link to the region through current first grader Aiden Tolman who became a vital ingredient in ticking off on the partnership.
Tolman grew up at Hat Head before he moved to Melbourne to pursue his career as an 18-year-old.
“When Aiden heard about the opportunity he walked in and said we had to do it,” Hill said.
“Aiden didn’t say it in these words but he very much understands the role he can play, as a senior player, to be a role model.
“For anyone who lives in this region, whether it is in their chosen sport or not, they have someone to look up to who made it from little old Hat Head to end up having a 10-year career in one of the most professional sporting environments in Australia and potentially the world.”
Penrith currently have a similar partnership with the Western Rams which is into its sixth year and the Bulldogs chief executive wants to develop something similar for the North Coast.
He said it would be a long-term plan, but overall it was important for all 16 NRL clubs to play a greater role in growing the sport in the bush.
“We need to continue to grow the game,” Hill said.
“The first thing is if we collectively invest in the areas and spend some time with the next generation, we’re all going to benefit.
“It’s a long-term strategy.”
Hill stressed there were no short term wins and they wanted participation rates to grow.
“We want pathways programs, we want coach education, we want to improve the resources in the region and we want to improve the profile of our clubs.”
It would be a collaborative effort and for it to work, Hill said the entire region needed to “buy in.”
“Today is day one,” Hill said.
“Where we are in five years time will come down to how involved and how invested everyone wants to be.”
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