General manager’s update 13th June 2020.

Dear West Harbour Family,

Today, Saturday 13th June, would have seen the West Harbour Pirates take on the Students, at Sydney University. With the 2020 season yet to commence we are screening our 2019 match against the Students for your viewing pleasure. The game was not the result that the Pirates expected but in a rebuilding year that can often happen.

Tune in to West Harbour TV this afternoon at 3pm for a full replay of last year’s match brought to you by our valued partner, Club Burwood!

With the success of New South Wales Covid-19 strategy having resulted in no new domestically transmitted cases of Covid-19 being recorded in New South Wales in the last two weeks, pressure has been building on NSW Government authorities to relax Covid restrictions and allow life to return to a sense of normality.

One of the biggest challenges for the NSW Government has been to allow community sports to return to play, given the uncertainty surrounding the transmission of Covid-19 through close contact. Despite the NRL being able to recommence their season, there was a reluctance to allow community sports to return to play.

Yet, with financial and community stresses beginning to bite the various community sporting Federations, Associations and Clubs, a significant amount of lobbying was undertaken by the various community sporting groups including, Paul Doorn, CEO of NSW Rugby and Phil Parsons, President of the Sydney Rugby Union, directly with the relevant Government Ministers and through the media, ultimately leading to Dr Geoff Lee’s announcement this week of a return to all community sports on July 1st.

As a result of the Minister’s announcement, the Sydney Rugby Union Board is working hard to prepare a viable season draw and a competition commencement date, which previously had been set at Saturday July 18th but which may have to be moved back a week due to the need to allow for a minimum of three weeks of contact training prior, placing a potential start date of the 2020 Shute Shield Competition on July 25th.

Furthermore, the Prime Minister’s exciting announcement yesterday that with Stage 3 relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions, crowds of up to 10,000 people may be able to soon attend outdoor events and could see the Shute Shield played in front of spectators. This will mean that West Harbour supporters may be able to attend Drummoyne Oval, partake in a Young Henry’s and a tasty treat while watching Pirates dominate their opposition sooner than expected!

In the meantime the Club, through Head Coach, Mark Gudmunson, his coaching team and the Club’s support staff have been working extremely hard to prepare the playing squad for this year’s upcoming competition even though training to this point has been restricted to groups of ten.

Covid restrictions have meant that all players have to be temperature tested upon arrival at training, attendance marked, they then move directly into their allotted groups and circulate through skills and fitness drills ensuring that 1.5m social distancing is adhered to. Upon completion of all training players are required to move off the field and directly home.

Mark has been doing a fantastic job of keeping the players engaged and motivated during this difficult time, and a special culture of accountability and comradery has been developing among the senior playing group.

Another exciting Club success is the number of Colts players that have been attending each session with new players arriving each session. This is a credit to Colts Head Coach, Simon Kacimaiwai and his assistant coaches.

In the last few days, Rugby Australia has made some significant announcements under new CEO, Rob Clarke. After presenting the Federation’s audited accounts, almost thirty percent of Rugby Australia’s staff were made redundant in cost cutting measures.

Following this announcement, a new broadcast deal has been finalised with Foxtel for the 2020 season and the draw for the revamped Super Rugby Australia competition has been released, which includes the Western Force for the first time since 2017 and will commence on July 3rd. Click here to see the new draw!

Games will be televised on Kayo and other Foxtel outlets with the broadcaster also showing the new Super Rugby Aotearoa from New Zealand.

Having completed the majority of our move out of Concord Oval, the Club is still awaiting Canada Bay Council’s approval for the re-establishment of the Club’s High Performance Centre at the St Luke’s venue as well as other facilities within the new precinct. We are working with Council to make sure that these projects are completed

Following our move out of Concord Oval, demolition has begun in earnest, with all of the Stadium’s iconic seats having already been removed as well as the internal fittings and external amenities buildings. The two existing eastern and western stands will soon be completely demolished, giving way for the construction of the new facility to begin.

The Club’s Concord Oval Development Subcommittee consisting of Bob Ellis, Ben Hall and Steve Jurd are in constant contact with Council representatives regarding the design needs of the Club in the new stadium. The Club is also working on an exciting new proposal, which will endeavour to ensure that the new Concord Oval development commemorates its rich World Cup history. More news to follow soon!

In on field news, Rugby News recently interviewed Club Head Coach, Mark Gudmunson regarding West Harbour having retained 75% of last year’s top squad as well as this year’s new signings for the upcoming 2020 season. In the article Mark outlines some of the new signings that have joined the Club in 2020 including;

• Former Australian Wallaby and Australian 7s player, Rod Davies.
• Current Waratah and Australian Under 20s player, Carlo Tizzano
• Cam Betham and Sonny Satuala having both relocated to the Club from Randwick
• Nigel Vaifele who was at the Pirates in 2018
• Sam Wykes has also returned to the Club after stints with the Western Force and Japan
• Etienne Oosthuizen, a 199cm South African lock.

And many more signings, too many to name! Click here to read the article.

The Club is also on the lookout for a passionate and committed Women’s Rugby Coach to join the Pirate Ship. If you know of anyone who may be suitable to fill the position and is interested in joining a Club on the rise please pass on the link to the job description linked here!

Off the field, a number of the Board members have taken on active operational roles in order to steer the Club through this difficult financial situation caused by inherited debt and a loss of revenue related to social distancing restrictions as a result of Covid-19.

Tom Games has occupied the Club’s DIrector of Rugby role for a few months now. Tom’s role is to act as a conduit of communication and oversight between the Club’s rugby operations and the Board. Tom has developed an excellent working relationship with Mark, the other coaching staff and the players. He has actively been involved in working with the coaches and the leadership group of the players in developing a Club wide playing ethos, values and standards, which will be released shortly.

Club Treasurer, John Meagher has been actively involved in stabilising the Club’s financial position by initially significantly cutting costs and Club expenses and subsequently, working with our valued partner, Findex’s financial advisors to undertake a number of financial projections to assist the Club to pay down debt and establish a West Harbour specific rugby foundation. More news to follow soon!

Club Secretary, Vince Gee has been undertaking the important role of engaging with members, new and old and assisting with player registration and player points calculation. Vince has also been holding the playing group accountable ensuring that players pay their registration fees. The Board of Directors implemented a ‘no pay, no play’ policy in relation to player registration fees, and effectively communicated the policy to the playing group who have embraced it Club wide.

Club President, Tom Andrews has been actively engaged with Canada Bay Council in ensuring the best outcome for the Club in the move to St Luke’s. Furthermore, Tom has been actively engaged with developments at the Sydney Rugby Union.

Dan Paton, the CFO of Wests Leagues, and Club Director has, through his extensive network, engaged a number of contra sponsors including the Daily Press, who are currently in the final stages of developing the Club’s new website, which will be launched prior to the commencement of the 2020 season. Stay tuned for the launch!

The Club’s other Board members including, former Club President, Geoff Harper, Steve Jurd and Simon Greally have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to assist with the executive and administrative needs of the Club. The Club is hard at work preparing for a number of events for the 2020 season and with the expected return of spectators and supporters coming with Stage 3 relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions, we look forward to sharing with you all.

The Club is also implementing many of recommendations of a Organisational Structure Review that was undertaken in 2016 by Paul Lidbury at the request of the then Board, including the development and implementation of a new organisational structure, development and implementation of Club wide policies and procedures, roles and responsibilities and lines of accountability.

While many of the recommendations have already begun to be implemented, the complete roll out of the recommendations of the Organisational Structure Review will take time and will require the engagement of new volunteers and paid personnel in the long term in order to effectively complete the process.

Last but not least, I would like to take this opportunity to once again thank our valuable partners who continue to support the Club as it ramps up towards the start of the modified 2020 season. Club Burwood has been the Club’s major partner for the past 18 years and continues to support the Club during these difficult times.

Club Burwood recently reopened the doors of their three venues to their members and the general public. If you are looking for a great night out or an enjoyable meal, head to our valued partners, Club Burwood and partake in their generous hospitality.

We thank Club Burwood again sincerely, for sticking with us in these unparalleled times.

Take care, stay safe and look after each other and of course…Up the Pirates, Argggh!

John Abi-Saab

General Manager

West Harbour RUFC