General manager’s update

This time last year heading into Round Three, West Harbour were coming off two consecutive victories against Randwick and Western Sydney respectively, and I am certain that this year would have been the same.

Today, our pre-Covid-19 scheduled Round Three match of the 2020 Shute Shield Competition, would have seen the Pirates take on the Highlanders at Chatswood Oval. Our 2019 Round Six match against Gordon, which also coincided with ‘Back to Wests’ Day was a thrilling match, which ultimately saw the Pirates draw with the Highlanders.

Check out the full match on West Harbour TV!

Yet instead we find ourselves passing through mid April and still no rugby but that doesn’t mean we are resting on our laurels. The Club is swinging back into action operationally in preparation for any prospective future 2020 competition and beyond.

The Rugby Operations Committee has met and begun the process of clearly quantifying the Club’s shared rugby values, ethos and standards. Club Head Coach, Mark Gudmunson, and Director of Rugby, Tom Games have been in constant discussion with the Club’s coaches and players in order to ensure their health and safety, and to keep Club engagement moving forward.

Most recently, Mark led a Zoom call with the Club’s top squad and coaches, enthusiasm is very high and all West Harbour players and coaches are chomping at the bit and can’t wait to get back out onto the field and show the Shute Shield competition the power of the Pirates in 2020. We know that all of our players, while in isolation, are continuing to train hard on their own in preparation for rugby’s eventual resumption.

It seems that not even the Covid-19 could stop the redevelopment of Concord Oval, and with that in mind, various members of the Club have been tirelessly working with our partners at Canada Bay Council, to relocate all of the Club’s belongings and equipment out of our spiritual and physical home, Concord Oval, and into our new temporary facilities at St Luke’s and Drummoyne Oval.

This has been somewhat of an arduous process considering our longstanding occupation of Concord Oval but we are grateful for Council’s assistance.

Furthermore, the Club would like to acknowledge the remedial works carried out by our valued Partner, Micam, led by Mick and Peter Johnston, in transforming the former Wests Junior’s storage area into our future gym and operational area.

Most importantly, the Club is eternally grateful for the assistance of our invaluable volunteers including all the pre-move preparations that were undertaken by Ben Hall and Amanda Babet, a particularly the Club would like to sincerely thank the tireless work undertaken, through the countless hours of assistance, by a number of dedicated volunteers including;

• Mick and Dianne Debreczeni,
• Mark Docking,
• Jonathan Derwin,
• Tom and Pat Andrews
• Tom Williams
• Etienne Oosthuizen
• Peter Johnston
• Ben Huckstepp

Without their dedication and support the move would not have been possible.

For many, the thought of leaving Concord Oval, a place that has become the spiritual and physical home for many generations of Western Suburbs and West Harbour players and coaches, old boys and supporters, is a difficult pill to swallow. For generations, hundreds of men and women have at one time or another, called Concord home.

Once known as Waratah Park, Concord Oval in its present form, was constructed between 1984 and 1987 to become the home of Rugby union in Sydney, and subsequently the redeveloped venue hosted games in the 1987 Rugby World Cup.

In total the Oval hosted eight matches during the 1987 World Cup, most famously Australia’s Semi Final loss to France. The NSW Waratahs were headquartered out of Concord Oval until the early 2000s when the NSW Rugby Union moved their base of operations to Moore Park.

Canada Bay Council is in the process of demolishing the existing stadium to make way for a $51 million, state of the art facility that will take approximately two years to build and will become a center of excellence for both West Harbour and the West Tigers.

Check out the proposed development plans here.

Throughout our move out of Concord Oval over the last week, the Club has uncovered a great deal of stored memorabilia and photography, which is allowing the current custodians to reconnect with its rich past. Much of this photography will be incorporated into the club’s new facilities, and will act as a reminder of the Club’s long standing history for the Club’s current crop of players.

Yet while the move has not been easy for many, it represents an opportunity for a purge of many of the lingering complications of the recent past, and allows for the development of a rejuvenated vision, revised business model, and a transformation of the Club’s operations, leading into the eventual return to a new state of the art facility, that will be West Harbour’s new home.

There are some players who are struggling financially during this current crisis, if anyone within the West Harbour family has any work available, please email me the details at generalmanager@westharbourrugby.com.au or call me on 0420 736 171 and I will be sure to pass on the information to our needy players.

Whilst at the moment, we have nothing for our fans to support in a rugby sense, we would ask you if you have the means to do so, to support our sponsors businesses.

For instance if in these financially uncertain times and are looking for integrative financial advice and accounting services, contact our amazing partner, Findex.

Check Out Findex’s latest advice in dealing with the Covid-19 crisis here.

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

Regards

John Abi-Saab

General Manager

West Harbour RUFC