Balmain positioning themselves for opportunity at proposed third tier of Australian rugby

BALMAIN rugby club is hoping to use a rapid climb through Sydney suburban footy as a springboard to join Australia's elite teams in coming years.

Drew Mitchell

AMBITIOUS and happy to show it, Balmain rugby club is hoping to use a rapid climb through Sydney suburban footy as a springboard to join Australia's elite teams in coming years.

Nine years after being re-born, Balmain will play in the first and second grade grand finals of Sydney subbies on Saturday at TG Millner Field.

Victory in their maiden year in first division would cap a remarkable run of success for the club, who won the top two grades - and were thus promoted - in third division in 2010, and second division in 2012. They began in fifth division in 2004.

There is no promotion to the Shute Shield on offer but the club, which has had ex-Wallabies Drew Mitchell, Ryan Cross and Matt Giteau play for them, still has plans to climb higher, according to president Warren Livingstone.

After striking a deal recently to play at Leichhardt Oval next year, the Muzzled Wolves are keen to be included in the ARU’s proposed new third-tier competition.

"Obviously we’re very excited about this weekend. It’s the culmination of nine seasons since Balmain rugby was rejuvenated, and it is one of the steps toward the end goal," said Livingstone.

"We have positioned ourselves to be at the forefront of whatever changes Australian club rugby goes through over the next 12-24 months."

A potential model for the ARU’s third-tier competition is a mix of strong clubs like Sydney Uni and new franchises, running from August to October as early as next year.

Livingstone, the founder of the Fanatics, bankrolls Balmain and its celebrity roster and says he has a "dream” of running a Balmain franchise at Leichhardt Oval, presumably fully stocked with elite players.

"The jury is out on the viability of Shute Shield teams becoming part of the proposed third tier, and as such we have been working over the last 12 months on getting our club into a position where if private sponsorship is required, we are ready," he said.

First formed in 1873 but folded in 1919, Balmain lay dormant until 2004 when Livingstone and mates re-launched the club.

High-profile players like Mitchell, Giteau, Cross, Matt Dunning and French star Sebastian Chabal have been recruited to play, and the size and success of the club has grown exponentially.

But it’s fair to say both the cashed-up model and giddy rise hasn’t won Balmain many friends in Sydney subbies rugby, where rivals decry the cocky Wolves’ purchase of success. Livingstone shrugs off the criticism.

"Obviously we have done things to raise our profile, so we can attract players, build our brand up and achieve things like (playing at) Leichhardt Oval. And it’s been awesome, the community has really got behind the club," he says.

"Building a club from scratch is different from one with old ties. They shake their fists at us but there isn’t one club in the top tier of first division who don’t have some kind of incentive for players; jobs or payments or whatever."

Balmain will play St Pats Old Boys in the Grand Final on Saturday, after dispatching Mosman with the help of Cross and Mitchell in the semi-final last weekend.

A photo spinning around social media captures shows Mitchell racing away with an intercept and prop John Mason giving a rival the bird in back play. A bit like Balmain, it was both loved and loathed.

"Drew got mowed down short of the line anyway," laughs Livingstone.

Mitchell won’t be available for Saturday’s big dance after Balmain got a potential taste of a professional future this week.

The ex-Wallaby was released by the ARU to join a similar star raider, who also boast a few high-profile ex-Test players: Toulon.