Almost half of Waratahs squad to face Brumbies hail from western Sydney

MEET the Waratahs westies, a burgeoning group of NSW players who proudly consider western Sydney as their home turf.

Waratahs from Western Sydney line up after training . pic mark evans

FOR years some NSW fans have argued to move a game from Allianz Stadium at ANZ Stadium is to give up home ground advantage.

Run that theory past these blokes.

Meet the Waratahs westies, a burgeoning group of NSW players who proudly consider western Sydney as home turf.

Now eleven strong, the Tahs’ fibros all have strong connections to the west: either raised there or currently living there, or playing for a club in western Sydney. Many combine all three.

Highlighting the vast — but still under-harvested — rugby talent west of the Gladesville Bridge, the Waratahs Westies will make up almost half of the 23-man side who take on the Brumbies at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night.

The picture above also paints a compelling picture of the changing face of rugby in NSW, particularly in contrast to a 2009 photo of the same group that only boasted five members.

Tatafu Polota-Nau (Granville) is the group’s spiritual leader, and is joined by Will Skelton (Blacktown), Wycliff Palu (Plumpton), Israel Folau (Minto), Dave Dennis (Kurrajong) Kurtley Beale (Mt Druitt), Sekope Kepu (Prestons), Benn Robinson (Dural) Tolu Latu (Canterbury), Taqele Naiyavaro (Parramatta) and Alofa Alofa (West Harbour).

Once considered the domain of the east and north, with dusty private school ties, rugby now finds its strength increasingly in Sydney’s west, and in its many rugby-mad Pacific Islander communities.

“It’s an area of huge potential,” said NSW captain Dennis.

“A lot of Polynesian families live in that area of Sydney, and from rugby’s point of view, we’d be stupid not to tap into that love of rugby.”

Wycliff Palu, who catches the train to training every day from Plumpton, echoed Dennis’ point but pointed out the Waratahs westies could be far larger with more attention paid to Sydney’s west by rugby bosses.

“There’s so much talent out there but that’s one thing about rugby. When I get around out there, I don’t think anyone really knows who I am, and I most of the rugby guys aside from Izzy would be the same,” Palu said.

“It’s really league dominated area and rugby could do a lot more, in setting up an academy or something. They don’t really have a clear pathway, as it stands.”

Folau said it was vital for the Waratahs westies to use their profile to build the game.

“It’s pretty important that we remember where we come from.,” Folau said.

“I know there is a lot of talent out there, some great talent out west. This weekend’s game at ANZ Stadium is a big one for us as a team, and it’s important that we try to promote the game and get it growing out west. You do that by playing good footy.”

A long-time advocate of growing rugby in the west, Dennis is mindful of the criticism he inevitably cops for leaving Penrith juniors to play at Sydney Uni. He, Folau, Latu and Will Skelton play at Uni, while Kepu and Beale play for Randwick. (Beale declined to join the above photo).

Dennis said he hopes the Greater Sydney Rams’ entry into the NRC will provide structure allowing youngsters to chase a professional dream from their home club; the absence of which took him to Uni a decade ago.

“Hopefully Western Sydney can ultimately provide a key part in a pathway, where a kid can play colts at Penrith, be picked up by the Rams in an academy structure, play in the NRC and progress to the Waratahs from there,” Dennis said.

“How all that is achieved and funded etc, I am not sure but it is certainly an area of vast potential for Australian rugby to really get serious about, as the AFL and FFA have recognised by putting the Giants and Wanderers out there.”

Though the subject of whingeing eastern suburbanites, playing games at Homebush — where the Tahs routinely draw their biggest crowds of the season — is an important step towards that, believes Palu.

“It’s important to have that connection,” Palu said.

“If you ask most of the guys they’ll probably say they love playing at Allianz because of the atmosphere and familiarity. But it’s important that we put that aside and look at the bigger picture.

“We are as much a Western Sydney team as much as any other part of Sydney or NSW.”

Originally published as Almost half of Waratahs squad to face Brumbies hail from western Sydney