Central Coast Rugby Union: Woy Woy Lions continue rebuild by breaking seven-year drought

A year ago the Woy Woy Rugby Club was at risk of folding. On the weekend it just broke a seven-year drought as part of an impressive revival.

Woy Woy won all three men’s grades for the first time in seven years against Gosford/Kariong on the weekend. Picture: Liam Cullen

Midway through 2024, the Woy Woy rugby union club was on the brink of folding.

Struggling to get enough players to field just one team, things looked bleak as the club was regularly getting cricket scores put on it.

However just 12 months on, the Lions have undergone a quite remarkable resurgence, with plenty of players and enough wins to go around.

This positive turnaround was capped off by its most successful weekend in years, with Woy Woy winning its first clean sweep of all three men’s grades in seven years, highlighted by the second grade team’s 116-0 thrashing of Gosford-Kariong.

“It was significant. The boys and the women, even though they didn’t have success on the weekend, were very proud of their achievement,” said Woy Woy’s director of coaching Stu Formston.

The Lions have experience an impressive resurgence over the past 12 months. Picture: Liam Cullen

“For the club to do that is a great milestone for us in the rebuild. For second grade to win 116-0 is beyond any expectation and everybody is pretty happy with things midway through the season.

“First grade is in the top four, all teams are still a mathematical chance of making the semi-finals. It’s all very promising, the rebuild is continuing and we’re still reviewing what we can do better but there’s a lot to be really happy about.”

While the second grade team’s huge win certainly made headlines, it has nevertheless been Woy Woy’s first grade side that has given the Lions most reason for celebration.

After seven games the team has recorded four wins and three losses, with the 42-9 win on Saturday keeping it in fourth place on the ladder.

Casting his mind back to where the club was one year ago, Formston said even the thought of playing semi-final football has shown how far the club has come.

“Our goal was to get three men’s grades, otherwise we wouldn’t have been allowed to compete in the Central Coast competition. We achieved that and have reserves and third grade, which is a really strong position for us to be in,” he said.

“Last year they were struggling to put one team on the field. There were other teams putting 100 points on them, it was incredibly difficult at times. I got involved with the club midway through last season because I was concerned that, as a foundation club, they were going to fold.”

Indeed, Formston’s arrival at the club has helped turn the ship in the right direction.

On top of his role as director of coaching, he brought in nine people to help bolster the committee and coaching staff.

A string of players have returned to the club this season. Picture: Liam Cullen

With things set up nicely off the field, the positives have also started to flow on it as a string of former players returned to the club.

“One of the things we did is have a couple of ex-junior players, who are now in their mid-20s, come back to the club,” said Formston.

“Another thing is that our reserve grade and third grade sides are predominantly made up of 18- and 19-year-old kids. We don’t have an under-18s or under-19s competition on the Coast so they are playing with us.

“Every week now we’re getting a couple of new registrations, so they’re bringing in their friends and drawing in new people.”

In a code where encouraging young players to stay in the game has become increasingly difficult in recent times, Formston knows the Lions have a rare opportunity to set themselves up for years to come.

“We’re working really closely with a lot of those young guys to make sure that they get upskilled and come back next year with their eyes firmly on trying to crack a first grade spot.

The reserve grade side racked up an incredible 116-0 win over Gosford/Kariong. Picture: Liam Cullen

“That way, we’re putting competition on first grade. We’re blooding a few of them in that first grade arena this year and they’re enjoying it. So far, so good.”

And while all involved in Woy Woy are certainly focusing on the present to try and qualify for the finals in 2025, Formston is also looking much further into the horizon to secure the future of the foundation club.

“We’ve got a little review of the women’s program because they’re still struggling a bit at the moment, but all in all we’re trying to keep the confidence up in the young guys, give them as much gametime as we can and make sure they come back next year,” he said.

“That’s one of the biggest things: making sure it’s not a one-season wonder.”

In other round eight first grade results, Terrigal extended its unbeaten start to the season to seven games after defeating Warnervale 54-24, the Razorbacks edged out Avoca Beach 36-29 and Lake Macquarie continued its impressive season with a 33-17 win over Northlakes/The Bay.