West Harbour Pirates in bid to prevent young talent drain to league with Colts overhaul
West Harbour rugby has unveiled an audacious plan to identify top football talent and help halt a player talent drain to rugby league.
Local Sport
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The West Harbour Pirates are laying the foundations to become a super club “nursery” for the best and brightest talent in NSW rugby and halt a feared drain of young talent in western Sydney to rugby league.
With the Penrith Emus booted from Shute Shield competition from next season, the Pirates are stepping up to attract new young talent to their club and to field an additional two teams in Colts divisions in 2022.
The man helping orchestrate the Colts overhaul is a former West Harbour junior himself.
But Cronulla’s Joshua Bray comes via a successful stint at the Manly Marlins managing their Colts program and with the enthusiasm to revolutionise the same program at his old club.
Bray is currently in the midst of a recruitment drive to bolster the numbers and the level of talent at the club with the goal to be fielding three teams in Colts in 2022.
And in his sights are players from the Penrith club left high and dry when the Emus were informed they would not part of the Shute Shield structure next season.
“We are looking to target the Penrith guys. Penrith were coming into a golden age of Colts,” Bray said.
“This year in their Colt team they had 16 and 17 year-old’s with potentially three years of Colts to go.
“It’s scary, we don’t want to lose them, lose them to league.”
Bray is also establishing relationships with schools in the area, including Trinity College and St Patrick’s, with the club planning to establishing a youth Academy when its home at Concord Oval opens in March 2022.
“I’d love West Harbour to be seen as a development nursery,” Bray said.
“I want to start an Academy, a performance Academy, for players from Year 7-12 when the new facilities open at Concord Oval in on March.”
Other initiates including setting up a pathway for indigenous players.
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