Revealed: Plans for Gold Coast rugby unions’ 2023 expansion vision
From plans to rebuild the top competition, to the expansion of the women’s game and growth opportunities in the junior space, the Gold Coast have charted their path to a brighter future. What’s in store for 2023?
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“If we want to be taken seriously we need to have all clubs competitive.”
That was the declaration of Gold Coast District Rugby Union community rugby manager Brooklyn Manu as the body’s new board seeks to implement its 2023 vision.
Following a first-grade season on the Glitter Strip marred by the loss of three teams due to a lack of forward depth, Manu confirmed a Tight Five Academy would launch in the new year.
Manu — along with new rugby operations manager Trent Ma Chong, president Jed Hogan and the rest of the Board — will introduce the initiative throughout term one.
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The likes of Youth in Union co-founder Eddie Aholeilei and former Western Force prop Salesi Manu are set to be part of the coaching team to spearhead the new concept.
When the Helensvale Hogs, Palm Beach Currumbin Alleygators and Coomera Crushers withdrew from the Phil Temperton Trophy this year, the predominant factor was the dearth players capable of safely and competently performing contested scrums.
Now with Hogs confirmed for the competition and PBC and Coomera plotting their comebacks, Manu said the Academy would begin to pave the way for a return to an eight-team format.
“Our goal would be to have all our clubs competing again. Some of the teams that didn’t compete last year because they didn’t have enough front row forwards we’re hoping that will change,” Manu said.
“If we can upskill them enough now, then we can have eight competitive teams again in senior rugby. It was a real problem last year, and if we want to be taken seriously we need to have all clubs competitive.
“I know they (the clubs) are working that’s for sure, I think all the clubs are realising that if you don’t have that first-grade club you’re really missing that cultural connection that you want with your community.
“People want to be in touch with their rugby club, and if you don’t have that team they’re going to go somewhere else.”
THE FUTURE IS FEMALE
As a host of clubs in the region prepare to field open women's teams to contend with rivals in the Brisbane Suburia competition, Manu confirmed plans were in place to grow that concept into the junior space.
While the Crushers have already established success against their Brisbane counterparts — taking out the Suburia competition this year — Hogs and Gold Coast Eagles are tipped to join them in the revolutionary 15-a-side season.
The likes of Griffith Knights are also attempting to build their player base to join them, with a Barbarians outfit another option.
Manu said a six-week development program for girls from under-12s up to under-18s would be invited to skill-development sessions in term one at the Gold Coast clubs to exposure them to the offerings rugby can provide.
From there, should numbers prove fruitful, junior girls
“Most girls play multi sports, so if we can attract some of those athletes from different clubs to comes and try rugby and hopefully have a 15-a-side offering in term two where we’ll compete with six or seven other Brisbane clubs,” Manu said.
“It’s something we’ve never done, there’s a couple of clubs here who play 15-a-side – Coomera and Helensvale – but you’ve now got Gold Coast Eagles who have enough teams. “What’s that saying, if you build it they will come? I think that is how we’re looking into 2023, if we build it let’s see how many people will come.
“There’s been talk of the women playing before the senior men’s on Saturdays so the open women can be part of the culture at each club.
“We haven’t done that, we haven’t had the women visible on the main fields with the men before so it’s going to be great to see their whole families potentially.”
Bringing the women’s into the Saturday fold would be a big step towards Ma Chong’s vision.
Backed with six years in rugby administrations, as well as an extensive background in playing, coaching and enhancing coach education, Ma Chong believes creating a palpable game day experience will prove key to retaining players and supporters long term.
“For me in my experience in playing myself I think it’s the game day experience,” he said.
“On the Gold Coast we’ve got a fair few clubs that are very strong and there’s a strong tribalism in the clubs as well, so I think it’s making that match day experience the greatest thing possible so everyone comes to the club on a Saturday.
“We’re just trying to build our customer base, trying to get as many players as we can playing on the Gold Coast.
“Juniors would be the first one, and not secondary to that would be junior women and our women’s space is something we’ve been lacking so trying to build that as well.”
RETURN OF THE COLTS
On the back of the Gold Coast Cyclones colts success at the Southeast Queensland Championships, calls led by coach Shaun Cole began to bring a competition for young adults to the region.
Without such an offering for those leaving the junior ranks but unable to physically or mentally match the demands of playing against men, the risk becomes they will be lost to the game all together.
It is a vision Ma Chong confirmed was firmly on the radar, however ultimately would take time to build and be sustainable.
Therefore, the predominant focus will go into harnessing the youth and junior levels of the game to ensure they remain engaged through to that age group.
Kickstarting in term one of 2023, a host of schools initiatives will launch and expand — including the Super Schools Cup which will feature a record 16 schools and 21 teams.
Other concepts such as the schools seven’s will run in both terms one and four.
In addition, an under-18s Lightning Series will begin and provide Gold Coast talents the chance to test themselves against clubs from the Brisbane Junior Rugby Union.
Manu also said options were being discussed to provide the Cyclones side with greater opportunities — such as tri-series with the likes of Sunshine Coast, Darling Downs and the Far North Coast.
For Ma Chong, if the juniors a provided with an influx or year-round engagement they would be able to guide them towards a future in the game where a colts program becomes a reality.
“It is always going to be a long-term project to try and bring along a stand-alone colts program to the coast,” he said.
“There are a couple of clubs who are able to stand on their own with numbers in that age group, but I feel targeting the numbers around that intake – our strong teenager groups – and trying to build them up as strong as they can so we can keep them playing rugby as they do come through.
“Then looking at your 13s, 15s in a couple of years’ time they will be 18 and 19. It’s bettering what we’re able to offer them so they continue to stay in the game.
“It’s definitely something that’s on the radar. We know we have a huge talent pool here, it’s just taping into that before other sports do or trying to complement each other.
“We have the talent base, we have the growth potential, now it’s tapping into that.”
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