Eastwood considering country switch as speculated move away from TG Millner Field takes another turn
July 26 was supposed to be Eastwood’s final farewell to one of the most storeyed grounds in the Shute Shield rugby competition, but there has been yet another twist.
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Eastwood’s departure from its long-time home ground of TG Millner Field is starting to resemble a John Farnham farewell tour, with confirmation the club will play at least some Shute Shield matches there in 2026.
CODE Sports understands that the club could also look into hosting games in country and regional areas if necessary next season.
Eastwood sold the ground to North Ryde RSL in 2017 with a delayed settlement, and The Woodies are planning a move 20km North West to a state of the art new facility in The Hills District.
When North Ryde RSL’s application to have TG Millner redeveloped was approved in June, it looked as though Eastwood would play its last game at the ground in round 16 this season.
Fans were even planning a farewell for that July 26 game against Manly.
However, Eastwood bosses have struck a deal with the RSL club to play at least a portion of the 2026 season at the ground.
“Thanks to cooperative discussions with North Ryde RSL, Eastwood Rugby has secured a temporary extension of our time at TG Millner Field,” Eastwood chairman Rob Cusack said.
“This means that Eastwood Rugby will remain based at TG Millner for the rest of 2025, and for all or part of the 2026 season.”
It’s just the latest update in a never ending saga that has been playing out behind the scenes for nearly a decade.
The ideal scenario is for Eastwood to play the entire 2026 season at TG Millner before moving to its new facility in 2027, but Code Sports understands the arrangement with the RSL is fluid and may be subject to change.
It is unclear exactly how many games Eastwood will play at TG Millner in 2026, meaning the club may be forced into looking at alternative venues to host home games.
One attractive option that is likely to be under consideration is to take games to the country.
Eastwood has been playing regular matches in Cowra, and there is a suggestion the club wants to play more matches in the bush.
It’s a move that would help the home ground issue if The Woodies must move at some point during the 2026 season, and would assist in building its supporter base.
Eastwood has a long history of recruiting players from regional areas, with former halfback Mick Snowden and current playmaker Harry Snook both from Tamworth, and ex-winger John Grant from Canowindra.
The off-field drama hasn’t impacted Eastwood’s on-field performances though, with first grade currently sitting third on the Shute Shield table, behind only Easts and Warringah with four games remaining in the regular season.
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Originally published as Eastwood considering country switch as speculated move away from TG Millner Field takes another turn
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