With Penrith kicked out of Shute Shield, what’s next for western Sydney rugby?

THE death of the Penrith Emus is a major blow for rugby’s plan to grow the game in the biggest growth area in the country, and unless drastic changes and concessions are made, the code will be forgotten.

Penrith Emus have been punted from the Shute Shield.

THE death of the Penrith Emus is a major blow for rugby’s plan to grow the game in western Sydney, and unless drastic changes and concessions are made, the code will be forgotten in the biggest growth area of the country.

Penrith was axed from the Shute Shield on Monday following sustained problems including a lack of quality players leading to blowout defeats on a weekly basis, and financial losses.

The Shute Shield has immediately been reduced to an 11-team competition, with clubs who were supposed to have played the Emus now getting byes. Those who’ve already played them have had the results of those games changed to a 28-0 result.

Penrith Emus have been punted from the Shute Shield.

This was not a sudden decision. Penrith had been in the crosshairs for years.

The problem is not with the talent in the region, but in the lack of rugby’s ability to retain them.

The best 18-year-old’s out west, many whose first choice is to play union for free, are pressured by parents to switch to league where they can earn $300 a game in the NSW Cup.

Western Sydney clubs have also been losing their best Colts players to eastern teams, primarily Sydney University, for years.

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Uni hasn’t been chasing these players. Often, their parents are urging them to make the switch for a better chance of education, and progression into the professional rugby ranks.

If this mentality does not change, rugby has no chance out west.

Already, NSW Rugby and Sydney Rugby Union are exploring the idea of setting up another club based within the University of Western Sydney, or in affiliation with the university.

Rugby Australia is planning to take Wallabies Test matches to Parramatta Stadium while Allianz Stadium is being rebuilt from next year.

Penrith and Warringah players after their match at Nepean Rugby Park. Picture: Karen Watson.

Their sevens-based “Get Into Rugby” program has been exposed to 48 schools in the region since last year, with the aim of transforming some of these students into club rugby players.

But with the lure of league, and the million-dollar budgets of the AFL pumping the merits of Aussie rules into western Sydney, along with the natural affinity for football among many of the demographic, rugby needs success to breed success.

The parents of children who are talented players have no reason to steer them towards clubs getting thumped by 80 points every weekend.

For the strength of the sport, the remaining clubs need to give up some power, and urge players to go west, with the support of NSW Rugby.

The Penrith Emus under 13 team won the State Cup.

Fill Parramatta and West Harbour with talent, incentivise players and clubs to make this happen, and the ensuing success of these clubs will lure sponsors from the region.

In turn, better juniors will be retained, and the game as a whole will benefit.

Fans have been turning away from Super Rugby and the Wallabies in droves because of a lack of success, while the team in the heart of the biggest talent pool of contact sport has been booted out of Sydney’s club rugby competition.

Having presence in the west is not enough. Only winning will change this dire situation.

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Originally published as With Penrith kicked out of Shute Shield, what’s next for western Sydney rugby?