Parramatta Eels feeder club, Cabramatta Two Blues, blasted by NSWRL after withdrawing two senior teams
A famous Parramatta Eels feeder club which has produced some of the NRL’s biggest names has withdrawn two senior teams from competitions, in a move the NSWRL has labelled “damaging to the whole game”.
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One of the NRL’s best production lines, the Cabramatta Two Blues, have withdrawn two senior teams out of competitions, leaving around 70 players clubless just two rounds into the season.
In a move the NSWRL has blasted as “damaging to the whole game”, the Two Blues have removed teams from the Ron Massey Cup and Sydney Shield competitions, which sit just below NSW Cup (reserve grade) level.
Cabramatta, a Parramatta Eels feeder club, has produced the likes of current NRL stars Junior Paulo from Parramatta, Melbourne’s Stefano Utoikamanu, Penrith’s Blaize Talagi and former stars like Jarryd Hayne and Frank Pritchard.
Players who showed up to training on Tuesday night were told both teams had folded due to “financial budgeting reasons”.
The NSWRL blasted the Two Blues’ decision.
“The NSW Rugby League is extremely disappointed that a prominent licensed club such as Cabramatta entered two NSWRL Major Competitions - the Leagues Clubs Australia Ron Massey Cup and the Sydney Shield - and then walked away from those obligations after just two rounds,” a NSWRL spokesperson said.
“Not only is it disrespectful of all other clubs in those competitions, but moreover, walking away from contractual obligations which were made to multiple players who are now both without the opportunity to play in 2025 and without the money promised to them by the club, is damaging to the whole game.”
Heading into Round 3 this weekend, the Ron Massey Cup side started the year with an impressive 2-0 start to the season, beating Mounties, and a Bulldogs team which has some of the club’s brightest prospects.
When contacted by this masthead, the Two Blues declined to comment, before posting on Wednesday a statement on their social media accounts.
“At Board level, the decision was made in August 2024, that the Cabra Leagues Two Blues would only be approved to enter into the Ron Massey and Sydney Shield Competitions on the proviso that both teams were fully funded through sponsorships,” the statement said.
“The senior football committee presented a business model for the 2025 competition to the Board of Cabramatta Rugby League Club which relied heavily on sponsorship. Unfortunately, they did not achieve the outcome that was presented, and agreements was signed without
Cabramatta Rugby Leagues Club authority and proceeded to compete resulting in two matches played.
“Therefore, with a heavy heart, from the decision in August 2024, funding was not secured and Cabramatta Rugby League Club Board is not going to put the club at financial risk and is not entering into the Ron Massey and Sydney Shield Competitions of 2025.”
Cabramatta’s Sydney Shield side also started their year undefeated, but the players now face the prospect of having to either return to park footy, or try to scrape into other clubs.
One of the club’s senior players, Tee Hokai, took to Facebook to share his frustration.
“It’s shattered me that the season has come to this for everyone involved, coaching staff, players, management etc. Forcing us to start from scratch and find a spot in a football club that already has players that have fought hard to earn the spots they have now,” he said.
“It hurts me more that this club played a huge part in my junior football from the age of 14s to 18s and now they’ve refused to play anymore involvement in senior teams of their club looking to excel to the next level in hopes of the NRL platform. We had something good building here and now all efforts have gone to dust.”
The Two Blues, a Parramatta Eels feeder club, have removed teams from the Ron Massey Cup and Sydney Shield competitions, which sit just below NSW Cup (reserve grade) level.
Cabramatta have produced the likes of current NRL stars Junior Paulo from Parramatta, Melbourne’s Stefano Utoikamanu, Penrith’s Blaize Talagi and former stars like Jarryd Hayne and Frank Pritchard.
Players who showed up to training on Tuesday night were told both teams had folded due to “financial budgeting reasons”.
Heading into Round 3 this weekend, the Ron Massey Cup side started the year with an impressive 2-0 start to the season, beating Mounties, and a Bulldogs team which has some of the club’s brightest prospects.
When contacted by this masthead, the Two Blues declined to comment, before posting on Wednesday a statement on their social media accounts.
“At Board level, the decision was made in August 2024, that the Cabra Leagues Two Blues would only be approved to enter into the Ron Massey and Sydney Shield Competitions on the proviso that both teams were fully funded through sponsorships,” the statement said.
“The senior football committee presented a business model for the 2025 competition to the Board of Cabramatta Rugby League Club which relied heavily on sponsorship. Unfortunately, they did not achieve the outcome that was presented, and agreements was signed without
Cabramatta Rugby Leagues Club authority and proceeded to compete resulting in two matches played.
“Therefore, with a heavy heart, from the decision in August 2024, funding was not secured and Cabramatta Rugby League Club Board is not going to put the club at financial risk and is not entering into the Ron Massey and Sydney Shield Competitions of 2025.”
Cabramatta’s Sydney Shield side also started their year undefeated, but the players now face the prospect of having to either return to park footy, or try to scrape into other clubs.
One of the club’s senior players, Tee Hokai, took to Facebook to share his frustration.
“It’s shattered me that the season has come to this for everyone involved, coaching staff, players, management etc. Forcing us to start from scratch and find a spot in a football club that already has players that have fought hard to earn the spots they have now,” he said.
“It hurts me more that this club played a huge part in my junior football from the age of 14s to 18s and now they’ve refused to play anymore involvement in senior teams of their club looking to excel to the next level in hopes of the NRL platform. We had something good building here and now all efforts have gone to dust.”
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Originally published as Parramatta Eels feeder club, Cabramatta Two Blues, blasted by NSWRL after withdrawing two senior teams
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