South West talent has Western Clydesdales CEO Shane Sullivan excited for the future

Western Clydesdales CEO Shane Sullivan believes the future is bright for the club and rugby league in the region after a recent record was set. Find out why here.

Western Clydesdales CEO Shane Sullivan. Picture: Kevin Farmer

For many a 48-12 defeat to your Hostplus Cup rivals would be a major concern, however, there was one stat in particular from Sunday’s clash with the Ipswich Jets which has Western Clydesdales CEO Shane Sullivan excited for the future.

A record seven South West Queensland players ran onto the field for the Clydesdales and Sullivan believes it will help lay down a strong foundation for the future of rugby league in the region.

“It’s exciting, it shows that we’re slowly achieving our goal,” he said.

“We always knew it was going to be slow but we’ve got a goal in our strategic plan in five years time to have 80 per cent of our squad local players.

“We’ve got some great juniors coming through and it is great to see someone like Barney Litidamu come through from our juniors this year and get a shot at Hostplus.

“I guess the standard of TRL is getting stronger and stronger and we are able to bring in some more players out of that space as well.”

One area which was of particular excitement was the fact most of the players from the region in the Clydesdales’ Hostplus Cup squad are young guns whose best years are still ahead of them.

“All that hard work that’s been put in over the last couple of years with the Bulldogs and the Western Clydesdales is now starting to pay off,” Sullivan said.

“We’ve got those players like Kai Duggan, Nick Carrie, Kaden Buhse and now Barney coming through and that is fantastic.

Kaden Buhse has been one of the breakout stars for the Western Clydesdales this season. Picture: Benny Hassum Photography

“I think we might even see a couple more come through before the end of the year.

“It is a relief that the hard work is starting to pay off now.

“We are a development club and that is what we have got to keep stressing and making sure that people understand that is that we are a pathway to the NRL and NRLW.

“We want our players and coaches to be able to get that experience early and rack up 30 or 40 games then be grabbed by one of those NRL or NRLW clubs.

“We think that’s important and we’ve got to understand that’s our role in the pathway, but it will not hurt us in the next two or three years to have these young guys coming through.

“And even if they don’t make the NRL or NRLW that they’re getting that opportunity to play 50 Hostplus games and that’s a great career in itself and something they should be very proud of.”

The occasion was made all the more special as the Clydesdales were facing their rivals from down the Warrego Highway, the Ipswich Jets.

“It’s a great rivalry with Ipswich that we’ve got and one that’s gone on since the 1920s so it’s exciting that these young guys are going to get a chance and that they don’t have to go to Ipswich or Brisbane anymore,” Sullivan said.

“This is why the Western Clydesdales are being supported by Queensland Rugby League to give them that pathway.

“They can stay at home, they don’t have to travel an hour down the Range and be playing, they can stay in Toowoomba or in the South West region and still be playing at that highest level in Queensland.”