Local players set to benefit from Clydesdales NRL deal with Bulldogs

There are many winners from the Western Clydesdales new affiliate deal with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, perhaps none bigger than local players on the Darling Downs.

Western Clydesdales players Anna Dingley and Reily Land. Picture: Kevin Farmer

AS the dust settles from a groundbreaking day for rugby league on the Darling Downs, local players are shaping up as one of the big winners of the Toowoomba Clydesdales new affiliation.

Linking with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, players will get the opportunity to experience high performance training from the club while remaining surrounded by family and friends in Toowoomba and the Downs.

“It means everything,” Clydesdales chairman Tony Coonan said.

“It means they can get best practice. Their high performance coaches are going to be coming up here. They not only work with the players, but with the coaches to increase their performance.

“We are going to take our local talent and make it significantly better.

Two of Toowoomba’s highest profile junior players have worn the blue and white of Canterbury-Bankstown and experienced the jubilation of a premiership together in 2004.

Coonan said had this opportunity been around at the time, it could’ve allowed them to stay in Toowoomba while enhancing their careers.

“An interesting thing with the Bulldogs in recent times is Steve Price and Johnathan Thurston were both spotted here playing up at Clive Berghofer Stadium,” he said.

“What they had to do at that time was leave here at a young age and go down to Sydney.

“I’ve talked to Steve Price and he said he wished he had this opportunity when was here. He would’ve stayed here, developed his game, hung around his friends and family, got an apprenticeship or studied here.

“Then when he was ready to play NRL, he leaves town and goes down to Sydney.

“That’s what we’re hoping for these young players here both men and women.”

The club has indicated a future team in the BHP Women’s Premiership is on the future radar if successful with their Hostplus cup bid.

In recent times a number of TJRL players have signed development contracts with NRL clubs, and president Dan Aldons said the flow on effects of players remaining in Toowoomba would be huge.

“We see a lot of benefits for us in keeping those kids in the local area, strengthening our competition and improving their skills,” he said.

Western Clydesdales announce partnership with Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (from left) Joe Hannant, Anna Dingley, Tony Coonan, Reily Land and Dan Aldons. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Q-Cup boost, NRL games on radar: Clydesdales historic new deal

THE Western Clydesdales have taken their biggest strides towards Queensland Cup confirmation after a landmark announcement.

The Toowoomba-based club has formed an affiliation with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs on a three-year deal.

While the association doesn’t officially begin until 2023, the Bulldogs and Clydesdales will commence their partnership with immediate effect in order to boost their Hostplus Cup ambitions.

“To help us get particularly ready for the Hostplus Cup in 2023, they’re starting now,” Clydesdales chairman Tony Coonan said.

“They want to assist us to a much bigger degree than what we first imagined this year, and then when we get into 2023, the full blown affiliation happens.

“We’re really excited because we’re at a great stage trying to get into Hostplus Cup and we’ve got most of the things covered.

“A big part was the NRL affiliation. The last step is the money partnerships and sponsorship. To help us get there, they’ve started working with us immediately.”

With the financials the last remaining hurdle for the Clydesdales and their dream of once again featuring in the state league, Coonan said the partnership would help the commercial side of things get closer to their goal.

“At the moment we’ve signed a heads of agreement and there’s five parts to that,” he said.

“Commercial is one I’m really excited about. They’re going to support us and our commercial manager Fraser Hess with any commercial work.

“Obviously we’re chasing big commercial support here to get Hostplus Cup going and we’re chasing companies that are Queensland-wide and Australia-wide.

“With that we can now allow teeing up with the partners the Bulldogs have and giving assistance back and forwards.

“Also for our partners and sponsors there’s going to be opportunities to go down to Belmore, have corporate box experience and liaise down there.”

“There’s no direct transfer of money, they’re giving that in kind. We’ve got a big budget and that in kind support we get is taken off the budget.”

One of the major benefits of the new deal will provide an economic boost for the entire city, with Toowoomba in line to host regular NRL football from 2023 onwards, including fixture matches from 2024.

“The heads of agreement is that both parties are planning an NRL trial match at the beginning of 2023, to lead to continued trials and a fixture match in 2024,” Coonan said.

The Clydesdales chairman said three key pillars of the heads of agreement came in the form of travel, fostering of players and coaching staff, and memberships.

“Travel is one. We’ve got a great airport here and lots of flights are going to start between Sydney,” he said.“We’ll have them coming up here supporting us and we’ll have coaches and players going down there.

“Another part is academies. They’ve set up a Bulldogs Academy and now they’re setting up a Toowoomba Academy not just for players, but for coaches and support staff.

“People in Toowoomba and the South West will be able to get a Bulldogs membership. Part of the money they pay into a Bulldogs membership goes straight back into our region with players and coaching development.”

Coonan said the history of the Bulldogs, their current predicament and where they want to go align with the values of the Clydesdales.

“The good thing about the Bulldogs is they have an amazing history over a long period of time,” he said.

“They’re really on a rebuild phase and that’s where David Hamilton (development and pathways manager) and Phil Gould (general manager of football) come in.

“They’re in a rebuilding phase and so are we.”

After no deals were struck with Queensland clubs, Coonan said the club was overjoyed to link with Canterbury-Bankstown.

“For whatever reasons our closest neighbours didn’t pick up an affiliation with us,” he said.

“We’ve been working really well with the QRL and particularly Darryl van de Velde. He’s assisted us.

“After a few failed attempts we contacted Phil Gould. We were aware of what he had done with Penrith and the satellite programs he had there, and we thought maybe this is a really good fit.

“The first thing the Bulldogs looked at was our business plan and the most significant part of that was our statistics, particularly with junior rugby league.

“We have incredible numbers in our region, significantly more than most Sydney clubs.”

Gould said the partnership paves the way for aspiring young players in the region.

“I am really excited about this partnership. It will help provide development for young players looking for a career in rugby league. It is important that every team in the Queensland Cup has a pathway through to the NRL,” he said.

Steve Nance. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“The Bulldogs will satellite the programs that we are running in our own junior league and on the north coast of New South Wales, directly into the Toowoomba Academy and support the staff that are running those programs.

“It’s about participation. Helping junior league in this area and junior league coaches and bringing local players in to the Academy to get the best possible resources and coaching.”

Bulldogs chairman John Khoury said the affiliation will give players a direct pathway to realise their potential if good enough in the NRL.

“A lot of young kids grow up aspiring to play in the NRL and by creating this stepping stone, we believe that local talent will get a chance to live out those dreams,” he said.

“The Bulldogs have always been a development club that has looked to give young players the opportunity to fulfil their potential, and we believe this partnership will have a major impact in that area.

“As a club, we understand the importance of helping players and coaches get access to the best resources available.”