Hayden Schatz goes from Darwin to West Harbour Pirates 1st Colts chasing rugby dream

He hails from one of the least likely places to produce a rugby talent and only playing because of a mixup. But this Sydney 1st Colts and Tane Edmed lookalike has big goals in the game

Amanda Lulham

@amandalulham

2 min read

April 29, 2025 - 9:23AM

Hayden Schatz and Tane Edmed. One plays for his club, the other for his country.

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He might be a dead spit for Wallabies and Waratahs player Tane Edmed but Hayden Schatz didn’t know he even liked rugby until he actually played it by mistake in the Northern Territory as a kid.

Schatz’s father enrolled him at what he through was a junior rugby league club in Darwin only to discover later that he’d made a mistake.

“It was too late. I just liked it straight away. I wanted to stay,” said Schatz, now playing 1st Colts at West Harbour around 4000km from where he became hooked on the sport in a town better know for AFL than league or union.

“It’s not a sport that’s big in Darwin.

“I went from the under 16s to the men division and I was pretty skinny, not that big.”

Now 20, Schatz, who is called “Tane’s brother” by his teammates, has ended up at the West Harbour Pirates after time spent playing rugby in the Hospital Cup in Queensland last season before a desire to further his playing career saw him shift further south.

“I may have missed my time. I hope not but I’d still like to give it a shot,” said Schatz who sat on the second grade bench last week after helping the Pirates to the first win of the season in 1st Colts.

“I just came here to give it a go.

Rugby colts player Hayden Schatz. Pictures: Grace Leo/reel_reelist

Waratahs' player Tane Edmed

“I’d love to do stuff with the Waratahs one day. We had a couple of them at the start of the years come out and do two training sessions. It was great.

“Right now I just want to every time for 1st Colts and maybe get a chance in grade.’’

Schatz said he is loving his time at the Pirates where he shares a house at Burwood with four other players - “we have two fridges for our food’’ - and works full-time at Strathfield Council.

Rugby colts player Hayden Schatz in the thick of it. Pictures: J.B Photography

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“I just love the team environment in rugby, love the game because there are so many areas you can work on. I like learning and getting better,’’ he said.

“It’s all about teamwork for me. I like to put my body on the line. I do everything for the team. I'm not flashy,.’’

“The club is great, It gives people like me a second chance at rugby.’’

West Harbour last weekend beat the Parramatta Two Blues for their first win of the season.

This round they head to Coogee Oval to take on Randwick, a team on a mission after being bought down by close rivals, Eastern Suburbs, in rivalry round.