Eastern teams unwavering on Shute Shield reform, call for western clubs to merge

The president of one of the most powerful clubs in the Shute Shield has conceded western Sydney clubs will struggle to meet the new criteria for premier rugby competitions and believes West Harbour, Penrith and Western Sydney Two Blues should merge into a single outfit.

A letter written by Eastern Suburbs boss John Murray to his board, obtained by the Herald, outlines why six Shute Shield clubs – Easts, Randwick, Sydney University, Manly, Gordon, Northern Suburbs – do not want to water down the contentious changes to the participation agreement circulated by the Sydney Rugby Union last month.

Manly and Sydney University face off at Manly Oval in the Shute Shield.Credit:Karen Watson

The Herald revealed last week club that Sydney club presidents were sent a draft agreement by the Sydney Rugby Union for next season’s premier competition, containing onerous conditions. The draft terms include all clubs needing a minimum of four grade teams and three colts sides, a full time head coach and general manager plus a women’s XVs team by no later than 2023. Clubs will also a need to demonstrate minimum turnover of more than $550,000.

Club officials from Parramatta and Penrith, who do not currently field that many teams, said the criteria seem “designed to eliminate” the three Shute Shield teams in Western Sydney.

“The Shute Shield competition is one of the strongest club competitions in the world, mainly because the majority of the clubs in the Shute Shield have become strong, resilient and successful organisations,” Murray wrote. “Rather than dumbing down the standards that made us successful, it makes more sense to lift the standards of the clubs that are lagging.

“The overwhelming majority of clubs are in favour of the Participation Agreement for 2022. Obviously this makes it difficult for Penrith, West Harbour and Two Blues to play in 2022 and a great outcome would be a merger of those clubs to create a single, functional and successful organisation.”

But while Murray would like to see a merger of the three western Sydney teams, West Harbour announced they can meet the benchmarks required to participate in the competition on their own next year.

“West Harbour will meet the requirements for 2022 and will field four grade and three colts teams,” the Pirates statement read. “In 2023, we will also field a women’s team in the Jack Scott Cup.”

Club sources cast doubt over West Harbour’s ability to go it alone but their ambition has piled even more pressure on Penrith and the Two Blues.

The clubs are fierce rivals but even if they can mend fences, sources with knowledge of the situation say a merger of the two clubs would likely still not satisfy the benchmarks of the participation argeement.

As Penrith and the Two Blues examine their remaining options – which include writing to Rugby Australia and asking for help – the six-club bloc has not budged.

Murray finished the letter by outlining why he believes the three clubs have become uncompetitive.

“The reason the clubs in western Sydney are struggling has very little to do with rugby league’s dominance, available players or funding (there are plenty of wealthy people & businesses in the west who want to back rugby) and the vast majority of the rugby friendly Polynesian community live in the catchment,” he wrote.

“Unfortunately, over an extended period, the clubs have not been run as well as they could, relying on one or two outstanding people to do all the work which is proving unsustainable.

“Easts has been working with other Shute Shield Clubs, including the ones in western Sydney, to come up with a workable solution we can all get behind that has a strong chance of success. We have pledged to give all the support we can to a model that will grow the game in western Sydney which is what we all want.”

Murray believes the participation numbers in western Sydney at sub-districts level show the decision to push for a merger would not kill rugby in the region. He cited the strong Blue Mountains club in subbies rugby as evidence there are rugby players in the region.

“Any suggestion that there will be less junior footy in Western Sydney is nonsense – for example, there are no Two Blues juniors nor West Harbour juniors – the juniors in those districts play for clubs like The Hills, Blacktown, Briars and St Pats,” Murray wrote.

“None of these clubs would be effected by Two Blues, Penrith and West Harbour no longer playing individually in the Shute Shield and nor would Penrith juniors cease to exist.”

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