West will be hurting, disaffected: Polota-Nau

[travelling_gerry]

Rupert Guinness | August 14, 2009


THE onus is firmly on the NSW Rugby Union to ramp up its commitment to develop the game in western Sydney after the region was shut out of the race for a fifth Australian Super team, say two Waratahs and Wallabies from the area.

Hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau and winger Lachie Turner said they understood why the Australian Rugby Union had endorsed Melbourne as the sole Australian contender for a 15th Super licence, but by rejecting the western Sydney bid it had missed out on tapping into a massive player market.

However, with the decision made, they said NSW Rugby must intensify the push west to stop other codes or rugby franchises from raiding western Sydney players, who might now be disillusioned by the area missing out on a Super team.

Polota-Nau, who was raised in Granville and is a member of the Parramatta club, said he would have considered joining a western Sydney Super side had it been given the green light.

''Absolutely … because western Sydney is one of the places I have grown up in and got to love,'' Polota-Nau said. ''There is a such a great and diverse community out there. We would have had a lot of support.''

Asked if he was disappointed the western Sydney bid missed out on the ARU's endorsement, the former Granville South High School student, who is now 24, said: ''Yes, in a way. There is talent out there in western Sydney. They are just getting picked up by the more stronger clubs.''

However, Polota-Nau said he could understand the rationale behind the ARU's verdict announced on Wednesday. But he said the battle to secure western Sydney's future as a rugby haven should not end with the game waving the white flag to its rival codes and rugby clubs.

''Well, there is definitely a strong crowd out there,'' he said when asked if the threat of Australian football, rugby league and football would now increase.
''I think it is still the prerogative of the Waratahs to go out there and promote the game. There have definitely been times where NSW have taken trial games out there to see what they can get in terms of numbers and just trying to spread the … word.''

Turner, 22, from the Eastwood club but raised in Epping, spent many of his early days playing rugby with friends from Parramatta and Blacktown.

''There is obviously a massive need for rugby to expand out west,'' he said yesterday. ''There are a lot of players - I played with a lot of them. Now, with the western Sydney bid not getting the go ahead, it is a matter for the Waratahs to take control of that and push hard.

''There are so many young kids out there, but then the clubs like Penrith and Parramatta haven't got the money and risk losing them to rugby league.''
Turner suggested the Waratahs should do more than play trial matches in the west to sell the game, but actual rounds of the Super competition.

The Waratahs played the Crusaders at ANZ Stadium in Homebush last season, but Turner went as far as to propose playing Super games in Penrith.
''Maybe the Waratahs should take a game out there to Penrith,'' Turner said.


http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/news/n...756398948.html

[beige]

If the West is hurting then the NSWRU isn't doing its job. If the Reds can play in Townsville then surely the Waratahs can play in Penrith or Parramatta.

I agree with comments that the ARU needs to do something to pay back the heartland but they make it seem like it is purely a West Sydney problem which is ridiculous (the Emus and the Two-Blues don't strike me as Shute Shield powerhouses).

[shasta]

The article is based on bullshit anyway, didn't even mention the boy from the real struggle street areas - Kurtley Beale. Brett Papworth (who played for Eastwood & Eastern Suburbs) & Co were overstating their case big time. Since when is Epping or Eastwood in the Western Suburbs? The 1930's?

The West is bogan country and the NSWRU/ARU has put bugger-all effort into this huge area. It's Rugby League central out there. Perhaps the Olympic decision might see more junior schools programs in the West.

[TOCC]

same could be said about the Reds though, i really think the Reds should play at least 1 game every year elsewhere in the state like Townsville or the Gold Coast, its a bit difficult when you only have 6/7 home games every year, but should definetly be chased when the comp is expanded.

[beige]

They did play that game in Townsville (even if they did completely screw up the scheduling of it). I agree these kinds of things should be annual though.