TheHerald 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.”