2023 Welcome from our Junior President
It’s my great pleasure to welcome all new and returning players to the Kennel for the 2023 season. The opening of registrations heralds the dawn of another exciting season of Rugby at Wanneroo!
2022 was a historic season for the club with a number of notable highlights in our 50th year in operation that are worth celebrating:
Growth in participation across the Junior age groups
Growth in our Summer Touch 7s program, Rugby AU using us a model club
Inaugural Country of Origin 7s
WA Referees Association – Club of the year
24 Juniors were named in Elite Pathway Academies
Three Roodogs achieved National Honours in U16 & 18 age groups
Hosted the combined Grand Final day
U18 Boys – Minor Premiers and runners-up
U17 Girls – Minor and Major Premiers
U16 Boys – Minor and Major Premiers
U14 Girls Green – Minor Premiers and runners-up
U14 Girls White – Semi-finalists
U13 mixed – Semi-finalists
U12 Swan mixed – Minor & Major Premiers
As we forge ahead into the next 50 years as a club, our strategic intent is to be the biggest, most successful Junior Club in Western Australia and regarded by Rugby AU as the benchmark for Junior Rugby Union in the Country.
In four years (Rugby World Cup Australia ’27, ’29) we want to have over 1,000 Junior members across our product suite, rivalling as one of the biggest Junior programs in the country. By doing this, we are transforming the lives of many through our great game.
To fulfil our strategic intent, we have six components to our strategy:
Our Rugby products
Player recruitment and retention
Player & coach development
Facilities & equipment
People & Culture
Financial Solidarity
In 2023, our three headline priorities for the Junior club are to:
Continue to grow participation across our Rugby offering through;
Retention of our experienced and long-term Roodogs
Attraction of new players to the sport and its variants (Touch, 7s, schools)
Continued growth in the Junior Girls participation across the age groups
Partnering with Rugby WA to deliver rugby content in schools
Introducing a Touch 7s interschool competition for Upper Primary students
Targeted focus on Coach & Player development through;
Increasing the number of Level 1 & 2 and representative coaches across the club
Brother / Sister program partnering Senior Players with Junior teams to share learnings
Increasing the offering of specialist skills workshops for players and coaches
Strength & conditioning coach to deliver programs to the U15 + group
Expanding the Academy offering to younger age groups
Continue to drive the inclusive club culture with the introduction of the Big Brother / Sister program through;
Premier Grade & Divaz players partnered with a Team / Age Group
Leveraging our role models in the Senior club to demonstrate the pathway from Wanneroo to Elite Rugby programs
Increase numbers of Seniors involved with Junior Teams
Increase Junior attendance at Senior Home Games
While these are the priority areas for 2023, work will always continue into improving the areas of equipment & facilities as well as building financial solidarity of the club.
Enjoy the rest of your pre-season preparation and I look forward to seeing the development of all of our Juniors in 2023.
Yours in Rugby,
Andy Bell