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Push to restore East's juniors
July 14, 2013
David Sygall
Sports reporter
Roosters favourites Brad Fittler and Bryan Fletcher want to revive a local junior rugby league competition in the eastern suburbs.
The once-vibrant district competition in Roosters' territory disappeared in the 1980s when clubs folded and others, including Bondi United and Clovelly Crocodiles, joined the South Sydney District Junior Rugby Football League. Demographic changes and, Fletcher said, a lack of will from authorities have left the area without a local competition.
Fittler, who played 217 matches for the Roosters, and Fletcher, who played 125 before joining Souths, would like to revive defunct clubs, including possibly the Rose Bay Rams and Fletcher's junior club the Paddington Colts. Fletcher said his mates didn't want their children playing in the Souths junior league.
''Freddie [Fittler] and I have been talking lately and about getting an Easts comp back up and running,'' he said. ''I think it should happen because they need their own identity, these kids. Freddie's got this grand plan to get under 6s to under 12s playing at four clubs in the area. The kids who are playing for local clubs now are Souths juniors.''
Contrary to common perceptions, Easts territory has produced many league stars, including Fletcher, Jim Dymock, Luke Ricketson, Kevin Junee, Craig Salvatori, Kevin Hastings, Craig Field, James Tamou, Blake Ayshford and, among other top-liners.
But the supply has stopped for various reasons, including many local children attending private schools that don't play the game.
Fletcher also believes high house prices in the eastern suburbs have kept out many families.
He said when he was growing up around Bondi, it was a much different environment.
''It was considered a slum,'' he said. ''Where the old Astra Hotel is [now a popular restaurant], I used to walk to school and I wasn't allowed to walk on that side of the road because there were always needles on the ground.
''Bondi was very rundown. As soon as they fixed the sewerage at Bondi, prices went through the roof and families couldn't afford it. It changed very quickly and people moved further south. So South Sydney now has a bigger junior base because there's a lot more families living there.''
Fletcher said that, even though many children playing league lived in the eastern suburbs, they grew up wanting to play for Souths instead of the Roosters because of playing in the South Sydney junior competition.
Push to restore East's juniors
July 14, 2013
David Sygall
Sports reporter
Roosters favourites Brad Fittler and Bryan Fletcher want to revive a local junior rugby league competition in the eastern suburbs.
The once-vibrant district competition in Roosters' territory disappeared in the 1980s when clubs folded and others, including Bondi United and Clovelly Crocodiles, joined the South Sydney District Junior Rugby Football League. Demographic changes and, Fletcher said, a lack of will from authorities have left the area without a local competition.
Fittler, who played 217 matches for the Roosters, and Fletcher, who played 125 before joining Souths, would like to revive defunct clubs, including possibly the Rose Bay Rams and Fletcher's junior club the Paddington Colts. Fletcher said his mates didn't want their children playing in the Souths junior league.
''Freddie [Fittler] and I have been talking lately and about getting an Easts comp back up and running,'' he said. ''I think it should happen because they need their own identity, these kids. Freddie's got this grand plan to get under 6s to under 12s playing at four clubs in the area. The kids who are playing for local clubs now are Souths juniors.''
Contrary to common perceptions, Easts territory has produced many league stars, including Fletcher, Jim Dymock, Luke Ricketson, Kevin Junee, Craig Salvatori, Kevin Hastings, Craig Field, James Tamou, Blake Ayshford and, among other top-liners.
But the supply has stopped for various reasons, including many local children attending private schools that don't play the game.
Fletcher also believes high house prices in the eastern suburbs have kept out many families.
He said when he was growing up around Bondi, it was a much different environment.
''It was considered a slum,'' he said. ''Where the old Astra Hotel is [now a popular restaurant], I used to walk to school and I wasn't allowed to walk on that side of the road because there were always needles on the ground.
''Bondi was very rundown. As soon as they fixed the sewerage at Bondi, prices went through the roof and families couldn't afford it. It changed very quickly and people moved further south. So South Sydney now has a bigger junior base because there's a lot more families living there.''
Fletcher said that, even though many children playing league lived in the eastern suburbs, they grew up wanting to play for Souths instead of the Roosters because of playing in the South Sydney junior competition.
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