Blacktown City Independent BCI 37 APRIL 2024 | Page 27

Sky is the limit for talent in Sydney ’ s west

with Matt “ Duck Man ” Austin
This man has been around and seen a bit in his life . David Moffett journeyed across the world and is extremely impressed with the talented footballers in Sydney ’ s west in the rugby league and union catchment areas of Penrith , Mt Druitt and Blacktown .
The ex NRL CEO was born in Doncaster in England , raised in Kenya and grew up in Zanzibar , an island off Tanzania . He speaks fluent Swahili which says volumes about his association with local people he assimilates with everywhere he lives .
Moff , as he is affectionately known to his friends was the CEO on the NRL post Super League , CEO of NSW Rugby , NZ Rugby , English Olympic Games Committee , Welsh Rugby and a member of the International Rugby Board . Currently he is heading up a bid which could see a new side enter the NRL , South Island Kea , which will be based in Christchurch and share a venue with the Crusaders Super rugby franchise .
So , let ’ s rewind . Moff moved to Australia as a 16-year-old , became
involved with rugby and played at Mosman Rugby Club . He also spent time as a referee and has seen and knows the west . He was instrumental seeing the Shute Shield competition expand in 1995 . He saw Penrith enter the competition and recognised the potential in the area that had remained largely untapped . He had firsthand experience as a player and referee and realised that ignoring a region with enormous potential and one of Australia ’ s fastest growth and development areas was bad for business .
He has been proved right over the last 30 years with the emergence of several superstars in the area with players such as Greg Alexander , Kurtley Beale , Craig Gower , Nathan Cleary , Michael
Jennings , Andrew Fifita and plenty of other outstanding homegrown talented players come through to represent their countries of origin and heritage over the decades .
Moff is looking at tapping into the huge Polynesian and Maori community again if his South Island Kea NRL venture is successful . He sees an opportunity to be able to offer home grown players from
New Zealand and the Pacific Islands , as well as plenty of talented Australian players the opportunity to accept a new challenge presented to them .
Speaking to me from his 15-acre farm just out side of Canterbury in NZ , the passion and love of the game burns bright in the man who was in charge back in the midnineties . He advised me that he has been approached by hundreds of offers from players who want to show their ability in a game that is now reaping in the vicinity of $ 1 billion plus turnover .
Moff said he always had a soft spot for Penrith Panthers despite being a Manly fan for years who greatly admired what Bob Fulton did with Manly in the 1970s .
There are genuine opportunities for talented athletes to highlight their talent on the biggest stage of all , the NRL . Moff said it is no surprise at all that the level of success the Panthers Rugby League club have had with the wealth of talent . A
He knows fully well that the next Nathan Cleary , Kalyn Ponga or even Jared Waerea-Hargreaves may very well come from the football mad western Sydney
population in the Mt Druitt , Blacktown and Penrith areas .
David Moffett hopes that if he can see the South Island Kea bid become successful , he will be able to offer local NZ and Pacific Island based Polynesian players the opportunity to play close at home and enjoy the country lifestyle in the South Island .
It would be a pretty attractive proposition to the best talented youngsters looking for a crack at the big time in the NRL .

Western Raptors - devouring the competition

with Matt “ Duck Man ” Austin
In the heart of the Mt Druitt area at Muru Mittigar Reserve is the home of one of the most progressive rugby clubs in the Sydney Suburban Rugby competition , the Western Raptors Rugby Club .
The club chose the name and colours used by their affiliated junior club which started in 2000 . It was a 20-year dream to provide a pathway for juniors to play senior rugby , and former members Bill Archer and Anthony Gill discussed starting a senior club .
The club wanted to create an environment and opportunities where fathers and sons , and mothers and daughters would have the chance to play
Raptors in action vs Merrylands at Nepean Rugby Park .
at the same club , an inclusive family club . In 2019 the club was accepted to the NSW Suburban Rugby Division 6 competition which is a 1 team comp and had teams competing that had a 100 + year history . The task ahead was a big one , but they were ready for the challenge .
The start of the 2019 season was a tough start with 26 names on the books and only six guys turned up , but they persevered . It was well worth it ; they won the prestigious Meldrum Cup competition .
The success saw the club expand their numbers in 2020 . They were promoted to Division 4 and needed to field two senior teams . By the end of the competition , they were crowned Club Champions of the division . They won the McLean and Grose Cups against Canterbury and Sydney Irish to flex their muscle and show what these proud group of battlers from Sydney ’ s west could do .
In 2021 the Raptors were promoted to Division 3 and needed three grade sides and one Colts . Their matches were commentated on by Cluch TV , which started my association with them .
They showed that they play a tough uncompromising style of rugby that is different to the normal structured style of many traditional clubs that have been playing in the competition for 60 + years . The Raptors looked like they were heading for more success before the second straight season was ended abruptly because of COVID .
The last couple of years have been tough for the Raptors with many exceptionally talented players seeking opportunities at higher level clubs in the Sydney Subbies comp , the Shute Shield premier rugby comp and also professional opportunities overseas .
The club has had the privilege of having dedicated people helping run the club , such as former president Mark Davis , coaching coordinator George Ford and Peter and Tito Niumata who are experienced coaches , living and breathing everything Raptors .
An added bonus for the Raptors is that Pete Niumata had played Super Rugby for QLD Reds and brings his tough no-nonsense style into his coaching to ensure the players bring out their best . Tito Niumata also has years or rugby and league experience that makes him invaluable to the club .
George Ford is the coaching
Raptors getting ready to strike , 2024 .
mastermind behind the scenes who helps build the philosophy and they completely buy into the catch phrase ‘ from the area ’ - to be proud of who you are , who you represent and where you come from . 2024 has seen the Raptors start with a bang with an open trial against Merrylands at Nepean Rugby Park in March . It attracted good numbers and unearthed some new talented superstars . In the trials the talented player base demonstrated some of the skills that will be required for the Raptors to fire in 2024 .
There is plenty of confidence in the Raptors camp this year , and with the success they ’ ve had so far , this might well be another year they bring home the championship .
BLACKTOWN CITY INDEPENDENT theindependentmagazine . com . au ISSUE 37 // APRIL 2024 25