Blacktown Warriors flexing their muscle in 2024
with Matt “ Duck Man ” Austin
In the mixing bowl of one of the most diverse sporting and multicultural communities in all of Sydney , Blacktown Warriors have carried the flag for the area with pride for 2024 . They have had some very tough years lately since the heady days of 2016 , when they picked up three grand final wins in the NSW Suburban Districts rugby division 4 competition .
It ’ s been a long time between drinks and the club have endured several difficult seasons including 2021 and 2022 in subbies division 2 where they struggled for numbers . They were against some well-established powerhouse rugby clubs with enormous playing depth such as Lindfield Rugby Club , who are now in NSW subbies division 1 and Newport who have been division 2 heavyweights for the last five years .
Last year I commenced a rebuild of everything at Blacktown , stripping everything back to basics with the aim of building a team the area could resonate with , who had fighting spirit and would instil pride back into the jersey , club and area .
This year Ten Toroma , head coach also known as Chief Tee , has done a sensational job navigating the Warriors through the difficult division 5 competition . Clubs are primarily based in the inner city , north and south of the harbour including Manly Savers , Burraneer who were last years premiers , Oatley , North Cronulla , St Ives , Colleagues at Rose Bay and Balmain . All the road trips were difficult , and none were close
Hiko Tuatai breaking a tackle for the Warriors . Credit : Eliescha Louwrens . which makes the achievements of this year even more amazing . Big Ten knows his way around a football field too with Blacktown and was a crucial member of the 2016 squad which won the three grand finals , division 4 club championships and the prestigious Cowboy Cup , the ultimate NSW subbies club championships winner of all divisions .
It ’ s a huge prize considering you get points for all grades against division 1 and 2 clubs with five and six teams .
The path to the grand final was always going to be challenging this season , but Blacktown started off with a bang , a 27-3 victory over St Ives getting them off to a perfect start . They backed that match up with a massive 50-5 win at Forshaw Rugby Park at Sylvania against their grand final opponents North Cronulla , which absolutely shell shocked the beach boys !
In round 7 they absolutely destroyed the hapless Macquarie Uni side 57-0 , and a few weeks later picked up a solid 44-24 win on the road at Burrows Park vs Maccabi , followed by a forfeit win on a Thursday night vs Balmain and a 3 rd win in a row on a road trip to Hassall Park against St Ives .
They picked up their fourth win in a row , it has been several years since they have strung four in a row before having a bye in the final round . They added to the winning streak with a massive 50-3 win over Maccabi at home in the major semi final to secure their first grand final berth
Blacktown Warriors Ladies Day . Credit : Eliescha Louwrens .
since 2016 as well .
And it ’ s just reward after three difficult years including doing a full rebuild of the playing roster last year and major changes on the committee which are now paying dividends for the club .
Experienced long-term clubmen and players Alex Cope , Tim Howard , Tere Toroma , Seremaia Whippy , Jono Louwrens and Tamana Samuelu have embraced the success , and it shows that years of hard work and effort have come to reward them with the opportunity to once again compete in the big dance and represent the Warriors on the big stage for the first time in eight years .
And with the way the Warriors are playing , they have an excellent chance of bringing home their first Meldrum Cup to the western suburbs of Sydney , the true home of rugby .
Ryan Jones , 30 years flying high with Minchinbury Jets
with Matt “ Duck Man ” Austin
I ’ ve been around football my whole life and it ’ s ingrained in me , like many Aussies . However , in my 47 years walking on this planet ,
Ryan before training for his three hundredth game .
I have genuinely never seen where a player started playing sport at one club at the age of four , the same year that the club started , then lasted for the whole duration of the club ’ s history and playing 30 years for the club on the thirtieth anniversary of that club . That is exactly what this next warrior has managed to do .
Plenty of young kids start football the same as Ryan did , when dad took him down to the local club . Ryan won premierships with the club and had some success . He had two wins in division 2 back in 2012 and 2013 , and they won their first Don Feltis Cup men ’ s 1 st division in 2022 - a huge achievement against some of the big clubs in the Penrith competition such as Emu Plains , Windsor , Colyton , St Marys and Brothers .
He has played with and coached some outstanding talented players who have kicked on to the NRL including Tyrone May , Terrell May , Taylan May and Spencer Leniu . Ryan loves the family environment , playing with his mates and coaching the local kids who aspire to make the NRL or NRLW out of the Minchinbury club . There are plenty of them in the club and Ryan has seen a lot of incredibly talented players pull on the Jets ’ jersey .
It hasn ’ t all been smooth sailing for the 303-game veteran in rugby league as he has had two major knee reconstructions . He epitomises what a weekend warrior is and is your typical knockabout bloke who loves playing footy with his mates and giving his all like it ’ s the NRL grand final . He sports an Eminemstyle bleached haircut which takes me back to my heyday playing with the old peroxide to look good on the field !
He has enjoyed playing a mentor style role to the young guys in his team and will continue on his football journey next year in the world of coaching . He will give back to some of the talented young stars looking to play some good rugby league , looking for a crack with a progressive club , with coaching staff and committee members who have their finger on the pulse of what the area and club wants .
It ’ s not easy being involved with rugby league clubs because everyone sees the glitz and glamour of the NRL , grand finals and state of origin matches , but it ’ s rarely spoken about the details of what keeps clubs running . Players like Ryan are at every club .
They give their all on the field , more often than not for the love of the game , and you ’ ll always see them setting up the witches hats , grabbing the tackle bags , picking up the footies before and after training , and just generally helping with
Ryan selling a meat raffle .
the daily stuff that helps keep the club ticking over .
Your achievements on the field , and what you have given to the game and Minchinbury Jets has not gone unnoticed . You will always be cherished by those you have played with and got to know on the field over the years .
Three hundred and three games , well done to this high-flying Jet , Ryan Jones .
BLACKTOWN CITY INDEPENDENT theindependentmagazine . com . au ISSUE 42 // SEPTEMBER 2024 21