NSW Waratahs kick off season with a bang
with Matt “ Duck Man ” Austin
NSW Waratahs had a difficult 2024 season finishing on the bottom of the table in twelfth place . A lot of injuries and young developing players coming through made it tough going for Darren Coleman ’ s side , and a home loss to QLD Reds in round 15 , 27-26 at Allianz Stadium finished off the season with plenty of green shoots for the future .
The appointment of the highly experienced coach Dan McKellar from Leicester Tigers has seen a change in fortunes at Moore Park . McKellar knows his way around the field too , having been in rugby since his formative days growing up in Burdekin in QLD . He played for Burdekin Canetoads in the Townsville Premiership before spending over a decade at Souths Rugby Club in Brisbane , playing over 150 1st grade matches as a Loose Head Prop winning a premiership in 2000 .
He was also a playing member of the QLD Reds rugby squad in 2005 and 2006 as well as playing stints in Scotland and Ireland and dipping his toe in the world of coaching . He had ten years of coaching
Siosifa Amone scored two tries on his debut . Credit : NSW Waratahs .
tutelage in Brisbane , Canberra , Japan and assistant coaching roles with the Brumbies . This helped McKellar get the necessary skills to be head coach of the ACT Brumbies from 2018-2022 , Wallabies assistant coach from 2021-2023 , then the head coach role at Leicester Tigers in the Heineken Cup .
The Waratahs have put together a formidable squad for 2025 with the retention of Tom Lambert , Triston Reilly , Max Jorgenson , Charlie Gamble and the very brilliant young Eastwood fly half Tane Edmed , along with the retention of Beasties quartet Teddy Wilson , Jack Bowen , Julian Heaven and Jack Grant .
They have added to this squad seven former Melbourne Rebels Angelo Smith , Ethan Dobbins , Leafi Talataina , Isaac Kailea , Taniela Tupou , Rob Leota and Darby Lancaster , along with former Western Force players Lawson Creighton and Siosifa Amone .
Amone is no stranger to the Harbour City having attended Hills Sports High School in Seven Hills , which is also the home of former Waratahs and Wallabies captain giant , Will Skelton . The addition to the squad of former Penrith RSL Junior
Rugby club 7s player and Glenmore Park local Joseph - Aukuso Sua ’ alii into a red-hot Waratahs backline has given them extra depth and running options throughout the backline which should see the Waratahs again become a force again in 2025 .
The Waratahs kicked off their 2025 season with round 1 at Allianz vs the Highlanders . The Highlanders quickly blew out to the lead up 12-3 before the Waratahs clicked into gear with a try to Waratahs flanker Rob Leota heading into half time after sustained pressure from the Waratahs , bringing life back into the game and a smile to the face of the 16,034 home fans on Valentines Day . The Tahs were up against it in the second half being up 13-12 at half time and you could cut the tension with a knife with game changing lead multiple times .
It was a huge effort by the Waratahs with number 8 Langi Gleeson running the ball hard all night , leading the way for the Waratahs with 19 runs for 102m and 12 tackles and loose head prop Angus Bell has really stamped his authority in the squad with another solid match with 12 runs for 46 metres in the breakdown .
Debutant Joseph Sua ’ alii had a cracking start with 11 runs for 84m . He positioned himself well in defence and sparked many midfield attacking and counter attacking raids by the Waratahs which led to some great positive attacking moves including a
Waratahs front-row ready for 2025 . Credit : NSW Waratahs .
try to Max Jorgensen in the 62nd minute . Super Sub and big damaging prop Siosifa Amone closed out the game for the Waratahs with a 68th minute try and a try in the 80th minute , which brought the Tahs to within 1 point of the Highlanders before Jack Bowen iced the kick just to the right hand upright .
With a start like this for the season , there is sustained hope for the Waratahs in 2025 of bringing success back to Moore Park .
Sarah Easthope , she ’ s a keeper
with Matt “ Duck Man ” Austin
Everyone remembers the heroics of the Matildas at the 2023 Women ’ s Football World Cup in Australia . They were the pride of the nation . Well , Sarah Easthope is another goalkeeper who hopes to emulate the highs that the football world has to offer .
Sarah started playing football back at Henry Lawson FC in Werrington when she was only six in 2002 . She had great guidance from her football-mad dad Mark , who continued to motivate her . She loved the game and quickly found her way into goals as a keeper . Sarah kicked
Sarah Easthope ’ s diving save for Blacktown Spartans . Credit : Blacktown Spartans . off her futsal journey in 2009 with West City Crusaders .
She has been around for a long time now despite being young . Her career in football has taken her from Henry Lawson FC in the Nepean Football Association , up to Penrith Nepean United , Inter Lions FC , Blacktown Spartans , North West Sydney Koalas , Sydney FC in the W League , Nepean FC . Today Sarah plays with Hills United , where she was captain of the women ’ s 1 st grade side last year . In the world of futsal Sarah has played with West City Crusaders , Mascot Vipers , Enfield Rovers and Dural Warriors .
Sarah is a quality goalkeeper and has also represented NSW at the Futsal National Championships . Sarah has been playing NPL level football for 18 years now and has been playing futsal for 16 of the last 17 years , except for the year she played with Sydney FC in the W League .
She has just been given the honour of being selected in Australia ’ s first Women ’ s National Futsal team which made their international debut in January . Sarah said as a young player she just played football because she was good at it , loved the socialising and just wanted to have fun . As she began playing NPL she just wanted to win and keep clean sheets , then her aspirations were to make W League and the Matildas .
Sarah said that the message she would give to any aspiring female footballers is that football and futsal are more than just sports ; they ’ re pathways to discovering your true potential and your potential is limitless . Dream big , play with heart and never settle for anything less than greatness . This great sport has taught her resilience , teamwork and the strength to rise above challenges .
The world is waiting for you to show what women in football and futsal can achieve . Sarah has taken a step back this season at Hills United , she will be the second keeper for First Grade . She is still a part of the leadership team for the senior women and coaches the Senior Women Goalkeepers .
Sarah has a great relationship with the coaches and they continually communicate to discuss errors and appraisals of things their keepers do in games , that way they can correct the girls ’ errors and credit them for great things they do on game day . Sarah wants to continue playing futsal for Australia . She wants to win the 2025 Women ’ s Futsal Asian Cup and qualify for the 2025 Women ’ s Futsal World Cup . She said she has never been so motivated in her futsal career more than she has in the past year and feels this is just the beginning .
I asked Sarah how much has changed in women ’ s football since she started . “ It has evolved massively since I began . I remember going to school and talking about me playing football and all the other girls played netball or did
dancing . Now I see girls everywhere walking around in Matilda ’ s jerseys . The platforms and pathways for professional football is just evolving more and more with the SAP programs , NPL , A-League , Junior Matildas , Young Matildas and Matilda ’ s giving young girls visible pathways to pursue football seriously . The 2015 and 2023 Women ’ s World Cup were pivotal movement for Women ’ s Football in Australia .”
Playing for Sydney FC making her W League debut , receiving 3 straight goalkeeper of the year awards in futsal and playing in the inaugural Australian Women ’ s National Futsal team in the AFC Women ’ s Futsal Asian Cup and qualifiers are among her career highlights .
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THE HILLS INDEPENDENT theindependentmagazine . com . au ISSUE 117 // MARCH 2025 29