Bulldogs to finalise agreement with North Coast

Spoonman84

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CANTERBURY Bankstown Rugby League Club chief executive Andrew Hill and NRL star Aiden Tolman will be in Port Macquarie next Wednesday to formalise an agreement between the Bulldogs and the North Coast Region.

A first grade front rower with the Bulldogs, Tolman, who hails from Hat Head, started playing rugby league in the region. He represented North Coast as an under 18 before heading to Canterbury. Group Three Rugby League chairman Wayne Bridge will be at the signing along with the presidents of the Group Three and Group Two junior leagues. East Coast Region community engagement sports officer Dave Hamilton is also expected to attend.


This will be the culmination of negotiations that started earlier this year.

Andrew Hill, Canterbury recruitment manager Mark Hughes, board member and former coach Chris Anderson and pathways performance manager Andy Patmore along with Country Rugby League operations manager Bert Lowry met with Group Three senior and junior officials to discuss the plan. They later met with Group Two officials.

Mr Hill told the Times the meeting in Taree was ‘very positive.’

Group Three chairman Wayne Bridge said all the details have been finalised.

While the partnership will have an emphasis on the region’s junior leagues, Mr Bridge said there will be benefits for senior clubs in terms of coaching and training courses, while under the plan promising juniors would stay in this area instead of relocating to Sydney while still at school.

Mr Hill said the long term strategy is to get more boys and girls playing rugby league.

"And keep them at home longer, they’ll complete their schooling and stay at home with their parents,’’ he said.

“This isn’t about solely looking at the best kids and getting them ready for Sydney. This is an NRL club understanding that we have a broader responsibility for the game. It’s a long term strategy and a responsibility shared between the Bulldogs, local rugby league and the Country Rugby League.’’

Mr Hill added that the Bulldogs could use to area for pre-season camps or to play trial games.

“It’s not goo saying ‘yeah, we’ve got that area’, the club needs to be seen,’’ he explained.

Mr Bridge understands the agreement will initially be for five years, but added the Bulldogs are looking long term.

https://www.manningrivertimes.com.a...n-to-sign-on-with-north-coast-region/?cs=1593
 

Alan79

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It's good that we're taking a positive approach to grass roots of league. The last administration couldn't give a shit about our juniors let alone helping to maintain / grow the game elsewhere.
 

Mr Invisible

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I mentioned this a while ago (when we picked up that other contract), that we need to look at regional/country rugby league and alliances there.

Smart move this one.

Now time to make a similar alliance in the Riverina area... get Mortimer talking to some connections down there.

North Coast, Riverina, and those schools in Qld, plus the other alliance we made (it escapes me now), would have us setup with a good chance of snaring quality juniors.
 

ALX25

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Excellent news.
 

Spoonman84

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They have also overhauled the whole Canterbury-Bankstown juniors aswell. In regards to junior development the club has been very proactive in getting a good breeding ground and we will just have to be patient until it starts baring fruit.
 

Kelpie03

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I just hope that the move is not the result of the NRL hinting that our club may be reallocated in the future.
 

ALX25

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I just hope that the move is not the result of the NRL hinting that our club may be reallocated in the future.
Not at all, just most NRL clubs are establishing links with different regions.
 

bricktamland

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Oh
I just hope that the move is not the result of the NRL hinting that our club may be reallocated in the future.
100% gurantee our club will never relocate or merge, one of the most successful clubs , 8 premierships , numerous grand final and final Appearances and a very rich club. Our fan base is big too plus our numbers crowd wise are rather modest compared to the other fans. Imagine being a parra fan
 

Kelpie03

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Just can't ignore the damage done to our club in the past, by the various interests.
 

Spoonman84

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Just can't ignore the damage done to our club in the past, by the various interests.
On field damage is very different to off field damage. The club is in a very very strong position off the field.
 

dogsballs

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I like this! Can Coffs Harbour be friends with the Bulldogs again? I use to love the regular trial games at the stadium, we all know why this ended :(
 

CroydonDog

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I like this! Can Coffs Harbour be friends with the Bulldogs again? I use to love the regular trial games at the stadium, we all know why this ended :(
Coffs is in Group 2, who are included in the deal from what I'm reading above. Interestingly, its also Russell Crowe country. Doesn't he bankroll the the Orara Valley Axemen?
 

Vlasnik

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I'm all for growing the game and I like what our club is doing for country footy but I can not shake the feeling that arse holes like Greenturd and Bite me will some how take the credit while be littling us in the process as per usual.
 

liljohny

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Its initiative like this that is moving us in the direction of what the bulldogs is about and what is an absolute must to be successful (unless of course your the roosters). That is, producing our own champions and having a plethora of young talent coming through the ranks. Over the last 40 years every time we have been successful its on the back end of building from the bottom up and only buying players where there are deficiencies.

This is exactly what the Storm have done and why they have been so successful over the past 20 years.

When you always have red hot talent coming through the ranks you don't have to fear the likes of the roosters poaching your talent because there's always someone to replace them.

This is exactly what we lost under the leadership of Dib, Des and Rae Rae.
 

dogsballs

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Coffs is in Group 2, who are included in the deal from what I'm reading above. Interestingly, its also Russell Crowe country. Doesn't he bankroll the the Orara Valley Axemen?
That’s awesome go Coffs! Yes Russell Crowe has a house in Nana Glen just west of Coffs I’m not sure how much he has to do with the Axemen these days, I live in Coramba which is part of the Orara Valley been out here less then a year now and I noticed his old band Name TOFOG is gone from the sports ground sign recently but that may not mean anything.
 

Mr Invisible

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Lots of undiscovered talent in the country leagues.

That’s awesome go Coffs! Yes Russell Crowe has a house in Nana Glen just west of Coffs I’m not sure how much he has to do with the Axemen these days, I live in Coramba which is part of the Orara Valley been out here less then a year now and I noticed his old band Name TOFOG is gone from the sports ground sign recently but that may not mean anything.
@dogsballs .. beautiful area up there!
 
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