I start with a cricket story, a few years ago, at a university cricket club in Sydney. We played in the Sydney Shires competition, but were kicked off our grounds. We went searching for other turf wickets across Sydney, but found nothing available. We made the tough decision to pull out of the competition and into the regional Northern Suburbs competition. The club has since grown from one single side to having four grades in 2023.
Now, let’s talk about a rugby club we need to keep going – the Penrith Emus. The Emus were omitted from Canberra’s John I Dent Cup competition after two seasons, and also removed from the Shute Shield in 2018. The ACT & Southern NSW Rugby Union offered Penrith a place in the John I Dent Cup, but their form on the field continued to slide, and there was a loss of support from the John I Dent Cup clubs for Penrith’s continuation next season. However, their Colts and Women’s teams have performed strongly.
The future of the Emus is uncertain. They might drop down and play in Suburban rugby, or they could link up with a planned academy in Western Sydney. There are opportunities available for the ‘battler club’ to come back stronger than ever.
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