By PETER GREAVES

The cycle of planning and preparation for the 2020 season began as soon as the previous year ended, and one of our first tasks was to elect our new committee.

Once again and with great pleasure we assembled a very large committee, balanced in age, gender and experience, something that is essential for a club to grow, be healthy, and to advance the game of Rugby in Goulburn.

One of the first tasks of the committee is the nomination and affirmation of new Life Members each season. After being voted in at the 2019 AGM, this year we applaud the achievements of Greg Hucker, Matt O’Rourke and Ben Pearson. All are well-deserved and are welcomed additions to our Clubs History. Thanks for your service.

This year started off with the worrying decision whether to go ahead with the grassing of “Klem Field”, or to hold off for better seasonal conditions, due to the severe record drought. Fortunately, this decision was made much easier due to the external pressure being applied by Council for us to exhaust and finalse our Grant’s Budget. 

With the decision made to proceed, a small but dedicated team of workers made it happen. I must give special mention to the main movers and shakers in this task, Sam and Nick Tabner, Matt Klem, David Anable and Shaune Martin. Shaune, who at our most recent “Presentation Day”, was named club person of the year for his dedication and professionalism as groundsman at Poidevin Oval.

Looking forward, few could disagree that the new Field would now have to be one of the best playing surfaces in Goulburn, for any code and we all look forward to its official opening in early 2021.

With the completion of the new field, things were starting to look rosy for the commencement our 2020 season. Strong interest was shown at the Junior level and there was great optimism that we may have the numbers for a woman’s 15 side for the first time. Then Covid-19 reared. At first impressions, it seemed that the promising season that was, would be ended before it got off the ground.

Initially there was much doubt whether any rugby would be played at all, but contrary to what was happening around us, our teams stuck together and  adapted to training with social distancing being the new norm under the Covid regime, and I believe we grew stronger as a club throughout the whole ordeal. So much so that we fielded seven teams this year with some of the strongest sides seen for many years.

Our Juniors covered the 14’s, 15’s,16’s and 18’s age groups, with most teams making the finals series, two teams making the Grand Finals, and the U15’s winning their G/F, congratulations men well done.

Also much kudos to our woman’s team, who for the first time appeared in the 15’s competition, they had a really strong showing and only bowed out in their Finals Series.

And of course, the men were in a league of there own this year, bringing back the silverware in both grades.

Congratulations to all teams involved and an incredibly special thankyou must be given to those who put their hands up to take on coaching roles this year. A huge thankyou also to all assistant coaches, strappers, managers and runners, the club could not function without your support.

The toughest decision we had to make at committee level this year was to not allow our Fizzy Reds competition to go ahead. This was mainly due to Covid requirements and regulations set by Government. The very nature of the contact required between parents, children, and the coaching staff made the competition in our eyes untenable. We sincerely apologise to our Fizzy community for that decision. Hopefully, next year bigger and better!

While we did grow stronger as a Club this year internally we were soon weakened externally by receiving news that our Major Sponsor had made the decision to pull out of their sponsoring agreement for 2020, and most likely 2021. They cited Covid and their loss of income from it as their main reason for pulling out. Therefore, we find ourselves as a club in great need of securing a Major Sponsor for the 2021 season.

A very pleasing highlight of the season was the inclusion of Pearl Rakete into the Brumbies Super W team. Congratulations Pearl

Unfortunately, the men’s Provincial selections did not go ahead this year, but I am convinced we would have had several players with the calibre to advance to that level.

It has been an honour and a privilege to be allowed to lead this great organisation over the past three years, I would like to thank this year’s Committee for the great work and support that you have given to Goulburn Rugby and to me personally.

Many things have been accomplished this year. Highlights for me are the completion of the second field as well as the development and growth of our woman’s squad. The woman’s team is what the club has needed for a long time. You have made the Club a much better place to be around, thank you.

In closing, I would like to thank our many sponsors and friends of Rugby for allowing us all the opportunity to participate this great game.

Yours in Rugby

Peter Greaves
President GRUFC