Queensland Rugby powerbrokers, Chairman Rod McCall, CEO Jim Carmichael and Head Coach Ewen McKenzie will ‘finish the job together’ and are committed to remaining at the helm of the State governing body through to 2014.
Following a record year on and off the field which saw the St.George Queensland Reds capture their first Super Rugby title of the professional era, membership numbers triple and participation figures grow a record 33 per cent, the trio have vowed to stay together to execute their next three year business plan which is focused on further stabilising the game and securing the long term future of the Code in Queensland.
Mr Carmichael said McKenzie’s decision to stay at the Reds through to the end of 2014 is significant, as his coach brings much more to the organisation than just wins on the field.
“Separate to the importance of what Ewen delivers on the field, it’s vitally important for our strategies to be achieved to have a Head Coach who understands what we’re trying to build for this industry and we’re very fortunate to have that in Ewen,” Mr Carmichael said.
“I haven’t been in Rugby very long, but I’m of the firm belief that if we were to have another coach at this stage of our plans, we wouldn’t be able to achieve the same levels of penetration that we’ve experienced over the last two years.
“Nor would I have the same confidence that we can deliver on our next three year strategic plan.
“Ewen’s enthusiasm and involvement around other parts of our organisation include the legacy we intend to leave in Ballymore; which is a very important balance sheet asset we have to get right for Rugby in Queensland.
“Ewen is obviously vital for where we’re taking this Reds playing group and managing the list we have, and also he contributes to the reputation this organisation is building in terms of leading the Code in Queensland well and getting the strategies for our game right.
“For Queensland Rugby to have secured the services of Ewen as Head Coach of the St.George Queensland Reds until at least the end of 2014 is certainly one of the most significant objectives we have achieved during my time here and it is testament to the faith in Queensland Rugby’s future.
“I believe we have a unique relationship between Chairman, Coach and CEO and we want to continue that, and finish the job together.”
McKenzie said his decision to stay on at Queensland Rugby was simple.
“We’ve done a good job the last couple of years, but there’s still a lot of work to be done and a number of challenges ahead in the current landscape,” McKenzie said.
“As you’ve seen, we’re already working around the 2014 window with the recent re-signing of Digby Ioane, Jake Schatz and Adam Wallace-Harrison. We’re currently doing a lot of planning in and around this space and it was an easy decision to give my commitment, along with Jim and Rod, to seeing the job through.
“We have a good idea of what lies ahead and what needs to be achieved in Queensland in terms of the future success of our Code and I have given my commitment to being part of it.”
Mr Carmichael said another major reason the organisation decided it was imperative the trio continues their work together is their proven ability to take pre-emptive measures around what is influencing the Code now - and into the future.
“We have put a lot of time into what happens up to 2014 and what happens after 2014 in terms of what the Rugby landscape may look like, on the field, and off it,” Mr Carmichael said.
“We cannot be in a situation where we’re wholly reliant on the Reds on-field success to keep Rugby strong.”
Mr McCall, Mr Carmichael and Mr McKenzie came together in late 2009 with the Code in Queensland in a state of disarray. The organisation was in financial ruin and the elite Rugby team finished second-last in the Super Rugby competition, winning just three games in the season.
Mr McCall said that after hiring the right people into the top jobs, the initial three year plan to consolidate and reform the Code from the game’s grassroots up was a vital first piece of the long-term solution.
“Steps were made with not only a view to stabilising the game, but trying to rebuild it and fixing it once and for all,” Mr McCall said.
“It was never about having a quick fix and maybe attaining some moderate success and then the next group of people coming in and having their turn.
“It was about putting in the strategies to fix the code and putting pillars in place to carry it towards the next 20,40, 100 years and making sure that Queensland is always that strong base.
“That’s what we’ve started, we’ve had some good success, and we want to finish it.
“Stability in the top three jobs is going to prove beneficial, not only when dealing with the playing group, but also in the governance and reform of our game in Queensland.”
The outcomes of the initial three-year plan for Queensland Rugby were achieved a year ahead of schedule in 2011.
Queensland Rugby achieved its largest growth in recorded history in 2011. Over 136,791 participants enjoyed Rugby in the year the St.George Queensland Reds won the Super Rugby title – significantly up from 102,673 in 2010.
Other notable game development highlights included:
• Reaching 15,000 junior participants for the first time in history (15,726)
• The number of junior teams in Queensland climbing above the 1,000-mark to 1,033
• And a record number of schools (458) becoming involved in Rugby activities.
Queensland Rugby’s market share grew to 32 per cent of the code’s reach in Australia – the top percentage to date - after generating the highest participation levels from the state unions for annual sampling programs Super Rugby Week and Walla Rugby Week.
Queensland Rugby’s pilot Try Sevens juniors program was also a huge success with 12,322 students from 112 schools across the state taking part during last November’s Festival of Rugby celebrations.
Records reached off the field were matched on it in 2011, with Queensland teams recording a clean sweep of the National Championships, with the Queensland Schoolboys, Under 16s, Women’s team and Schoolboy Sevens sides all winning their respective tournaments.
Queensland Rugby also generated a 200 per cent rise in benefits allocated to the community clubs through its “One Rugby Economy” capacity development business unit.
Mr McCall, Mr Carmichael and Mr McKenzie said they are determined to leave a long-term legacy and will continue to work closely together to build the pillars of the game which they believe will future-proof the Code in Queensland.