Iona College and Sydney Roosters join forces in new rugby league partnership
Iona College and NRL powerhouse the Sydney Roosters have come together in a new strategic rugby league partnership to create enhanced pathways into the NRL for Iona’s rugby league student athletes.
Trevor Goodwin, Principal of Iona College and Jake Friend – Head of the Sydney Roosters Academy
This partnership, announced to the Iona community this afternoon before the Round 1 AIC rugby league game against Marist Ashgrove on Davine Oval, will see the Sydney Roosters Queensland Academy based at Iona for at least the next three years.
The Sydney Roosters will provide qualified academy and development staff to support Iona's rugby league and High-Performance Sport programs, and facilitate unique experiences for Iona students and staff, including access to mentoring opportunities through current and former players.
The collaboration will include comprehensive upskilling and professional development opportunities for Iona coaches, along with special coaching sessions delivered by Roosters coaches for Iona rugby league squads.
Iona College Principal Mr Trevor Goodwin said the partnership with the Roosters was built on shared cultures and values, and a dedication to providing opportunity to those pursuing excellence.
“Iona is based in a rugby league heartland, so we are thrilled to formalise this partnership with the Sydney Roosters, one of the most successful clubs in NRL history,” he said.
“This partnership is a genuine collaboration to provide our students and coaches with unparalleled access to elite coaching, facilities, and mentorship opportunities for those aspiring to career pathways in the NRL.
“The partnership aligns perfectly with our commitment to excellence in both education and sport, and we look forward to seeing our students benefit from this direct pathway into professional rugby league.
“We are delighted to see recent Iona graduates Max Plath and Harrison Graham succeeding in the NRL, and hope this partnership will enable more Ionians to achieve their dream of playing in the NRL by giving them access to one of the best rugby league systems in the world.”
Iona and the Roosters were already linked through Iona Old Boys Jared Warea-Hargreaves who, after graduating from Iona in 2006, went on to become the most-capped Roosters player of all time.
Warea-Hargreaves is a Roosters legend. In an incredible career, ‘JWH’ played 310 NRL games for the Roosters, winning three premierships, and a remarkable 33 Tests for New Zealand.
Jared’s golden run of success continued just weeks ago in the English Super League, where he won the Challenge Cup Final with Hull Kingston Rovers in their 8-6 victory over Warrington.
Current Chairman of the Queensland Rugby League Brian Canavan is a former Roosters CEO and a former teacher at Iona.
Anthony Brooks – Sydney Roosters Community Manager, Jake Friend – Head of Sydney Roosters Academy, Trevor Goodwin – Principal of Iona College, Brent Webb – Sydney Roosters Recruitment Manager, Tatum Sinclair-Harris – Sydney Roosters Men’s Pathways Manager and Mitchell Aubusson – Sydney Roosters Head of Football
Roosters Director of Football Mitch Aubusson said the club was excited by the partnership with Iona, and the opportunity to offer genuine development pathways to the College’s league players.
“Iona College has a proven track record of developing talented athletes, as evidenced by players like Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and most recently in the NRL with Max Plath and Harrison Graham,” he said.
“We're committed to working closely with their coaching staff and students to create pathways that can benefit both organisations and Queensland rugby league as a whole.”