2022 Shute Shield Season Review: West Harbour
After a slow start to the season, West Harbour dropped just one of their final five matches in 2022 and played the type of rugby that coach Joe Barakat knew his side had in them.
Barakat has stood down as head coach, opening the door for former Warringah premiership player Cam Treloar to take the reigns at Concord moving forward.
Overview with Joe Barakat:
“Unfortunately, we just ran out of time this year,” retiring West Harbour coach Joe Barakat told Rugby News.
“We didn’t have a bad year by any means and to tell you the truth, I always knew that our results would be quite up and down in the early parts of the season. They typically are at any club when you get a new coach and you try to change a lot in a short amount of time.
“But we had the cattle, we had a lot of good footballers at the club and we just didn’t bring them all together quick enough.
“At the end, beating Randwick at Coogee, beating Manly and Warringah at home, drawing with Western Sydney in a game we should have won. That would have been four wins in our last six games and not many sides, besides the grand finalists, finished the regular season like that.
“We were our own worst enemy in the first half of the season, we gave away too many penalties.
“But there were only two games all season where we were beaten convincingly and that was against Manly and Gordon in the first two rounds. Outside of those two games, I reckon we were in the mix after 70 minutes in almost all of our other matches.
“We ended up winning five games and drawing one, then losing countless others either in the final minutes or after the bell so I don’t think we’re too far off.
“It was a difficult year because we really needed to focus on rebuilding the culture and rebuilding the way we wanted to play before we even looked at trying to win games. It was good to see the winning come at the end because I think that showed the work we did at the start was beginning to have an impact.
“By leaving when I did, it allowed some really good people to apply and be appointed to roles for next year and beyond and I’m really excited to watch what Cam can do with the club moving forward.
“I’ve offered to help out wherever I can at the club if they want me next year. I won’t be there three times a week, but I’d be happy to work with the club if and when they want me.”
What needs to happen at West Harbour between now and round one next year?
“I think the club needs to recruit a few good, hard-working locks and a good No.10. There are a lot of really good rugby players right across the club but we were missing a few big locks this year.
“Hopefully Paddy McBryde comes back from Wales and hopefully a few others that left the club will also return. Guys like Jordan Sharp and others, hopefully they’ll realise that the club has changed and there are the right coaches at West Harbour now to help them be aspirational.
“Hopefully Jack Debreczeni can come back when he’s not playing at the Brumbies and play with West Harbour as much as possible. He’s been told he doesn’t need to play club rugby in Canberra.
“If the boys can continue to play the way we played towards the end of the season, I think they’ll be a real force to be reckoned with in the years to come.”
Which of your players do you expect to go on to bigger things from next season?
“I think Justin Masters deserves a crack. He’s one of those players that might make a mistake and lose you a game, but he’ll probably win you three games off his own back as well. He’s a gutsy ball runner and he’s a great defender. He’s got fantastic feet and skills, he just needs to become more consistent and make the right decisions more often.
“We’ve also got a 21-year old Fijian winger named Jiale Dawai who is incredible. He broke his arm in two places in a trial match against Hunter earlier this year and missed most of the season but he’d already scored three tries that game before he got injured.
“He’s a fantastic rugby player and he looks like he’s got spiders on him most the time. He also goes looking for the ball a lot which is great to see in a winger.
“He’s definitely worth keeping an eye on.
“At lock, Cam Signorini came across to us from Manly and I think he’s going to develop a lot over the next two or so years. He learnt a lot off Paddy (McBryde) this year and will be better for it.
“Siketi Tevao is a prop and another 21-year old who came across from New Zealand this year. I hope he makes West Harbour his home for the next 10 years while he pushes and players at a higher level.”
What can we expect in 2023 from West Harbour and the Shute Shield competition?
“I think the gap between the top teams and the bottom teams will narrow even further. They said the average margin in games this year was 10 points, I think it’ll be tighter again next year based on what you saw from sides like us, Hunter and Western Sydney towards the end of the season.
“West Harbour will be in and around the finals if they’re able to hold on to most of the group from this year and if they fill a few key positions. Cam will bring a few guys with him as well, which will help.
“I think we built a really strong foundation right across the club this year. We didn’t forfeit a game in any grade, our colts did really well and I think things are just going to continue to look so much better for the club moving forward.
“We’ll also be back playing at home at Concord Oval, playing out of one of the best facilities in the competition. It’s unreal and I can’t wait for everyone to see it next year.”