After crossing the city from TG Millner to Woollahra Oval, newly appointed Eastern Suburbs coach Ben Batger said he’s settled in nicely at his new club and seems confident about the challenge ahead. 

Batger spent the best part of two decades playing and coaching at Eastwood, but has shifted to Woollahra to coach a success starved first grade side looking to break what is now a 54-year Shute Shield premiership drought. 

“It’s a really good club that is run really professionally and over the last few years they’ve won premierships in second grade, third grade, first grade colts and the women’s,” Batger told Rugby News. 

“The facilities are fantastic and they are well resourced. They’ve just struggled to get first grade right and that’s what I’m here to try and do.”

For several years now, Easts have been talked about as the team to watch each summer ahead of the following season. 

But despite strong playing rosters and healthy resources at the club, the Beasties have failed to fire repeatedly and missed the playoffs last season, finishing 10th. 

“I don’t think there’s a magic silver bullet that is suddenly going to deliver a premiership but I think there are a couple of things that we can change and I’ve got a few things up my sleeve that I think can help there,” Batger explained. 

“If you look at the last few years, they’ve been unlucky with injuries and they probably haven’t recruited the right players at times, but there is no shortage of talent coming through and a lot of those players have tasted success in lower grades or colts and now they are ready to push into first grade. 

“To be honest, I think I’m going to be the beneficiary of a lot of hard work that has been put into the club across grade and colts over a number of years.”

The knock on Easts around Shute Shield circles in recent years is that players at the club played and trained hard, but at times partied harder, limiting their on field success. 

Batger said he arrived at Woollahra with the same impression, having heard similar rumours but said he hasn’t been able to fault the work ethic of his squad so far. 

“The playing group works just as hard as any I’ve come across in my time playing and coaching in the Shute Shield,” the former fullback said. 

“What I have noticed though is that there are a lot of distractions. It’s not that the players don’t want to work hard, but there is just so much going on around them in the Eastern Suburbs and even at Woollahra Oval. 

“Players finish training and they look up and often a few of their mates are sitting having a beer and a meal at the clubhouse and you can’t help but be a little bit distracted by that. 

“My challenge is to really narrow the player’s focus on the football side and make sure that football is the priority for 10 or so hours a week.”

After analysing Easts’ 2023 season, Batger identified size and experience as two areas he needed to improve on and has looked around the Shute Shield to add to his squad. 

“We’ve recruited strategically. We didn’t just want to bring in anyone, we wanted to bring in the right players in the right positions because they weren’t a bad football side and weren’t that far off this year. 

“It’s not the massive rebuild that a lot of people probably think it is. 

“There are good colts coming through, there are a lot of talented second and third graders who are developing well and they used 55 players this season so a lot of players have had a taste of first grade. 

“But I’ve looked across the Shute Shield to try and bring in some experience and size, including guys that have previously played at the club or who may have finished up in the last few years and a few players like that will be returning.”

Easts have six players contracted at the Waratahs and 10 players in total contracted to Super Rugby clubs and the Aussie 7s, plus a plethora of talent plying their trade at different levels in competitions around the world. 

“I’m considering any of the Tahs’ players a bonus. I’m trying to build a squad that is capable of playing finals footy without any them. 

“But if we start well and put ourselves in a good position, then we might get some of those players back from Super Rugby clubs and overseas and then suddenly we could be a premiership threat. 

“I’m certainly not counting on having those players back though, we need to be good enough to win without them.”

Batger said he expected the competition to be close again, with all clubs looking to mimic the success Randwick had in 2023 on and off the field. 

“It sounds like a lot of teams are recruiting very hard and I’ve been doing the same. Everyone noticed the success Randwick had from having 23 players in every grade and realised that you need a lot of players and a lot of depth to be successful. 

“I also think, again based on Randwick, that a lot of teams will bring players across from the UK to build up their stock.”

Fortunately for Batger, a club five minutes up the road from Bondi Beach shouldn’t have too much trouble doing the same.