by Paul Cook –

Having endured one winless season in his first year as head coach at Penrith in 2013, you could forgive Teki Tuipulotu for thinking that he’d been through the worst at the foot of the mountains. However, after guiding the side to two victories and 21pts in 2014 – with an impressive 13 bonus points in the process – a mass exodus of players in the following off-season left the Emus staring firmly down the barrel once again.

By the final whistle of their final match, they had only a draw with Parramatta to show for their efforts on the ladder, while a 129-0 defeat at the hands of eventual Premiers Eastwood, led to their very existence in the Shute Shield to be called into question. Tuipulotu came out firing in the media in the aftermath, and when Rugby News caught up with him a couple of weeks ago to discuss the Emus’ ‘annus horribilis’, he remained a resolute figure in the face of adversity as he prepared to launch into his fourth season alongside a new co-coach, former Wallaby, Jeremy Paul.

But in a surprising twist, this interview turned out to be his last for the club as he subsequently resigned from his role with immediate effect just a few days ago, of which more later, no doubt.

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Two victories and 21pts in 2014, it looked like Penrith were turning the corner but 2015 brought you back to square one again. What was your overview of the season?

Teki Tuipulotu: “The year before was a good year for us – we were progressing, we were developing and we were building a good foundation – and I thought we were getting somewhere. But we lost a lot of players in the off-season, players that did well and that we were relying on, who, due to circumstances and financial issues etc, went elsewhere, and this year didn’t go accordingly as a result.”

Those losses, particularly given the number and the timing, simply proved to be too damaging?

“It was very damaging to the point that some of the boys were looking at who was leaving and then they were leaving as well – it was a domino effect. As a coach in that situation, what can you do? I wish I had some financial assistance but I didn’t have anything to work with to try and keep any of them on board. It’s very hard because no-one wants to back a losing horse, and that includes sponsorship, so it was always going to be hard.”

Before a ball was kicked you told Rugby News that despite the player losses, you were “hoping we can win a lot more games than we did last year, the aim is between six and ten, and that would mean a really good season.” But in reality, you knew you were in for a hard year didn’t you?

“I knew how hard it was going to be but at the same time, I was trying to be optimistic. If I was to show a bit of weakness, it would have spread all the way through the squad and we’d have been finished before we even started. We had a few injuries as well which didn’t help but I was hoping that the tables would still turn for us at some point. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen.”

In your first year at the club, the Emus also ended up winless but the manner of those defeats were perhaps not as brutal as they ended up being at times this season. Was this the hardest year you’ve had in charge?

“Yes it was. The first year was always going to be a tough year, the second year was about trying to get better players in and progressing and that was on track but the third year was very disheartening and disappointing in many ways. It felt like I’d taken one step forward and ten strides back. It’s hard enough as it is trying to get players to stick together but trying to get them motivated week in, week out when you’re getting beaten like that is tough and it was just a case of trying to survive in the competition.”

When you’re bottom of the ladder and shipping an average of 66pts per game, how do you fire the boys up every week for 18 rounds?

“You’ve just got to find the words within to say to the players and to try and maintain hope because there’s always hope. As long as you keep that, there’s still a game to be played, there’s still another week and you’ve just got to gather round, stick together and get through it.”

Round 14 saw a 129-0 defeat to Eastwood and there was a lot of talk around the traps that this was the end of Penrith – that rugby simply couldn’t continue out West. But you came out swinging in defence and garnered a few column inches in both the local and national press with a few uncomfortable home truths. How do you reflect on that week and those comments now?

“That had been coming for the last 10-15 years, it wasn’t only because of that week, it wasn’t only because of this year. It was time to tell the story because people needed to know what’s happening out at Penrith. What can we do from here on in? What support can we get and from where? Because the talent pool out West is unbelievable and I just can’t understand why they haven’t developed that area as much as they should have.”

Seven days later, you put 17pts past Warringah, who went on to make the finals and a week after that, you got your first points of the season with a 34-all draw against Parramatta. Was the Eastwood match a ‘line in the sand’ for the players?

“They took it upon themselves to dig deep and stick together and that’s what’s it’s all about – you never, ever give up. If you want to turn things around, if you want to succeed, if you want to make it to the next level, you never give up, no matter how bad things get.”

What do you say now to those people who suggested Penrith should simply quit or not be allowed to take part in the Shute Shield?

“Well, they’ve got to understand the story first and foremost. They’ve got to understand what goes on behind the scenes before they make any kind of assumption or form any sort of opinion concerning what happens at Penrith. Before they make any comments about whether Penrith should be in the competition, they’ve got to take a look at where most of the talent is coming from. We shouldn’t be out of the competition, what we need is for the ARU and/or NSWRU to support the West, put the resources in place, get some development officers out here and grow the game.

“What they should have done with grassroots rugby is send some of the Waratahs players out to be affiliated with clubs like Penrith and Parramatta. It doesn’t matter if they don’t actually play because of their professional commitments, but having a marquee player or players as part of the club, visiting training or games, signing jerseys and promoting that club through social media etc, is a way of drawing local boys in and getting them interested in maybe playing rugby. It will sustain the player development of the area, the kids will look up to these marquee players, they will want to go to training to be with these guys and say ‘That’s where I want to play’. It could change the whole system.”

It was a struggle across the club with every grade finishing bottom of their respective ladders and with a total of only one win and one draw to show for it. But the light at the end of the tunnel was the performance of the 2nd grade colts, who achieved seven victories and only missed out on the finals on points differential. Is there hope for the future from the next generation?

“There is, for sure. Penrith fielded five junior teams this year, the under 13’s reached the semi-final and the under 17’s won the state championship and that colts team did well off the back of the hard work being put in at junior level. But it’s 1st grade that needs fixing because it all starts from there. If 1st grade win games then you can start to attract sponsors, players will stay and you create a good culture and a good feeling at the club. As I said, no-one wants to back a losing horse.”

Sione Pusiaki Fifita won the 1st Grade best forward award as well as leading pointscorer after sharing his talents at openside and on the wing – Photo: Nardia Sly

Best/most pleasing performance of the year?

“The draw with Parramatta is an obvious one. The game was actually there to be won but we came away with the draw and to see the reactions from the players at full-time was pretty special. The performance against Randwick earlier in the season, when we went down 31-15, was also good but the game against Warringah a week after that heavy loss to Eastwood stands out. It was pretty neck and neck up to half-time before they went away with about 15 minutes to go to win 69-17. But after a big, big loss like that and a terrible week for the club, the boys showed a lot of character.”

Worst/most frustrating performance of the year?

“Well, it actually wasn’t the 129-0 loss because we had a lot of injuries at the time and we had players doubling up in lower grades and then coming off the bench in 1st grade, which made things a bit harder than they should be. The one that sticks in my mind is the Warringah game up at Rat Park (86-3). I wasn’t happy after that one at all.”

Player/s of the Year?

“Scrumhalf Michael Bayssat got our best and fairest and Sione Pusiaki Fifita was our best forward.”

Rookie of the Year?

“Paula Makasini, a young Tongan player. He’s played Sevens for Tonga and been a valuable asset for the club.”

Anyone to the next level?

“Prop Max Ma’a Nelson got some game time with the Rams development squad but unfortunately, no Emus made it to the NRC this year.”