By MATT GLASCOTT, Gordon president

When someone talks about  the journey from the outhouse to the penthouse, the Gordon Rugby club can relate to that journey . 

In 2018 the club was at  its lowest point at the bottom of the ladder , struggling to field a first grade team, which was beaten by 50 points every game. 

I remember standing on the sidelines watching Norths demolish Gordon 97-14, and thinking to myself, this can’t continue. And it didn’t!  

To have five of our seven teams in this year’s Grand Finals, to be 2020 Club Champions and Minor Premiers, and our first grade playIng in the grand final on Saturday, proves that Gordon are well and truly back to being a force in the Shute Shield. 

The spirit of the Gordon Highlanders is never down for long and I am most proud of the club for what they have achieved in such a short turnaround, led by Darren Coleman. 

Not sure what he has to do to prove himself, but why we are losing another brilliant rugby coach from the Australian Rugby landscape is beyond me! 

Even during the dire days of 2018, our colts were always extremely strong, and they provided a solid foundation for the club. 

I have a strong belief that building a club from top down is not sustainable, so it is a source of great pride that this weekend in the first grade team, there will be six former Gordon colts –  Margin, Lough, Silk, Dempsey, Walton and Quinn, who are in the starting XV on Saturday.   

Our third grade –  ‘2020 Premiers’ – fielded 14 Colts of the 15, while our fourth grade runners-up had 12 former Colts in their XV.   

This is the way to go, and personally, I admire those lads who stuck it out through the tough times, and now, fortunately, are being rewarded by representing the club in grand finals. 

 This revival has meant so much, not just to the players, but to those Gordon supporters, who are there in good times and bad. It tells a lot about the character of a club, when it’s going through tough times. 

I am grateful and appreciative  that we have very loyal and generous supporters in our members ,sponsors, our wonderful volunteers, the FOGS ( Friends of Gordon) and our Foundation members, who backed and helped fund a three-year strategic plan presented to them at the end of 2018.  

These people are the lifeblood of Gordon, and I am so happy for them, that they can enjoy  the success of  the Gordon  Rugby Club in 2020. Up Gordon!

IMAGE: AJF PHOTOGRAPHY