Eastwood Rugby’s 1st grade Coach Ben Batger has informed the Club that 2023 will be his last season in charge of our flagship team.
Ben has adorned our Club for decades. He came to the Woods after a stellar schoolboy career and over the next decade was a fixture in the 1st grade side winning multiple Shute Shields. His representative career was equally glittering with stints in the Australian Under 20s, Brumbies and Waratahs, as well as time in both NZ and Italy.
Moving into the coaching ranks with Eastwood back in 2017, Ben served first as assistant to John Manenti, and then moved into the Head Coach role in 2019. It’s hard to go past the 2020 Grand Final where we were beaten on the day by a strong Gordon side, but where with an ounce of luck, things could have turned out differently.
The Board wishes Ben all the very best for the future and appreciates his early advice so that the Club can put in place suitable arrangements for next season.
In the meantime, everyone at the Woods is 100% determined to do everything we can to put another Shute Shield on the mantelpiece.