The new era at Randwick Rugby Club is well and truly underway, with the announcement today that successful 2018 Colts 1st Grade head coach Hadley Jackson has been promoted to the role of 1st Grade head coach for the 2019 Intrust Super Shute Shield season.

The appointment comes hot on the heels of the arrival of former Brothers, Warringah and NSW Country Eagles coach Ben McCormack as Club Coach, and must whet the appetite for all Wicks’ supporters that the combination of two such hungry, young talents can be the catalyst for a reversal of fortune from the disappointments in grade footy this year.

A former flyhalf with West Harbour and Northern Suburbs, along with Counties Manukau in New Zealand’s NPC (now the ITM Cup), kiwi-born Jackson has already received plenty of plaudits for his fine work since moving into the coaching side of the game.

He began his career on the other side of the white line with the Galloping Greens back in 2015, where he led 2nd Grade side to successive grand finals, and lifted the Colin Caird Shield in style in 2016 with a comprehensive defeat of arch-rivals Eastern Suburbs.

That catapulted him onto stints in charge of NSW Rugby’s Gen Blue program in 2017, and various coaching and high-performance roles back across the ditch with Counties Manukau. But it was his work on his return to Coogee Oval this season with the Wicks’ next generation of players, where he led 1st Colts to an undefeated Premiership that helped the club lift the Colts Club Championship, that made him the obvious candidate to take the next step.

“As a club, we have acted swiftly in Hadley’s promotion to the top job, with the board unanimously supporting the recommendation from Club Coach, Ben McCormack,” said Club President and former Rugby World Cup winning coach, Bob Dwyer.

“In Hadley’s past three seasons at the club he has carried with him a winning culture, making three grand finals and winning two of them in comprehensive style.

“What he has been able to achieve in the Colts program in 2018 has given the board a great deal of confidence that we can continue to nurture and develop our players and take them to the next level, which Randwick is renowned for.

“Both Ben and Hadley will work closely together in the coming weeks to finalise the playing rosters and coaching panel across all grades.”

For Jackson himself, being handed the reins at one of Australian rugby’s most historically decorated, and arguably most iconic club, is an opportunity that he doesn’t take lightly.

“Randwick Rugby has such an important place within the community and to have the responsibility to lead the First Grade program is an honour and privilege,” he said.

“Seeing first-hand how much these young players love putting on that Randwick jersey, there’s going to be plenty of players putting their hand up in 2019, and we want a really competitive environment across the entire club – that’s what will drive success for us in the top side.

“We have had a lot of top coaches across the club over the years, who’ve laid the foundation for these players to be able to go out there and do what they love doing. My job is to make sure we give them every opportunity to play at their best.”

Jackson officially begins his role this Monday 22nd October.