More Than Half-Time Entertainment: The Future of Easts

By Angus Hayman

If you spend a Saturday afternoon at Woollahra Oval, one thing quickly stands out. Before the big moments, before the tries and the tackles, it is the kids. They are everywhere. 

Whether it’s another inflatable bouncy castle setup, copping a stray rugby ball while trying to watch the action, or seeing every inch of grass taken over at half-time, it’s impossible to ignore just how strong and vibrant the club’s junior presence is.

The Junior Beasties, including Bays, Breakers and Juniors, are not just part of the halftime entertainment package. They are the heartbeat of the club.

With Juniors Round on Saturday, that connection between the next generation and the current crop of players feels more important than ever. It is not just about watching rugby. It is about belonging to something that stretches across age groups, teams and years.

Few people understand that connection better than Elia Economou or better known as “E”. A long-time Second Grade coach, E is now back at the beginning of the pathway, coaching the Under 11s.

"E"

“The difference is pretty simple,” he says. “With grade, it’s more about man management and detail around the game plan. With the kids, it’s back to basics. Catch and pass, breakdown work, contact, defence technique. Just making sure they’re safe and learning the right habits from the start.”

But even at that level, the goal is bigger than just teaching fundamentals.

“We try to mirror what the grade boys are doing,” E explains. “We use similar calls, similar structures, just simplified. So, when they come through, it’s not foreign to them. They already understand what the club expects.”

It is those small details that build something much larger. The Under 11s are not just learning how to play. They are learning what it means to be part of Easts.

“We’ve got them learning the club song…… well a slightly more age appropriate version of the song”, he says. “We went to State Cup and after every win they’d run back to the tent and sing it. That’s the sort of stuff you love to see.”

Future Wallabies?

That sense of identity starts early and sticks.

“If you put that jumper on early, it stays with you,” Said E. “You don’t really have to think about it later. You just play for it. You see it with the older boys now. It’s second nature.”

On any given weekend, those same Under 11s are ball boys, running messages, or simply sitting on the hill watching closely. Training on Thursdays, games on Sundays, and Saturdays spent at the club. It all adds up. 

“They’re down there every week,” he says. “They watch the 3.15 game, they see the first graders, and they want to be them. That’s what drives them.”

That connection is only strengthened by the players they look up to. Easts’ senior group, including several Waratahs, continue to give back to the juniors in meaningful ways.

E gives a lot of respect to “Guys like Jack Bowen, Teddy Wilson, Michael Icely, they give their time. They come down, they help out, they don’t have to do it but they do. And the kids remember that. They feel like they know them.” 

It is a full circle moment. Many of those players once stood in the same spot, watching and waiting for their chance.

For Tom Girle, that journey has come to life in recent weeks. 

Girle, who made his First Grade starting debut on the weekend, began his Easts journey as a schoolboy 7 seasons ago.

“I joined when I was in Year 9,” he says. “A bunch of boys from school were playing, and it just made sense. Being at Cranbrook, it was the local club.” 

His path into rugby was not a traditional one. Growing up in Condobolin, Girle played rugby league as that was the only option.

“We didn’t really have junior union back home,” he says. “I’d only played bits and pieces through rep stuff. So, coming to Sydney and learning union properly was a bit of a change.”

That transition is something many young players face, but at Easts, the pathway makes it easier to find your feet.

Now, just a few years on, Girle has taken the step every junior dreams of.

“I found out on the Monday that I’d be starting,” he says. “It was pretty nerve-racking. Coming off the bench is one thing, but starting is different. The intensity is higher from the first minute.”

It is a moment that reflects years of development, not just in skill, but in connection to the club itself.

“Running out with those guys’ I was watching when I was still at school, that was pretty special,” he says.

Like many country players, Girle’s support network could not all be there in person, but they were not far away.

“Mum and dad were there, which was great,” he says. “Most of the family back home were watching on the live stream. It’s a long way from Condobolin, but they were all tuned in.”

His story is a clear example of the Easts pathway in action. From junior ranks to Colts, to Grade, and now First Grade.

And for the kids running around at half time, it is more than just a story. It is a blueprint.

That is what makes Juniors Round more than just a celebration. It is a reminder of what sustains a rugby club.

The noise on the hill, the kids chasing kicks on the field, the familiar faces growing older each season. It all feeds into something bigger than results.

Because one day, they will not be watching anymore. They will be the ones out there, with the next group of Junior Beasties watching them.

Get your tickets to Juniors Day here.