Chairman Kevin Russell, along with John Hillen, Club Treasurer bestowing Life Membership awards to three of our club greats and celebrating their invaluable contributions to Joondalup Brothers Rugby Union Football Club.
Life Membership is the highest honor for any club person to receive and is awarded periodically to members for outstanding contributions to the club over a continuous period of membership of at least 10 years.
There are four areas of contribution to the club (or the game) that are assessed:
- Playing
- Coaching/Managing
- Administration (eg. Club; RWA; RA; IRB)
- General contribution (including advocacy on behalf of the club, funding (benefactor) fund-raising or anything else of significance that the Club Executive and/or Life Membership Committee may deem relevant.)
A nominee must have made an outstanding contribution (high quality and high impact) in at least one of these areas and a significant contribution in at least two of the other three areas or a contribution deemed appropriate at the discretion of the Life Membership Committee.
This year we have deemed it appropriate to take the unusual step of awarding life membership to 3 of our valued members who met these most stringent criteria for more than a decade.
It is our pleasure to commend you, Anthony Wall, David Wells, and Liam Smyth as recipients of the club’s highest honor for their high-impact quality service to the club over the past decade and a half.
4 - David Wells (Wellsy)
Dave has recently stood down as the club’s Director of Rugby. A position he has filled over a number of years with aplomb, enthusiasm, and determination.
Dave was our first home-grown premier grade head coach following a very successful coaching career, spanning over 10 years, in the Junior division and reaching a number of consecutive junior finals. He served us with distinction early in our elevation to premier grade status.
During his time with us, Dave has also served as a very successful sponsorship coordinator and planned and executed one of our most successful golf days characterized by high participation not only from within the club but also from a wide range of stakeholders in the Rugby and business communities. The result was a great day and a record revenue delivered.
As Junior Coaching coordinator, he was the architect of the very successful academy program to raise the standards and develop the capability of our junior players and coaches. The academy is now in its 12th year.
More recently while he was premier grade head coach and subsequently Director of Rugby, he initiated and entrenched the annual practice of delivering the Brothers Academy programs for coaching and player skills development. This legacy is the foundation upon which the club is building its success for the future.
Dave instigated and developed the Joondalup Brothers Handbook, still a useful guide for all new and existing members;
Dave was and still remains the driver of our club website. He collates and updates all the information and historical facts and figures;
Dave was the driver of the club’s “Centurion’s Club” for 100 Game Player caps & other key milestones, something he has continued to maintain and update.
Dave was also responsible for creating & delivering the “100 Club” which, is to date, still the club’s biggest sponsor.
Dave was very involved in the initial construction of the clubhouse, where we now stand, securing various elements, including the bar & trophy cabinet, the furniture, roof & paving extensions, and the Canteen oven & BBQ at little to no cost.
He transitioned the U6 to U12 training to Mondays & Wednesdays as the club continued to grow.
Dave is a Centurion coach with 146 senior grade games coached, which includes 106 premier grade games. He has also coached over 200 junior games.
Dave has also made a significant contribution to the wider rugby community having coached over 50 representative games with state and regional teams. Most recently he lead this year’s very successful Schoolboys & U18s team.
It is clearly apparent that Dave Wells has contributed unquantifiably to this club for the past 20 years of its 24-year history. Dave is the embodiment of a “Clubman” and it gives us great pleasure to present Dave Wells with his Life Membership pin.
5 - Anthony Wall (Walle)
Anthony has served the club with distinction as a coach, team manager, senior president, and chairman of the club at various times over the last decade and over a significant and challenging period of the club’s rise and growth from a third-grade club to a Premier Grade club to be the force that it has become;
He has also made a significant contribution to the game of rugby in WA as a highly respected member of the RugbyWA Community Rugby Advisory Committee.
Unbeknown to most of you, is the fact that Anthony has been an ongoing financial benefactor of the club and we have benefitted significantly from his incredible kindness and generosity over several seasons;
Finally, Anthony ticks the box as a player as well, having graced us with his impressive rugby skills in the Thirsty Thirds and in many other social rugby competitions.
It is quite clear that Anthony is a highly committed club man and has contributed immeasurably over the last decade in his intelligent, focused, respectful and quiet way and so it gives us great pleasure to present Anthony Wall with his Life Membership pin.
6 - Liam Smyth
Liam is an absolute stalwart in the club, never shying away from the tough assignments
Liam has distinguished himself in several club roles, as a coach, team manager, Junior President, Senior President and Chairman at various times over the past decade and a half.
When coaching, Liam would always organize an end-of-year tour down south which included a few age groups. These tours were always the highlight of the players and more importantly the dad’s year.
However, it is his dedication, tenacity, skills in stakeholder management and advocacy where he has made the most significant impact for the club. When the going was tough and when the club at times was facing significant challenges and obstacles, especially in terms of our tenancy at the Arena and the relationship with VenuesWest and the City of Joondalup, he has managed on several occasions through difficult periods to extract significant concessions and financial benefits for the club.
Liam, over the years, has also delivered some very successful Formal club dinners with special guests such as Richard Hill – Former England & Lions player, Bob Dwyer – Former Wallabies Coach, Tim Horan & Rod Kafer – Former Wallabies.
Those of you who know Liam would be aware that he lives and breathes Joondalup Brothers and has contributed massively to the club for 17 years and so It gives us great pleasure to present Liam Smyth with his Life Membership pin.
