Rugby Union: Garry Walsh set to retire from North West Development Manager posting

Next month, after eight years in the role, Walsh, or 'Walshy' as he is affectionately known around the rugby traps will retire as NSW Rugby's development manager for the region.

He cited a few reasons for the decision.

He has few big family milestones coming up in 2022 that he wants to be able to devote some time to.

It was also an opportunity to take a bit of a step back.

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"I've sort of been here eight years and sometimes you start to wonder whether you're banging your head against a brick wall or not and it might be time for someone else to take up that challenge," he said.

In saying that he has "thoroughly enjoyed the role" and said to be involved in rugby "as a full-time career" was "just a dream come true".

But it might never have happened if a "little kid" hadn't come up to a then-teenage Walsh at a league event and asked him to partner him in the three-legged race.

That kid was none other than Gary Ella - the youngest of the magical Ella brothers, Walsh adding that Ella carried him across the line to victory.

"He said come down and have a gallop, so I left league and went to rugby, played with Clovelly, and just had a great time," he recalled.

When a back injury forced him to hang up the boots, he moved into coaching. Starting out with Easts, he then "headed bush" to Parkes and then Tamworth, where he linked up with Pirates and coached them to four Central North premierships including one with his son Jack in 2009.

One of the highlights he will take away from the last eight years is the initiation, and success, of the Friday night North West Youth Competition.

"When you look back on what we've done and where we've come from as a sport here in the north west I think we're one of the beacons," he said.

"We've taken a youth competition where there's kids aged between 13 and 18, from playing rugby on a Saturday in a 17s and under-19s comp, from 80-odd players, and 14-year-olds playing on a Sunday, which is about 40-odd players. We've taken that to, including New England, just short of 2000 boys and girls that are now playing the game in that space."

He acknowledged a lot of credit belongs to Central North juniors president Renee Park and New England counterpart Simon Stuart.

"They've been visionary and they've been supportive; they've been the two drivers, I've just chipped in and given them a hand where I can," he said.

But there is still a lot of work to be done with the transition from the youth to the senior competition not reflecting the growing interest. There was no colts competition at all this season.

Walsh sees that as the biggest challenge - getting those top-age players into senior rugby.

"We need more collaboration particularly for this youth competition to continue to grow because the seniors need the youth guys to fill into their ranks and the juniors need the seniors to fill some coaching roles and support mechanisms because the game has grown so quickly," he said.

"It's a real challenge for everybody but the outcomes are going to be great if we just persevere with it."

He also believes the women's competition needs to expand to 10s, which they are looking to do.

The third thing is improving the standard and numbers of referees. They have taken the first step introducing a referees academy.

As for the future, Walsh has plans to "do a bit of tripping" - he brought a caravan the other day - but won't be lost to the game.

He'll still do some referee and coach education on a casual basis with NSW Rugby and is interested in the new part-time competition manager job for the youth, and Sunday junior, competition, which Park and Stuart have lobbied NSW Rugby for.

And he'll be no doubt popping up around Pirates.

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