Players and coaches come and go. This is just a part of any elite modern rugby club. At the Sydney University Football Club (SUFC) we have had a habit of developing players for higher honours. But now, a former player who really developed his coaching skills away from the club has made a full circle and once again has landed at Camperdown.
A second generation Italian-Australian whose forefathers hailed from Brescia Italy. Who received his rugby grounding at St Joseph’s College. Who played for the Students back in the late 90’s and retired mid 2000’s. Was introduced to the coaching scene actually by accident. A licensee of the grandstand bar above No1 oval and the HQ Bar now known as our post game watering hole the Camperdown Hotel. An establishment where many after game tales and players shenanigans would make a fitting sequel to *National Lampoons Animal House.
The family name Manenti may not ring a bell to everyone at SUFC. But for rugby tragics John Manenti’s return to Australia’s oldest rugby club after an absence of nearly twenty years heralds a new era.
With a curriculum vitae encompassing Shute Shield titles with Eastwood, club championships, Australian club championships,coaching the Wallaroos, Olympic men’s and women’s teams, Australian under 20’s squads and lately in San Diego with Major League Rugby, our club is so fortunate that the timing was right for the return of il Signore Manenti.
“Timing was really good. I was coaching overseas in the MLR. The team got sold and I was looking for another opportunity.”
It was virtual sliding doors moment for John Manenti to land back at Camperdown. “This position came up literally in that transaction window over there.”
With Shute Shield coaching enough to give coaches heartburn at times, John Manenti sees the challenges awaiting him with the metamorphosis of the Sydney club rugby scene. “We have other clubs over the last five to ten years who have aligned with Universities and some who are quite strong financially. There’s different pathways for up and coming players to start their Sydney rugby careers. We no longer have advantages over other clubs.” With a levelling of the playing field the challenge is there waiting to be grabbed.
Manenti could have signed up with another club with ample resources and elite players to work with whether domestically or abroad. But he can identify the untapped potential awaiting in our ranks. “Being a University club we are naturally very fit. I am an old front rower. I would like to see a good set piece established and play to the open space. Kicking and box kicking is part of the game but I would like to see players back themselves and look for the space.”
Developing skills appears a key focus of Manenti’s. “I want to develop players who have similar strengths so that they can move up a grade or to that next level whether it’s first grade,second grade or colts’’
Over the past two decades the University set piece was the envy of Sydney club rugby. Five metre rolling mauls from line outs were likely to result in five points. Not so lately. The old front rower in Manenti is about to change that. “It is important we lift our set piece superiority.”
Technical and tactical nous is important but the veteran coach also considers that a happy club off the field is pivotal to success. “Just from talking with some of the players they can’t praise enough the work last season’s club Captain Max von Appen did for the club in creating a great vibe here.” With the Abbott & Costello halftime antics at home games assisted by Von Appen’s sidekick Harry Jeffrey, there appears likely more *tomfoolery will be in stall at home games.
There are no grand plans to cast a wide net to recruit players. The nature of next season’s rules governing the competition thwarts any stacking of sides with representative or overseas players. The focus will be on working with what players we have .
“We have the foundations there and this develops through learning and experience over time. The average age of our first grade was twenty three last season. Warringah’s average age was twenty seven,” said Manenti.
With preseason ready to start in a months time, The Godfather is likely to make us an offer we cannot refuse.”I want the players fit to play for space. Maul well, shift the attack when required and play to a style we enjoy.”
With those final words the season ahead looks optimistic for the Students under the stewardship of coach Manenti.
*Animal House-1978 American comedy film about a trouble-making fraternity whose members challenge the authority of the dean of the fictional Faber College.
*Tomfoolery – silly behaviour