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Peter O’Meara, a major player in turning the Emirates Western Force from a concept into an extremely successful Investec Super 14 team, has resigned as RugbyWA Chief Executive.
O’Meara became CEO in March 2005 and, before the end of the year, a competitive professional team had been assembled and the biggest sponsorship portfolio and membership base of any Australian Super 14 team had been secured.
The Emirates Western Force went on to become a serious semi-finals contender in only its second season, while RugbyWA posted the biggest full year profit of its Australian competitors.
O’Meara said he had been looking to extend his existing contract beyond March – when it is due to expire – but only for another year.
However, the Board of RugbyWA wanted a commitment of three years, a commitment O’Meara was not prepared to make.
“There were some things that I wanted to see through to their completion but beyond that I had my eye on trying my hand at something else,” he said.
“The Board wanted the same person in the role for another three years and my horizon was a bit shorter than that.”
O’Meara said it had been a privilege to be part of RugbyWA’s early years of professional rugby, and he would look back on his tenure with great pride.
“In a very short space of time we were able to recruit and then relocate a playing group that was competitive,” O’Meara said.
“We were also able to tap into some wonderful corporate support, bringing new sports sponsorship to WA including the leading international airline, Emirates,” he said.
“And then there’s that awesome Sea of Blue, the members and fans of the Emirates Western Force, who made our home games such memorable occasions.”
“All these achievements tend to roll off the tongue after a while but a lot of fine people at RugbyWA and the Emirates Western Force put in a lot of hard work to get us there, and I want to thank them for their contribution.”
O’Meara said he would leave with just two disappointments; that WA rugby did not have a proper, dedicated rectangular stadium in which to stage its games, and was unlikely to have one for many years to come; and that Australia was without a third tier, national development tournament now that the Australian Rugby Championship had been axed.
“I worry about the future of Australian rugby in the absence of a pathway for aspiring footballers around the country,” he said.
“If the game is to become truly national, and if the Wallabies are to become as consistent as the All Blacks, then a third tier of competition is vital.”
RugbyWA Chairman Geoff Stooke said that O’Meara had made a significant contribution to Western Australian rugby and had worked tirelessly to help make the Emirates Western Force the success it had become.
“It was a huge logistical exercise locking in the players, coaching and administrative staff as well as the biggest sponsorship portfolio and the largest membership base, all in a relatively short space of time,” Stooke said.
“Peter has been part of taking RugbyWA from an $800,000 per annum operation to a $22 million per annum business, and he leaves when RugbyWA is in a very sound position both on and off the field.”
“Peter’s reasons for leaving are understood and we wish him all the best in his future endeavors and thank him for his significant contribution.”
O’Meara will leave RugbyWA on Friday 18 January.
Stooke said the General Manager Community Rugby and Junior Development Mitch Hardy would take on the role of acting CEO until a replacement is appointed.
He said the search for a replacement would begin over the next few weeks, with a decision more than likely some months away.