Salford Red Devils are delighted to announce a new, exciting, and innovative partnership with Queensland rugby league outfit the Ipswich Jets.
Situated in an area of Queensland that is renowned for its cultural heritage, Ipswich Jets, like Salford, are a community orientated rugby league club, meaning both teams’ values and principles will go hand in hand. This promising linkup will allow the Red Devils and the Jets to utilise future opportunities for player exchanges and to share best practise and knowledge, which will aid coach and player development both on and off the field.
Salford Red Devils Director of Rugby and Operations, Ian Blease said: “When I was in Queensland at the back end of December 2019, I hooked up with the Ipswich Jets Chair Steven Johnson. Travelling on various journeys visiting clubs in Australia, we talked for hours on how both our clubs would benefit from a partnership and how alike our thoughts were on player development, the game in general and how both clubs were very similar on the exciting path of progress that we are both going through.
“This partnership with the Jets will give the Red Devils added elements to our newly designed player pathway and will give our young players the chance to experience rugby league in Australia, whilst also being looked after by an extremely forward thinking and player-caring club, the Ipswich Jets. From my part, this is another exciting partnership that we are building at the Salford Red Devils, with more to come in the future.
“My thanks to both Steven and Richard at the Jets for working with me on this partnership, it is exciting and innovative and will be extremely beneficial for both clubs for many years to come.”
Steven Johnson Chairman of Ipswich Jets said: ” Ipswich is the very heartland of rugby league in Queensland and has been producing the game’s finest players since 1910, from captains of Australia and Queensland, the entire front row of the 1959 Kangaroos, Langer, the Walters brothers, and now the wiz kid Sam Walker. The Ipswich Jets’ proud history of player development is built off the back of environment where the person is always before the player. Building better kids makes it easier to build better players. This partnership is a fabulous opportunity for players not just from both clubs, but for the cities we represent to be better and live their rugby leagues dreams.”
Ipswich Jets CEO Richard Hughes added: “ I was born in England and Ipswich and Salford are truly kindred cities that share the same ethos of hard work and a wonderful sense of community. I can see just how the partnership between the Ipswich Jets and the Salford Red Devils can do not just for our clubs, but to grow the game.
“We are a big brand in Queensland sport and are renowned as the innovators of rugby league throughout the game. For us, the chance to create opportunities for players and to share knowledge and resources is exciting, and working with the Salford Red Devils’ unique platforms, these opportunities will be created not just for players and staff, but for our communities in the roles we both play in the fields of education, vocation and wellbeing.”
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