2026 Clubs & Community Awards - Finalist

2026 Clubs & Community Awards – Finalist

Stronger Together. Supporting our Community.

Easts Group, together with the Sydney Roosters, exists to create lasting social impact beyond sport and hospitality. In 2025, our Group delivered over $290 million in total socio-economic value, achieving a 3.8x return on investment and positively impacting more than 51,000 individuals.

Our contribution spans grassroots sport, education, veterans’ support, homelessness services, Indigenous engagement, multicultural inclusion, disability advocacy, sustainability and emergency services recognition. Through financial investment, in-kind support, volunteerism and strategic partnerships, we ensure our impact is both measurable and meaningful.

Across our network of Clubs and partnerships, proudly supported numerous charitable and community initiatives, including:

Ronald McDonald House Charities – Easts Group, alongside staff from Waverley Greens, proudly supported the 25km RMHC Walk Me Home event. Positioned at the halfway mark, our team provided refreshments to more than 2,500 participants, offering a much-needed break for walkers and adding enthusiasm with donated prizes. Being part of this impactful fundraiser was an honour, and we are grateful also to have Brydie Parker and Nat Butcher as ambassadors for Ronald McDonald House Charities Sydney.
Sustainability Leadership – Opening the Kingswood Sports Club solar project, reinforcing our commitment to environmental responsibility and long-term impact. More info here
International Women’s Day – Easts Group and Sydney Roosters staff proudly supported events with St Vincent de Paul and the Bondi Junction Business Chamber.
Veterans & Emergency Services Recognition – partnering with the Australian Remembrance Foundation and National Police Legacy Day, honouring service personnel and their families, including hosting 99-year-old WWII veteran Mr Theodore Gordon Darlington at our Anzac Day match. The 2025 Emergency Services Match was a great success, bringing together the rugby league community to celebrate and honour the tireless work of all emergency services personnel, volunteers and first responders, with the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) taking centre stage and showcasing their extraordinary capabilities in a memorable pre-game tribute. The event highlighted the incredible contributions of the RFS and other agencies in keeping communities safe, particularly following recent floods, and united fans and frontline heroes in recognition and appreciation. More info here.
Homelessness Support – Easts Group and Sydney Roosters staff came together again to volunteer and demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the Vinnies Van meal service, distributing over 220 meals to individuals experiencing homelessness in Sydney. Furthermore, St Vincent de Paul featured in the Roosters Community Corner initiative at Allianz Stadium in Round 27, activating their Vinnies Vans within the precinct and hosting partner organisations and volunteers on field. Incredibly, the initiative generated more than $326,000 in direct donations, delivering a significant boost to frontline support services for those in need. More info here.
Gadhu Gathering – we proudly launched the inaugural Gadhu Gathering, a successful three day celebration held during the second week of the NRL’s Indigenous Round, which saw six Sydney-based clubs come together on Dharawal Land in a special three-day festival celebrating rugby league and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. The event was brought to life through the collective efforts of the six Sydney NRL clubs, Destination NSW, the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner, Venues NSW, Greater Sydney Parklands, and many inspiring first nations led organisations and community groups. More info here and video attached.
Domestic Violence Advocacy – Supporting Randwick City Council’s Step Out Speak Out initiative and the Lokahi Foundation.
Youth Pathways & Careers – Hosting a joint careers expo with GSA Insurance and First Nations social enterprise Bandu, supporting senior students exploring future pathways. Staff, including Matt King and Anthony Brooks, were excellent, giving insight into their roles and careers in the Rugby League and the Clubs industries.

Following the tragic Bondi terror attack on 14 December, we stood with our local community, supporting business recovery initiatives, honouring first responders, and using our platform to restore unity and pride. This response reflects our core purpose: to lead with compassion when our community needs it most. More info here and here.

In March, we will proudly mark 25 years of continuous support for the Ted Noffs Foundation at Easts House. This milestone reflects a long-standing partnership dedicated to supporting vulnerable young people facing homelessness, mental health challenges and substance abuse. We look forward to celebrating the Foundation’s extraordinary work and reaffirming our commitment to continuing this important support into the future. Details of a formal celebration event will be announced shortly.

Easts Leagues is not simply a venue or a special sporting group, we are a community institution with a clear and enduring purpose: to build stronger, healthier and more connected communities.

We are excited to announce that easts, representing the Easts Group of Clubs, has been selected as a finalist in the 2026 Clubs & Community Awards.