AFTER an “extraordinary” few weeks, new Rosewood Roosters Rugby League Club president Jasmine Hassett is eager to build a platform for future success.
Jasmine has taken over the leadership role from long-serving official Shane Brandley after an AGM and follow-up extraordinary meeting was needed to finalise a committee for the 2025 Rugby League Ipswich season.
“We did have the AGM and it was at the AGM a lot of things changed,” Jasmine said.
“We didn’t have a treasurer at the time so we had to hold a special meeting to find a treasurer.”
The new treasurer is Tayla Callaghan.
Other Roosters committee members are Jasmine’s husband Josh, who is staying on as vice-president, secretary Chloe Collins and assistants including senior player Zac Collins and Blake Paulie.
“It was just time for a new direction,” Jasmine said.
“We wanted a little bit of a change and to see what we can do moving forward.
“It has been a big change for everyone.”
Jasmine wished Shane well, acknowledging his 15 years’ service as a valuable volunteer.
“We are grateful for that time Shane gave us,” Jasmine said.
“We hope to see him around when he can.”
Shane declined to comment on the changeover.
Jasmine has taken on the senior position for the first time.
“It is a big change for me to step from secretary [last season] to the president’s role,” she said.
“But having the right committee behind me is going to push us in the right direction.”
She was encouraged having committee members involved with the club through their children starting as youngsters.
The former Rosewood State High School student has strong family links to the Roosters through her husband and cousins who play.
“That’s our main focus – to get more kids involved, more families involved so the club can grow,” Jasmine said.
“There’s so many kids that want to play footy and we want to keep them local to us and not heading into town.”
Jasmine wants to continue those family traditions across the junior grades and focusing on rebuilding a C-Grade side.
“We are in the process of getting coaches at the moment,” Jasmine said.
“We are having the one senior team this year – stick with C-Grade.”
The Roosters fielded C-Grade and Reserve Grade teams in the 2024 Rugby League Ipswich competition before several injuries took a hefty toll on player numbers.
“We’ve spoken to some of the players who are returning and that’s the direction they want to do,” Jasmine said. “They just want to have a strong senior side.”
The new club president hoped a number of past junior coaches could continue to guide teams from under 6 up to under 14.
“We’re hoping to bring back the ‘Little Chicks’ – for the kids [boys and girls] that aren’t quite old enough to play under 6’s,” she said. “They can still get their ball skills and run around.”
Jasmine said attracting more girls to rugby league was another club focus. Girls can play with boys up to under-12 level.
The Ipswich City Council-maintained surfaces are looking lush after recent rain at the Roosters’ Anzac Park headquarters.
“We’re working with Council at the moment making sure the fields are nice and green and good to play on,” she said.
Jasmine also hoped the club could secure a larger mobile scoreboard for 2025 matches.
“Fingers crossed by season start, we’ll have a new one,” she said.
