FOWRF Directors
Brendan Paddison
Brendan’s business background has been in financial services, specifically, corporate superannuation consulting. He ran and owned his own consulting business for close to 20 years. He played Colts and 200-grade games for Rats and after retiring, was first and second-grade manager. More recently, he has been involved in the Rats as a sponsor and Secretary of the Friends of Warringah since its re-emergence in 2010.
Treasurer
John Heffernen
Forty years working in the paper industry including twenty years as Managing Director of Paperwealth Pty. Ltd. Sixteen years on the Board of Warringah Rugby Club in various roles. Founder of the Friends of Warringah in 1993 and a recipient of Australian Sports Medal 2000. Past President and Life Member of Warringah Rugby Club.
Director
Paul Schober
Paul completed his schooling on the northern beaches attending Narraweena Primary and Manly Boys High Schools. He then completed a Science Degree and a Ph.D. at the University of Sydney. Following a post-doctoral year in Germany, Paul returned to Australia when he took up a position in a publicly listed Australian company eventually rising to the position of General Manager of the Animal Health Division. After taking this division private and then selling it successfully to a multinational veterinary company, he has taken further roles as Managing Director of two Biotech companies.
Paul played for the Dee Why Lions from the age of 5 for ten years in which time he represented the Rats for six years. He began his grade career in 1979 with a season in first grade. He has played around 150 games for the Club with his last (guest) appearance in 2013. In recent years Paul has been a board member of the Club and for the last two seasons, he has been assisting the first grade manager.
Director
Bob Buckingham
Bob is born and bred on the Northern Beaches and has been a Partner in the Chartered Accounting firm Allan Hall Business Advisors for over 35 years. In addition, he is also a Director of a number of “Not for Profit” organisations.
Bob played for the Rats from 1975 to 1986 and then was part of the Colts coaching team for 1987 and 1988. He was the Finance Director of Warringah Rugby Club from 1997 to 2000 and brings to the FOW Foundation his skills and experience in financial management and governance.
Director
Stephen Crawford
Born and grown up on the Northern Beaches, Stephen Crawford owns and operates Col Crawford Motors, a car dealership business his father Col started in 1967. With 8 leading car franchises, the business employs 230 staff, most being local, Northern Beaches people and is well regarded as one of the leading car dealerships in Sydney. Col Crawfords have always been a part of the local community with Col very involved in Rotary in the early days, the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles as well as local Surf Lifesaving Clubs. After a successful season playing for the Sydney sub-district representative side, in 1985 Stephen joined The Rats and played grade football at Warringah for 13 years. In that time Stephen won numerous reserve grade premierships, played in 4 first grade grand finals, was first-grade captain as well as Club Captain. Stephen played 295-grade games, 165 them in first grade for Warringah. He was also a member of the very successful Warringah 7s side of the late “80s. Stephen’s passion for football and Warringah Rugby Club didn’t finish when he hangs up the boots as his 2018 Club Supporter of the Year Award testifies. He is President of Friends of Warringah. He gets involved in as much as he can with the club and Col Crawford Hyundai continues on as a main sponsor of the Club.
President
Stephen Doyle
Stephen Doyle has been a Director of Doyle, Spillane Real Estate since 1983. initially, he was involved with Collaroy Cougars as a parent. Doyle Spillane Real Estate has sponsored the Cougars since 1995 and continues to be its main sponsor. Through Stephens's interest in rugby and his son's involvement as a player and coach Doyle Spillane has been longtime sponsors of the Rats. Stephen was President of the Friends Of Warringah from 2010 to 2015.
Vice President
Rod Macqueen
Rod has had a successful career on the field and off as a legend of Collaroy Surf Club and the Warringah Rugby Club. Rod chaired Advantage Line, a commercial artist by trade, a company he started in 1991 and transformed into a multi-million dollar point-of-sale & merchandising business.
Rod was awarded an AM in 2003, recognising him as one of the most successful coaches in the history of Rugby. As Australian coach, the Wallabies held every championship trophy, including the Bledisloe Cup, Cook Cup, Tri-Nations Trophy, Tom Richards Cup and World Cup. As Wallaby Coach, he had an impressive 81 per cent winning ratio.