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Briars Sports

THE BRIARS SPORTING CLUB, being a remarkable Club, had a remarkable birth. Fourteen boys, aged from 9 to 13 years, met on the disused fowl-yard at Bob Clark's place on the 7th August 1918. They were there to inaugurate the Club, which had been the idea of Jack Stone. The first major decision of this distinguished gathering was to name the Club. After much debate, someone suggested the name of Jack's place. Jack being the President, thus a person of dignity, the suggestion had to be considered seriously. The name of the house was "The Briars". Thus the brand new Club was named "The Briars Sporting Club". From these humble beginnings at the end of World War I, Briars has grown into the great club it is today. We have a strong sporting influence in the inner west, with a sporting program including rugby, cricket, hockey, squash, netball, lawn bowls and touch football. In 2005 the Briars Sporting Club amalgamated with Greenlees Park Bowling Club at Concord. Today as Briars at Greenlees we have more than 2200 members, with some 800 members represented in sporting activities. Briars is noted for its strong junior development program, with teams in junior cricket, hockey and Netball competitions and a rugby development program for young children from Concord and surrounding areas.

Sports at Briars Sports

Rugby Cricket Netball Hockey Lawn Bowls Squash Rugby

Briars Rugby Union started in 1918, with next season being 100 years of Rugby at Briars Sports, which is a huge milestone for a proud club. The current home ground is Rothwell Park.

Briars Rugby currently field three senior teams and one u/21’s colts team in the 4th Division NSW Suburban Rugby Union Competition.

In 2015, Briars Rugby made another huge step and begun fielding junior teams. There is currently four junior teams competing in the Inner West Rugby Union Competition and we are expecting to grow in future seasons.

Cricket

Briars Cricket has been another long standing sport at the club. We currently compete in the Sydney Shires Competition as the Burwood Briars and also at the junior level as the Concord Briars in the Inner West Harbour & Northern Districts Junior Cricket Association in Sydney.

The Burwood Briars have eight graded competing senior men’s teams and one u/24’s team. We are the current holders of the Club Championship and statistically the most successful club in Sydney Shires history.

The Concord Briars have been in competition for 13 seasons now and continue to grow. This season we have 44 registered junior teams with two of those teams being made up of girls.

Netball

Briars Netball is the youngest sport at Briars Sports starting up in 2005 at the Senior level. After success in such a short time, a decision was made to progress with junior netball teams in 2012. We now currently compete at both the junior and senior level in the Inner Western Suburbs Netball Association (IWSNA).

Briars Netball has since exploded with the number of participants and today there are over 300 Briars Netballers. We also have our own Junior Academy program that runs each year for kids under the age of 5 to get involved with the sport at a young age. This program has in excess of 100 participants each year.

Briars netball play and train at Cintra Park netball courts.

Hockey

Briars boasts a large hockey club as part of the sports at the club. Briars Hockey competes in the junior and senior level in the North Area Competition as part of the Sydney Hockey Association. We currently have over 200 registered hockey players of all ages, both male and female.

Briars Hockey trains and plays at the new Cintra Park Hockey Centre, which is one of the best facilities in Sydney.

Briars Hockey also now runs a junior program for kids ages 5 to 9 years old called the ‘Minkies Program.’ This is designed to increase the participation of Hockey for future years as it provides a pathway for junior kids in the area.

Lawn Bowls

Briars Sports is the home of Briars at Greenlees bowlers. The bowling club has a rich history dating back to when they first formed in the year 1950. Briars currently compete in the men’s and women’s State Pennants each year. We have over 30 men’s bowlers competing in the Zone 11 pennants and a over 20 women’s bowlers also competing.

Men’s bowls is held on a Wednesday and Saturday whilst the Women play of a Thursday. There are also a number of events held annually by the Greenlees bowlers such as Black Friday.

Squash

Briars Squash made an exciting step recently, which was to amalgamate with Thornleigh Squash in an aim to strengthen Squash at briars and draw increased participants to the sport.

Briars Squash has increased from just two teams to now having nine teams playing in the current competition, the Sydney Spring Pennants.

The home courts are now situated at Thornleigh Squash Centre, after Concord Squash Centre was shut down.