Pittwater Online News

June 1 - 30, 2025: Issue 643

Narrabeen Sharks J.R.L.F.C. 2025 A Grade Team 

• Home Ground: Lake Park, North Narrabeen.
• Find out more at: narrabeensharks.com.au
• Updates: www.instagram.com/narrabeensharks2101

The Narrabeen Sharks JRLFC has long been a core of the Narrabeen community, raising generation after generation of powerful and strong players who have gone on to represent the game in the big clubs, at state level and Australia in both the rugby league and rugby union codes. 

Visit:  Narrabeen JRLFC's 90th Celebratory History A Shark’s Tale Book Launch Featured A Legends Q&A With Alan Thompson, Anthony Watmough, Mark Gerrard, Anthony Balkin 

The club is centred in family, instilling loyalty and fitness in young men and now young women to strive to be the best they can in their sport, and to extend that to the way they conduct themselves, and look after each other. The Sharks are a tribe, a family with a team of coaches, managers, and trainers who guide and develop players in what it means to be a Sharkie and who help uphold the core values of the club.

However, they’re not just developing great sportspeople, through a focus on sportsmanship and family, they’re also helping members and supporters be great human beings.

2025 President at Narrabeen Sharks is Isaac Freudenstein.

Isaac Freudenstein, Sharks President

The Freudenstein family has multi-generational involvement a Narrabeen, in the Sharks rugby league club. Isaacs's father Don, who passed away in 2015, is a prior President and Life Member of the club, as his wife Carmel and Isaac’s mum still is. 

Isaacs uncle, John Clarke, is also a Life Member as well. 

The Freudenstein family have also been a long-term part of the surf club and the North Narrabeen Boardriders as well. 

Don was a Director on the Board of NSW Police Legacy from 1991 -1994 and his wife Carmel spent many years as Secretary of NSW Police Legacy.

Serving the Community is in their blood.

This Issue a few insights into the club and the A Grade teams' aspirations from the 2025 Season from Isaac and A Grade coach, Michael Raddisich, 'Mick'.

Isaac, given your grounding and upbringing, was taking on a term as President of the Narrabeen Sharks always going to happen?

In some ways, it’s quite an honour to take on that role – I love the club so anyway I can help out, I’m going to. 

And you have members of your own family playing?

Yes, I have two young sons who are also playing at the club, which is good.

The Sharks have 27 teams playing across all age divisions this Season, including 7 tag teams - are they all girls?

Yes, thee girls teams has been our biggest growth area. The girls tag comp. has really taken off since its inception, which is great.

A few days back we had Manly Sea Eagles players Daly Cherry Evans,  Reuben Garrick, Toafofoa Sipley, Haumole Olakau’atu🇹🇴 and Lehi Hopoate doing some training and giving some tips to the younger girls and boys players, so they are receiving some pretty inspired insights into the game, and loving their season. They helped train the girls tag and the under 11’s. 

What, to you, is the essence of the Narrabeen Sharks?

To me it’s not just a football club, it’s a community. I grew up watching all the older generation and then was lucky to play with some of those A Grade players that I looked up to. It’s the old heads that you’ve got around the club that bring you up – we’re all like one big family and that, to me, is what Narrabeen Sharks is all about.

In talking to the most junior players, the knee-high ones, they all idolise the older players. They know their names, they know how they play, and take them as the example of what to aim for and how to behave...

That’s it – when I was younger I looked up to A Grade, to me they were like NRL players. I’d watch them on a Sunday and think ‘one day I want to play with those guys’. And as I said, I was lucky to do that. You become lifelong friends with all of these guys.

The club has also produced players that are so good they go on to play state and international matches, some swapping codes and excelling there too?

Yes; we do have a long tradition of producing great sportspeople, including a few Kangaroos.

There’s also a Navy element that has evolved in the Narrabeen Sharks – Previous President Shane Bullock is in the Navy, there’s a few new A Grade players this Season who are also part of the Navy and wanted to play with the Sharks because they love their footy …

Yes; that’s right – and I’m in the Navy too.

Is it because you’re beside the water there at Lake Park, or where does it come from?

Our newest Life Member, Jason Quested, who I grew up with, he joined the Navy as well and that was when I decided that I’d join; who doesn’t want to be next to the coastline?

So that phrase ‘once in the Navy always in the Navy’ would apply to the Narrabeen Sharks too – once you’re a part of the Sharks family, you’re always in the family?

Isaac: That’s it – it’s a big brotherhood. 

What are you hoping to achieve this Season sir?

I want an environment where kids can come down and enjoy their footy and learn from their coaches. I want a place where the families can come down and we all are part of this big warm environment where everyone gets along, and I’s just a nice place to go.

A chat with 2025 A Grade Coach: Michael Raddisich

What’s the plan for the 2025 A Grade Sharks Season Mick?

To win the comp. (laughs)

Are there any new players this year?

Yes, we have 4 new players from out of the area who have come to us because they love their footy and want to play. Shane Bullock, former President of the club, got Conner, our front rower, who he was speaking to about playing rugby league. They’re both in the RAN (Navy), so him looking for an opportunity to play was great. He then brought along a couple of his mates, which is good.

All of our other boys were juniors. In fact most of them have played together since they were 7 years old, and progressed into the Opens. 

There was around a thousand people at your last home game and everyone from babies up to grandparents present, and all like one big family. Have you been a member of the Narrabeen Sharks for a while too?

Yes, I’ve been there for years, my daughter plays Eagle tag there. It’s a family club, everyone knows everyone.

When did you start playing for Narrabeen?

I moved over from New Zealand when I was 16 – my parents sent me over to work with my uncle as there weren’t that many opportunities for me in NZ. I started playing with Narrabeen and have played there for most of my playing career up until last year. I’m 42 this year and have played A Grade with them for several years. This year I took over the coaching role from my friend Jamie Van Buuren – he’s been a Sharks Member since he was 15 and completed 20 Seasons of coaching. His son Nathan plays at number 7 in the team and got Man of the Match in that game. He’s a great player.

You were playing Avalon – when was the last time you had a game together?

We hadn’t played Avalon last Season as they didn’t have an A Grade team. A couple of their players that were playing at the June 15 game at Lake Park were playing for us last year, so it was pretty interesting. (laughs)

What have you found to be the challenges in coaching an A Grade Team?

We have training on Tuesdays and Thursdays so working out what we’re going to focus on or need to improve, and how to structure those sessions so it supports what the players need, is one.  

The biggest challenge is picking the team – we have 40 players and you’re only allowed to field 20 to play that day. So you need to try and give everyone a run so they get that experience, but we also want to win so it comes down to me to pick the players that will work well together to do that. 

Our goal for next year is to have two teams; an A Grade and a Reserve team. 

This Season we’ve had an A Grade team stand up as part of the Mona Vale Raiders – the first time in over 20 years we’ve had an Opens team from each Pittwater club, and this has also boosted all the clubs along the peninsula. Is it good having an extra Opens team in?

It’s great. That is why it is such a good comp. this year. The only ones missing from the A Grade division are Christian brothers and Harbord this Season. Last year Harbord had 3 teams and a lot of the guys from Avalon were playing for Harbord because they just love their footy. This year they’ve all buggered off to play for the Bulldogs and Harbord doesn’t have a team.

You’ve only lost 2 games this Season (at time of interview), one against the Belrose Eagles and the other against Asquith, both of which have been trounced by the Bulldogs in their match-ups. But then you beat Avalon in your first game together this Season – we don’t want to put the hex on it like they did with the recent Origin game – but who do you think will make it through to the pointy end of the Season?

The Belrose game, we just had a shocker, but they’ve lost a few players to injury since and are struggling now. I think there’s four teams we’ll see after more rounds – Avalon is definitely up there, but Asquith as well, and also Cromer are coming up as well. 

And Narrabeen is still in the top 4 too Mick – thank you very much for your time.

Narrabeen Sharks 2025 A Grade Team

Players

Luke van Bokhoven (Captain)
Lennox Whittaker    (captain)
Austin Malone
Beau McKee
Blake Hersee
Bodhi Lazich
Conner McCabe
Cooper Peterson
Daniel Canellis
Max Davies
Dylan King
Elijah Pai 
Ethan Carr
Jack Thelander
Tom Thelander
Jackson Lawler
Jake Ferguson
Joel Quealy
Jordy bullock
Joshu Yakich
Kye Lambert
Lennox Whittaker
Jerome Van Der Heide
Keanu Rodgers
Neha Rodgers
Mitch Donnelly
Mitch Quetcher
Nathan Van Buuren
Noah Hill
Sake Nasio
Sam Kelly
Sam Meehan
Tom Cowdroy
Tim Crellin
Zac Stracey

Coaching staff 

• Mick Radisich
• Zack Marsh
• Jamie Van Buureen
• Mick Malone
• Wade Lazich
• Liam Donnelly