Rockdale City Raiders is more than a football club, it is a family and a community united by a shared commitment to the growth and wellbeing of its players. That commitment was powerfully reaffirmed when Secretary Stephen Milgate discovered an old circular written by the late and great Johnny Warren while cleaning a flooded canteen. Preserved against all odds, the letter posed a profound question: Who are you running your football club for? Warren reminded clubs that while fewer than 1% of players reach elite or international honours, every player who wears the jersey deserves the opportunity to grow, belong and thrive.
 

Johnny Warren acknowledged the importance of competition and the will to win, but urged leaders to see the bigger picture, developing mind, body and soul, and strengthening values such as sportsmanship, leadership, teamwork, resilience and respect. Football, he believed, is the vehicle; building strong, confident and caring young Australians is the purpose. Shortly before his passing, when a young player asked how to become great, Warren’s response captured the club’s philosophy: To be a great player, you must first become a great person. In those words lies the enduring heartbeat of Rockdale City Raiders, a club where the welfare of every player comes first.