The Board

The Board of WDRFCL is comprised of the following members seven (7):

FELICITY BENNETTS 

Felicity has been a business manager for her family Physiotherapy practice for the last 18 years. Juggling that role part-time whilst working for the Queensland Ambulance Service for 5 years 2005-2010 and full time since. Felicity is heavily involved with rugby at all levels, a level 2 World Rugby qualified coach, manager Qld Super W Program, Qld Men’s 7’s program, and International Invitational set up Tribe 7’s.

Felicity is also the President of the Ballymore Ladies group which supply medical equipment and supplies to local clubs as well as provides critical sideline support services at Ballymore and QRU Events. Felicity is a permanent member and newly appointed Director of Women’s Rugby, 7’s Rugby and Junior girls at Wests

HENRY BROWN

Henry represented Wests as both a Junior and Senior player starting in 2003 and playing until 2014, during which time he spent a number of seasons as a fixture in the Premier Grade team. Additionally Henry captained the Colts side in 2009. Whilst completing his studies at QUT, earning a Bachelor of Property Economics, Henry started his professional career at Taylor Byrne & LMW (now Acumentis) where he rose to his current position of Director Commercial Valuations. In this role, Henry is responsible for the strategic direction and performance of the Commercial Valuation team within Queensland, his work includes providing specialist valuation services across a broad range of assets classes for major financial institutions, Government authorities as well as a variety of private and corporate clients.

Henry is also an Associate Member of the Australian Property Institute, a Certified Practising Valuer – Valuer’s Registration Board of Qld as well as a Professional Member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.

JOHN CLIFFORD

John is Managing Director of Morgans Financial Ltd, one of Australia’s leading Stockbroking firms. John has over 25 years’ experience in financial markets, and his roles have included research and company analysis, sales and account management at retail and wholesale levels, product development, and management. In his role as Managing Director, John oversees a team of 500 advisors in every state and territory of Australia. He also serves as Chairman of The Gregory Terrace Foundation.

John’s involvement with Wests dates back to 2008 as a junior parent of 4 Bulldogs and has coached various junior teams over that period. More recently, John has served on the Junior Committee.

BRETT GILLESPIE

Brett began his association with Wests as a junior and returned to the Club in 2012 after an overseas stint playing in the Japanese Top League. He captained the Premier Grade side in 2013 and in the same year won the Alec Evans Medal, being recognised as the most outstanding player in the Queensland Premier Grade competition. This led to him returning to Japan for a further four seasons.

Following the end of his professional rugby career, Brett joined KPMG Brisbane in their Audit, Assurance and Risk Consulting division where he helped to complete and lead numerous ASX listed engagements. During this time he also qualified as a Chartered Accountant. Most recently Brett helped establish and co-found a residential and commercial property management firm in Brisbane and Sydney where he works as Head of Queensland Operations

TONY HAWKINS

Tony was for 19 years CEO of WorkCover Queensland which provides workers compensation insurance to over 160,000 businesses across the state covering 2  million workers – a $1.5 billion insurance business. Prior to this, Tony spent 15 years with the AXA group in customer service roles and 15 years in the coal mining and building construction materials divisions of CSR. He is a Director of Lexon Insurance.

He was awarded an AM in the 2019 Australia Day Honours list. Tony is a Life Member of Wests having served as a coach, manager and committeeman of both the junior and senior clubs since 1992.

PETER SCHMIDT

Peter is a Senior Consultant at international law firm Norton Rose Fulbright, having recently stepped down after nearly 25 years as a partner. Peter was the head of the Brisbane office of NRF (with a staff of over 150 people) for 5 years.
Peter has mostly worked in litigation and commercial disputes, specialising in restructuring of solvent and insolvent companies. He also advises large public and private companies on risk management and corporate governance. Peter was recently appointed by the Qld Attorney General as a member of the Council at the Queensland Law Society. Peter also sits
on the board of the Australian Restructuring Insolvency and Turnaround Association which is the peak industry body for lawyers and accountants that practice in that field.

Peter’s association with West’s extends back to when after leaving school he played
intermittently with the then lowest senior team at the club, back when training was optional or occurred at the Regatta. Peter’s three sons all played junior rugby at West up to under 11’s. Peter was the president of the junior club for a number of years and was part of the working committee that obtained funding to install irrigation on the second oval for the first time.

GEOFF WESSLING 

Geoff has been connected with Wests since 1970. Initially playing with the U15 to U19 teams and then from 1976 – 1982 in first grade. In 1977 he was appointed captain of first grade and went on to win West’s initial first grade premiership. Over many years Geoff has kept a keen interest in the Club, taking on coaching responsibilities as well as serving as a Director on the Club’s Board over a period of 5 years. During this period he held the positions of President, Treasurer, and Secretary.

Other governance responsibilities include directorships for Jigsaw Training Group Pty Ltd, Professional Counsellors Association Australia and as a committee member of the Lang Park PCYC.

Geoff is currently the CEO of TCCW Consulting Pty Ltd, a company specialising in international educational management and partnerships.  As a consultant he has acted in leadership positions for the PGA International Golf Institute, Russo Business School, Careers Australia and Royal Brisbane Institute of Technology.  He has also brokered successful partnerships between Australian and overseas universities and colleges.

Prior to the mentioned responsibilities, he held the position of COO for C Management Services, an international education management company and was the CEO of the International School Suva. His qualifications include a Master of Educational Administration, a Graduate Diploma of Strategic Leadership, a Graduate Diploma of Project Management, as well as other qualifications. He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Managers and Leaders and is also a certified carpenter and joiner.

At the 2020 AGM Geoff was bestowed the honour of Wests Life Membership.