Former NRL player taps into his softer side in retirement by opening first Croc's Playcentre in NSW
Former professional rugby league player Heath L’Estrange decided to tap into his softer side when it came time to hang up his boots, opening a children’s play centre in Sydney.
L’Estrange, who played for Sydney Roosters, Manly Sea Eagles and St George Illawarra Dragons during his 12-year career with the NRL, has established the first Croc’s Playcentre franchise in NSW, in the western Sydney suburb of Prospect, along with wife Jessica and her aunt and uncle, Kevin and Tonia Neill.
Like many professional athletes, L’Estrange was searching for a new career after his retirement from the NRL in 2015.
“I played professional rugby league for 12 years and once I got out of that I was in a bit of state of not knowing what I wanted to,” L’Estrange said.
One thing he had taken away from his years playing in the NRL was an affinity with children.
“As a professional rugby league player, I used to love doing school clinics and being around kids – I’m a big kid myself,” L’Estrange said.
The answer to his career questions came in the form of a nudge from family.
“My wife’s uncle and auntie sort of found Croc’s Playcentres and wanted to bring it to Sydney.”
Mr L’Estrange had to undergo training at Muffin Break before opening Croc’s Playcentre Prospect. Photo: Supplied
The centre took 18 months to establish, and has just finished its second week of operations.
“It’s been great,” L’Estrange said.
“We’ve got a lot of good feedback, [there are] long days, long hours, but it’s great when so many kids come through and enjoy themselves.”
Croc’s Playcentres began in 2013 and the Victorian-based business now has franchises in South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania and NSW, where there are two new franchises up for grabs.
A focus on events and activities sets them apart from other play centres, L’Estrange said.
“It’s a place where mums and dads can be hands on and get involved,” he said.
“Our Croc’s model, it’s full of fun, we’ve got six very different party rooms, we’ve got a disco, a baking room.”
The company has Foodco, the company behind Muffin Break and Jamaica Blue, as a shareholder and board member, and these businesses are integrated into many of the Croc’s centres – a real “point of difference”, L’Estrange said.
“Muffin Break really stands us apart – we have good food, we’re giving mums and dads something good to attract them here.”
He said that Croc’s had handled most of the logistical aspect of establishing the centre, including training.
“My auntie and I went into Moore Park for three weeks and learnt how to make sandwiches the Muffin Break way, then we did 10 days in Melbourne at Croc’s learning how to do parties, how to look after kids.”
According to Croc’s management, international expansion is on the radar with the Croc’s Franchising board seeking international partners and sites to open in 2018.
The company joins a growing number of new franchises in Australia.
According to the Franchising Australia 2016 report from Griffith University, sponsored by the Franchising Council of Australia, low interest rates and increased consumer confidence are encouraging more people to open franchises.
“The number of franchise units in Australia is steadily increasing due to increasing levels of consumer confidence together with the low inflation and low interest rates,” the report says.
”Numbers grew from 43,800 units in 1998 to 79,000 units in 2016, with a slight decline during the GFC period 2008 to 2010. There is a clear increasing upward trend evident in the time series throughout the sample period,” the report states.
New brands are set to enter the fray too.
“Based on the existing linear trend, the number of franchise systems in Australia is predicted to grow to 1284 brands by 2018 and 1344 brands by 2020.”
It’s early days, but Mr Lestrange said he and his family would look to increase their number of franchises in future.
“We’re just going to see how this one goes, at the moment my wife and auntie are doing seven days a week (but) we’re really keen on going another one,” he said.
