Ex-NRL star Luke Bateman inspires Ray White Rural network

The conference kicked off with Ray White Rural and Livestock CEO Matt White presenting on the state of the network alongside executive director Stephen Nell.

“This financial year has been the second best on record - the best was 2021,” Matt said.

“We are very proud of the group and all that they have achieved during the current market conditions.”

The most challenging times in real estate are during market transitions, Matt said.

“They are the times the industry can take the energy out of you.

“When the auction market is strong it’s great, when the market changes we have to think about the auction campaigns - it’s about bringing vendors and buyers together in a controlled environment."

Stephen said: “I don’t buy into the market place. None of us exist in this industry if there are no peaks and troughs - our job is to help people move around despite what the market conditions are”.

Former Canberra Raiders player turned cultural commentator Luke Bateman delivered a deeply honest, raw presentation on identity, resilience, and personal evolution.

Growing up in western Queensland, Luke’s entire sense of self-worth was tied to rugby league.

By 21, he had reached what looked like the summit: an NRL contract, fame, and a lucrative salary.

Yet behind the TV broadcasts and stadium crowds lay a profound inner emptiness.

Luke said what followed was a spiral into gambling addiction, shame, and loss - a period that brought him to complete rock bottom despite every external sign of success.

The turning point came when Luke chose to face the uncomfortable truth, entering a 28-day rehabilitation facility and returning home to rural Queensland to rebuild his life from the ground up - one timber log and tiny habit at a time.

Through literature, daily accountability, and a viral TikTok book-review page born out of authentic vulnerability, Luke rediscovered his purpose.

His message for the room offered powerful lessons for anyone navigating high-stakes environments.

He said change is difficult, but living out of alignment with your true self is harder.

“We get to decide which struggle we are willing to carry,” Luke said.

“Lasting transformation doesn’t happen through grand gestures; it builds slowly by making small daily promises to yourself and keeping them.”

He said a real personal brand isn't a manufactured public image - it is an authentic alignment with core values and who you choose to stand for every day.

Luke said success rarely comes from staying comfortable.

“Real growth and future victories are born directly out of our biggest stumbles, provided we are courageous enough to learn from them,” he said.

“We are always so focused on how we can change our paths externally, but real transformation always begins from within.”

Luke’s story served as a powerful reminder that true professional performance and personal fulfillment stem from the exact same source: candor, accountability, and the courage to choose growth over comfort.

Ray White chief economist Nerida Conisbee and head of research Vanessa Rader took to the stage to discuss the state of the economy.

Nerida said the biggest challenge at the moment is that the market is in a “heightened level of uncertainty”.

“The interest rate outlook is shifting again, we have had the Middle East conflict and consumer sentiment is at its lowest level recorded. In terms of property, things really changed with the Federal Budget,” Nerida said.

“Regional markets are not yet being as impacted as capital cities, however changes to negative gearing and CGT will reduce investor interest, particularly in established housing, slowing momentum in the market.”

She said construction costs remain high and will limit how far prices will fall.

“It’s hard to build cheaply - right now with the costs rising, we can’t build as cheaply as we did three years ago.”

Nerida noted since the budget, data collected through NurtureCloud shows open home attendance has fallen to 2.0, but appears to be stabilising.

“We are still seeing an increase in transaction volumes in regional areas,” Nerida said.

“We are seeing an uptick in listings, more properties coming to market. Properties will stay on the market a little longer.”

Vanessa pointed out some key indicators this year for the regional markets were that winter crops numbers are high, livestock prices are surging and lamb values are the highest they have been on record.

She said slaughter values are up sharply and farm profitability is set to peak to 2025/2026 at $23.5bn net farm income, and farmland values show limited upward momentum.

Vanessa shared an outlook for the regions including seasonal conditions which will remain the key risk, with rainfall shaping up patchy region to region.

She said fuel and fertiliser costs are still elevated and uncertain, with the full impact yet to hit farm budgets.

“Strong cattle prices support land values but raise the cost of restocking for buyers,” she said.

“Land values are likely to keep diverging by region and land type rather than moving togther.”

Rugby league legend Brad Fittler took the stage in front of the room filled with real estate professionals, drawing powerful parallels between elite sports, leadership, and property.

Reflecting on a stellar 16-year playing career - including over 350 NRL matches, multiple premierships, and an NRL Hall of Fame induction - Brad shared how the lessons from the field translate directly to the real estate hustle.

Brad highlighted that whether you’re an athlete or a real estate agent, success relies on a relentless drive and a love for the grind.

Opening up about his early career, Brad credited former coach Phil Gould with turning his life around by inviting him into his home.

True leadership, Brad said, isn't about words - it's about actionable care, high standards, and opening doors for others.

Reflecting on major setbacks - including the Roosters’ 2000 grand final loss and later being sacked as a head coach - Brad revealed that strict daily routines and a continuous learning mindset ("making your next thing your best thing") is what helped him navigate tough times.

Drawing from his coaching career, he emphasised that sustainable success comes down to getting the right staff in place and "getting the right people on the bus”

“Every time I realised things were getting rough, I asked myself: what can I do? The answer was always routine”.

He reminded the audience to always have integrity in your work, don’t assume anything, don’t take things personally, and to always be your best.

Speaking to the network about the group’s technology roadmap, chief systems officer Jason Alford and chief information officer Ben Cowie outlined how artificial intelligence and bespoke digital tools are reshaping real estate operations and driving member profitability.

Jason highlighted how AI tools like NurtureCloud, the Smart Call List, and automated SMS generate timely, personalised outreach that "feels tactical" to clients.

Meanwhile, Ben detailed how integrating Google AI "supercharges" internal data by summarising documents and reading past emails to surface relevant context.

Ben said this technology tailors communication to each agent's unique writing style, ensuring members stay "one step ahead of the competition." 

Andrew Crowell’s path to becoming Ray White’s head of high performance and wellbeing is rooted in elite sport.

After playing AFL for both the Adelaide Crows and Brisbane Lions, he spent nine years supporting athletes in Personal Excellence and Wellbeing with the Lions.

Andrew played a role in the Lions’ transformation into a premiership organisation and destination club for players, staff and families.

“The reality is, back at the footy club, we couldn't just trade our way out of a problem,” Andrew said.

“We couldn't constantly recruit a brand-new team every time things got tough. We had to build them.

“Real estate is no different. Elite culture isn't a perk - it’s your engine.

“You simply cannot drive premiership-level outcomes on the field or in your market if your people are burning out behind the scenes.”

When you build a culture grounded in genuine high care and personal excellence, retention takes care of itself, Andrew said.

If you want to win in this business, stop looking over the fence for a quick fix, and start elevating the team standing right in front of you today, Andrew said.

"Sometimes it feels easier to say yes, but no is a powerful word."

Speaking to a room of real estate business owners and aspiring principals, Kate Tinta, Ray White head of operations and growth, highlighted the critical power of a "stop-doing" list.

Kate urged leaders to evaluate where their time actually creates the most value.

By focusing on three key levers - automating through modern systems, eliminating outdated habits, and delegating tasks below their dollar-per-hour rate - business leaders and aspiring business leaders can stop drowning in operational clutter and start driving true business growth.

Stephen Nell held a panel discussion with Ray White Rural WA sales agent Kate Jefferies and Ray White Forbes sales agent Brendon Allegri.

Brendon shared how he sets personal goals at the start of the financial year.

Kate said caring for her buyers and sellers was important to her team.

“These are people with big emotions. For them, it’s not just a sale. It makes all the difference if you genuinely care.” 

In the PM/SODA (admin breakout) Ray White New South Wales | ACT property management business development executive Cameron Kennedy spoke about how property managers can now eliminate tedious administration using tools already sitting on their desktops.

He discussed how smart technology is transforming local real estate today.

His presentation demonstrated how everyday Google Suite features can streamline everyday functions such as maintenance triage, tenant communications, and reporting, while offering an insight for the future of PropTech.

The event finished with an exclusive panel featuring Ray White Rural Central West Group.

Group leaders shared behind the scenes insights on how they actively integrated AI into their daily operations to supercharge agency efficiency, reduce response times, and elevate client experience.

Jacqui Laing, Tamara Ortiz and Jenn Wearne also spoke in the power-packed breakout session.

Matt held a discussion with Sam McVay, from McVay Real Estate, discussing running a boutique firm with a team of six.

Operating across three countries, $15 billion dollars worth deals will have transacted since the business commenced 8 years ago.

These include hotels, offices, shopping centres and other properties including student accommodation.

Sam said: “Our main driver of success is if we know the property better than anyone else”.

“We run at a 94 per cent close rate. We turn down two out of three deals because of misalignment.”