A week out from the NRL roadshow arriving in Wagga again, Group Nine Junior Rugby League is quietly undergoing a major development of its own that - some believe - could be as influential in the long run as the Canberra Raiders bringing competition games here.
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The competition is taking brave steps for a NSW junior league, ushering in a bold new era.
The formal explanation is that they're adopting key elements of a national, research-backed Player Development Framework which is aimed at attracting families to the sport and keeping young players in the game for longer.
In short, it's child's play: putting the fun back into the footy, and making sure kids' sport is designed for kids, rewarding for kids, and suitable for kids.
Group Nine JRL president Ian Mortimer says the key changes, which have the support of clubs, are:
- pushing back the age group for grand finals and results-based competition from Under 11s to Under 13s;
- introducing tag instead of tackle for the early rounds of Under 6s, alongside a 'tackle ready' program to teach the skill;
- replacing junior representative league team programs from Under 12s with personal development programs; and
- a change in Group Nine draws into true southern and northern pools to reduce travel for young children and families
It's a move applauded by the NRL's General Manager of Game Development and Education, James Hinchey, who came to Gundagai last month specifically to meet with Group Nine clubs and representatives.
"It was really good. It was a positive meeting... I think for most people, once they understand what it's about and what we're trying to achieve, they actually get it and they understand this is a good direction for us to head in," Hinchey tells The Daily Advertiser.
EASING IN
On a topic that can be highly contentious, Hinchey says communication is key. He says it's not about 'mollycoddling' a generation, or taking the toughness out of a game, and acknowledges there is always some opposition.
"It certainly challenges some thinking, and that's okay... it's important we have differing views in the game. But it really is trying to hand the game back to the kids and allow them to find themselves in the sport," Hinchey says.
"Fun, friends, fundamentals. That's absolutely a given in terms of what kids are looking for in sport.
"When we start applying performance type approaches through our younger age groups, those things go out the window. Especially fun. And that's number one as far as why kids want to be a part of sport."
The Player Development Framework encourages leaguetag instead of tackle for the first two years.
But Group Nine is happy to launch this year with just the Under 6s and just the first six weeks.
Mortimer's family history is steeped in rugby league, from a grandfather involved heavily in Wagga juniors through to a father and uncles who famously played for NSW and Australia. He says all of the changes are about making sure players and families enjoy their time in the sport, and ideally stay.
"Of the 3500 kids playing junior rugby league in Group Nine, less than one percent of them are going to make rugby league their career. But we coach as is we're trying to generate the absolute best athlete," Mortimer says.
"It's about about participation and kids developing at their own rate. It might just give a kid confidence, generate a group of friends and they might go on to have a lifelong engagement with the game, they might be treasurer of their club one day."
COMPETITIVE ARGUMENT
He's a true believer in one of Hinchey's illustrations that children, naturally, know how to be competitive and play hard, but they know fairness too. He says a group of kids playing any sport of their own accord in a backyard or park will try to pick even teams and adjust rules to make the game fun and exciting.
Mortimer says, when it comes to young players, adults must be guided by that kids' perception of fun and fairness.
Hinchey says the program has been rolled out across the country with Queensland in particular adopting it between two and four years ago.
There, across the board, registrations this year are up 12 percent. He says families have seen the change, watched it take hold, and are now voting with their feet to get involved.
As for the argument that it's pointless having 'non competitive' age groups because kids know the score, Hinchey says that misses the point.
"We want coaches to encourage their kids to be competitive; make sure their groups are going out to give their absolute best," he says.
"What we're trying to do is create a competition structure and an environment where a coach doesn't feel the urge to not give a kid a go because there's a result on the line."
DEVELOPMENT
Hinchey says the Player Development Framework is about "asking the game to be a bit more patient with kids and allow them to find themselves in the sport before we ramp things up in the direction of what we see on Friday nights (in the NRL)."
The tag rather than tackle introduction is about enjoyment, as well as safety and perception.
"The whole idea is to provide a version of the sport that particularly mums are more comfortable with in those youngest age groups. And to get kids in and get them comfortable with the fundamentals - pass, run, in the right direction hopefully, and catch. Let's get them comfortable with that first before we introudce them to one of the more complex skills which is tackling," Hinchey says.
"Once that's done, we send them on their way. Under 8 and off they go for, hopefully, a lifetime of the sport."
While some young players are prepared, often those with older siblings, it can be confronting for young footballers who aren't yet used to the physicality. Tackle ready is about learning to be tackled, as well as defending.
Mortimer says concern about the value of rep squads in ages before players develop physically rings true for many involved whose experience is of seeing players picked for size, not to develop potential.
Hinchey agrees, saying it's also important at club level at young ages: "The physical nature of our sport means that (size and development) can impact on how much a kid can contribute to a game.
"If there's a result on the line, what we've found is typically we gravitate towards the kids that can get the job done for us.
"Unfortunately that's at the expense of kids who, at that particular time of their life, may not have the physical attributes or the same grasp of the sport yet so they don't get a go. That for me, it's not fair on those kids or the families that sign their kids up to play."
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