Women picking up slack as boys stop playing
FEMALE participation in rugby league has skyrocketed with recent data showing numbers have more than doubled in the past five years.
However, concerns are growing over the number of boys dropping out of the game, prompting Queensland-wide changes to the practice of tackling in the under-6 and under-7 divisions.
Figures show around 28,593 girls played league across the country in 2019 compared to 11,633 during the 2015 season.
Meanwhile, male participation from under-5 through to over-19s fell by more than 8000 participants in the same time frame.
This has prompted a shakeup to the state’s junior competitions that has outlawed tackling in the under-6 division and a no-tackling policy for the first 10 rounds of the under-7 competition.
The game’s decision makers are hopeful the changes will bring more kids back to the game.
Queensland Rugby League board member Ben Ikin is a member of the NRL’s Player Development Framework committee responsible for the changes and praised the rise in female numbers.
“If the female game wasn’t growing the way it is, we’d be suffering a participation decline,” Ikin said.
“We’ve got to take the responsible approach and stay up to date with our game as requires. There needs to be a balance between competition and fun. You’ve got to continually work to get that right. Otherwise you have less kids playing your game.”
Gold Coast is seeing a similar rise and Tweed’s looming entry alongside Burleigh into the new state-wide QRL women’s competition is only likely to see that grow further.