Slow start but players sign up ahead of Nines

THE CDRL is optimistic Round 1 player numbers will go close to that of 2017 despite regretting the late-season start.

League figures show 645 players registered to the 11 senior clubs as of this week.

About 900 had committed at the start of the 2017 season and CDRL secretary Pat Bailey said after an influx of players this week, it appeared they were finally signing up.

“Every time I go in, it seems to be going up 100 players a training night,” she said. “Players don’t want to train for four months without a game and then you look at the preseason and its been an absolute disaster with the weather.”

It may be no kinder going into the league’s Nines competition this weekend, with rain and storms expected.

The Colts league is one major concern, with only half the clubs likely to field teams in the grade.

A women’s league tag is in the works, but Bailey was uncertain how a men’s second division would take place without an unprecedented numbers boost.

Southern Suburbs coach Luke Saunders said players were slowly coming out of the woodwork now the first rounds of the NRL had kicked off and expected them to keep flowing in as the season began.

“As soon as the NRL game gets broadcast, your training numbers start to get a boost. They see it on TV and go: ‘Oh that’s right, I play football,’ ” he said.

Most clubs will send young squads to the Nines tomorrow, although Mossman has a strong team prepared to honour former player David Oui.