Girls show increased interest in league

The NRL is looking to capitalise on one of rugby league’s fastest growing sectors in Toowoomba.

Nationwide the 12-18 year old female sector is one of the fastest growing and the NRL is keen to offer more opportunities to girls to play the game locally.

Toowoomba’s NRL game development officer Lennie Currie said the Valley Rugby League Club would host a special event this Saturday.

“The day is about promoting the sport and introducing girls to new aspects of it,” Currie said.

“We’ve had more than 60 girls involved in a competition over the past few weeks and this day is the culmination of that.

“A lot of those girls want to learn how to tackle so that is one thing we will be teaching.”

Currie hopes the event will draw out some new players with the end goal the establishment of a Toowoomba Rugby League under-12s competition for girls.

“I think the greater exposure on TV and the women’s rugby league world cup is creating more interest in the sport,” he said.

“We want to capitalise on that interest and give the region’s girls more opportunities to play.

“We send Toowoomba teams away to play but ideally we’d love a local competition.

“There are pathways and opportunities there for girls to play and we want to highlight them.

It will be from 9am to noon on Saturday at Valleys.