Rugby league is becoming a sport of choice not only across our screens but on playing fields nation-wide, with the code celebrating a record 200,000 community club rugby league player registrations.
As NRL matches and the recent Women’s State of Origin series attract record viewing audiences, the next crop of stars are being inspired to lace up the boots and participation numbers reaching the 200,000 milestone for the first time.
During Round 18, the NRL community will shine a light on players, coaches and volunteers at the grassroots level, whose hard work ensures rugby league is in good hands for many years to come.
“To be able to hit 200,000, that is an exciting milestone for us and it's a celebration of the hard work that everyone, particularly our volunteers and our participation and our great development staff from across the country have put into providing the experience for our players,” NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said.
“Belonging to that community, it's the lifeblood of our sport. It's also an opportunity to thank everyone who contributes to that; from the barbecues on Saturday morning to the League Stars clinics at schools in the afternoons.
NRL CEO Andrew Abdo celebrates 200,000th participant
“Everyone has contributed to this. We've been making quietly some changes to our player development framework and thinking about how we offer a better experience to our participants and this is a milestone, but we're not stopping from here.
“We're going to keep driving, because we know more participants means rugby league is making a difference in the community, bringing people together, providing them with the benefit of belonging to a club and ultimately, these are the future fans of rugby league.”
At last night’s game at Suncorp Stadium between Brisbane Broncos and Penrith Panthers, Norths Devils junior Oscar White was celebrated at the 200,000th registered participant for the year.
Oscar and his family had earlier attended the Broncos captains run and on game night, enjoyed an on-field sideline experience, and then met Brad Fittler and the Channel Nine crew during his half-time interview, alongside his parents Saraya and Mitch.
Earlier this season, Under 10s player Hunter St Clair from Penrith Waratahs became registered participant 192,585, making him the record breaker for 2024.
Hunter had no idea what he had helped the game achieve when he signed up for this season for the Penrith Waratahs, but was thrilled when he performed the coin toss and then formed a guard of honour with his teammates at BlueBet Stadium last Sunday as the Panthers hosted North Queensland Cowboys.
Waratahs secretary Kate Wennerbom said it was a great celebration of the club's longstanding success.
“Penrith Waratahs is actually the oldest club in the Penrith district, so we were the first club in the junior league in 1912,” Mrs Wennerbom told NRL.com.
“But we’re actually one of the smallest clubs too, so it was great to see 11 teams and 171 players registered this year.
“This year we introduced two league tag girls teams, which is great for us and definitely bolstered the numbers this year.”
Mrs Wennerbom also believed the recent success of both the Panthers and also the growth of the women’s game at the elite level also contributed to the club’s growth.
“Penrith Junior League is one of the biggest, if not the biggest there is which I think is a huge thing and I think the Panthers success has been a big part of it,” Mrs Wennerbom said.
“But also, the success of the women's game. We've got younger kids who are playing not just our girls league tag, but they can play up to under 12 in mixed teams, and there's certainly more girls coming through in that as well.
“And I think that that's a big part of the NRL having that push of the women's rugby league as well.
“I think that's making girls realise that they can do it, too which I think is a big bolster for the numbers as well.”
While many rugby league fans are currently caught up in the hype of State of Origin, with a decider playing out at Suncorp Stadium later this month, it’s not just in Queensland and New South Wales that the game is experiencing growth.
Eastern Raptors youngster Logan Friend was the first registered participant in Victoria this year and loves playing the game, as well as getting to be part of a growing community of rugby league lovers.
Logan’s mum is Jo Friend who helps run the canteen and with organising fundraising.
“It's pretty special to be part of that number of participants,” the club secretary said.
“We're pretty little in Victoria, compared to the rest of Australia, so to get over that mark and to be a part of it, it is something pretty special.
“Hopefully it can keep growing so that some of these kids are actually Storm players one day ... and hopefully with these numbers coming up, we're going to see a lot more of our juniors become Storm players.”