Women’s rugby league nines hit the ground running on the weekend when the first round of the North West competition got underway in Armidale.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The opening round of the six week tournament was hailed a success with two under 17s sides and six opens teams lacing up their boots at Rugby League Park.
CRL Women’s Participation Officer Kylie Hilder said the inaugural competition proved popular and said it is only going to to get bigger.
"It was a good start, the girls were all happy and excited and I am sure it is going to be a successful competition in the next five weeks,” she said.
"Word will get out and I am sure as we take it to each of the towns, more of a crowd will come and have a look to see what it is all about.”
Many of the competition’s players took to the field in the tackling form of the game for the first time after playing non-contact league tag.
Hilder said there were nerves among the players which calmed down after they took to the field.
"I heard a lot of girls commenting before their first game that they were quite concerned and a bit worried but after they played their first game they realised the contact side of things isn't that bad,” she said.
"That's why the nines is such a good format because there is less contact and you have more room to move on the field. The quality of the games will just get better as the weeks go on.
"We are trying to get some of those league tag girls to come across and play it because they have the speed and most of them have that skill. A lot of them don't play the contact because they are afraid of that.”
The under 17s sides played each other twice throughout the day with the visitors finishing as victors in both games.
The opens event started with the Tingha Untouchables defeating Tamworth Mustangs 16-4.
The Rebels beat the Deadlies 12 points to eight in the second match.
The Armidale Rams team annihilated the Mustangs 36-0 in the third match of the day.
The Rebels earned their second win for the day when they downed Tingha 16-10.
The final match of the day saw the Rams fall to the Deadlies 18-10.
The tournament heads to Tingha this Saturday for the second round.