The NRL's controversial plan to abolish tackling until under-7s and competitive matches until the age of 13 has been met with opposition after Souths juniors refused to adopt the new measures.
The junior overhaul, which will see youngsters playing non-contact versions of the sport such as league tag and will also remove ladders and grand finals, has been gradually rolled out by the NSWRL and is already implemented in parts of Queensland.
Now the Sydney Morning Herald reports the policy has received its first ‘official' opposition, with the South Sydney District Junior Football League advising the NSWRL on Wednesday that they would not be implementing the changes.
The NRL initially proposed the changes as a means of increasing junior participation given the increasing concern around concussion. Souths Juniors CEO Luke Curry insists participation is on the rise in the local area without the changes.
“They may say participation levels are sliding, but we've had growth in the past 12 months,” Curry told the Herald.
“Our clubs have discussed it with us, we've met as a board and we've told the NSWRL we're not in favour of it.
“We've let them know it's our intention to continue on as we have previously.
“We've always played competitively. We sought the feedback from our clubs about it and they love having grand final days. We understand that winning and losing is a part of life.
“We don't think it's broke, so we don't need to fix it. It may be a good thing for other districts, but we don't think it's for us.”
The new junior framework, TackleReady, was approved by the ARLC in 2019, but COVID created difficulties with any consistent implementation. The new policies were designed by a committee of experts including coaches and former players.
“TackleReady is our program that teaches correct and safe tackle techniques, preparing participants for tackle versions of rugby league,” an NRL spokesperson said.
“TackleReady is based on research, trials and feedback.
“It also provides entry-level club coaches with the necessary skills and gives parents peace of mind by highlighting the game's commitment to offering a safe, inclusive environment.
“Highly pressurized premiership environments have been determined to be the major reason players exit our game in these age groups.”
While Curry has confirmed that Souths Juniors don't fall into the category, it's believed that some junior associations may mute their objections and adopt the protocols to ensure they continue to receive funding from the administrative bodies.
“We're lucky compared to a lot of other associations,” Curry admitted.
“It wouldn't be a money factor around any ramifications for us.”
