May 11, 2015
The Toowoomba Junior Rugby League and South Burnett Rugby League have joined together to introduce an initiative for the 2015 season, the TJRL Youth Cup.
Toowoomba Junior Rugby League president Jackie Stephson began discussions with local leagues in the Kingaroy and Chinchilla areas to see if there was a way to give excess players – who were not getting a significant amount of time on the field on their normal competition days – extra game time each week.
The TJRL Youth Cup began on April 24, with the Dalby Devils hosting the opening games.
There are currently five teams participating in the competition including the Kingaroy Red Ants, Chinchilla Bulldogs, Toowoomba Valleys JRL, Dalby JRL teams and also a combined team from Toowoomba Highfields JRL, Brothers JRL and Souths JRL.
More teams are welcome to join the competition if they have extra numbers of players willing to participate.
The new competition is being played on Friday nights, which will enable some of the participants to play for their respective clubs on a Saturday in their normal competitions.
“The focus of the Youth Cup is for players to get more game time,” Jackie said.
“The competition is primarily about kids playing footy. Our main aim is to keep the players interested in playing junior rugby league and then hopefully they will continue onto the senior ranks.
“We spend so much time keeping our players involved and then we come to Under 15s and 16s and struggle to retain them.
“The TJRL are very keen for this concept to grow more and more in coming years.”
Kingaroy U15/16s manager Allen Christensen said the club had been able to regain six extra under 15/16 players due to the new competition.
“Had they not signed up they could have been lost to rugby league. We are also working on a few others to re-sign and once they see the extra game time they would be getting they may come back also,” he said.
“We are also offering other U15/16 players from throughout the region who are currently not signed up the chance to sign up with their own clubs and play in a combined team.”
Youth Cup games will be played in Toowoomba, Chinchilla, Dalby, and Kingaroy throughout the season.
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Friday Night Rugby League
The Kingaroy Red Ants hosted three exciting games of junior rugby league on Friday night at T.J. O’Neill Oval.
A good crowd turned out to watch the games, despite the temperature dropping rapidly as the sun set.
In Round 3 of the TJRL Youth Cup, the U15 Kingaroy Red Ants took on the Chinchilla Bulldogs in an exciting game that was much closer than the final scoreline indicated.
At half-time, Kingaroy led 10-6, but eventually ran out winners 24-12.
The other two junior games featured players from the fastest growing segment of rugby league in Australia … girls’ football.
Kingaroy Red Ants U14s girls demolished Beerwah 60-8 in a modified game – without goals – played on the second field.
Abelee Stanley starred for Kingaroy, scoring an amazing seven tries as she ran around the Beerwah defence.
Maddie Carstairs also had a good game, scoring three tries.
The final game played on the night was between the Kingaroy Red Ants U16s girls team and Beerwah.
Maddie Blair showed why she has been selected to play in the Wide Bay team, scoring four tries against a determined Beerwah opposition.
It was a very even contest with Kingaroy scoring first; 10 minutes later Beerwah replied and with their conversion on target, took the lead 6-4.
Three minutes later Beerwah were in again, stretching their lead to 10-4.
Blair then scored her second to take the half-time score to Kingaroy 8, Beerwah 10.
But she wasn’t finished yet … after the break, Blair quickly racked up two more tries to put Kingaroy back in the lead 16-10.
In the last four minutes, Chantelle Law and Schehera Broderick put the icing on the cake for Kingaroy, running in two more tries to take the final score to Kingaroy 24, Beerwah 10.
