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Northern Territory competitions

Desert Qlder

First Grade
Messages
9,143
The CARFL (Alice Springs Comp) has traditionally had four senior clubs. Those clubs have changed over the years around the core two original of Wests and United.

The NT is slightly different in that the CARFL has a local committee, though it is now struggling to fill positions, like most committees in this community. There is generally one full-time DO based here but not sure if it is filled currently. There is support from Darwin but that is not enough to run junior comps. A full-time DO is essential to run a junior comp, of which there is generally only two teams in each two-year age group. By Under-17 numbers are pretty sparse and it is usually 9-11/side games.

I can foresee one senior club not getting enough numbers, and dropping out all-together in future years. This has pretty much happened in the summer union comp. One club has become notorious for hoarding players, but to their credit they are more active in recruitment and community engagement.

Not sure what the future holds for the CARFL. Like many organisations becoming dependent on fewer and fewer hands chipping in. And a shallower and shallower player pool. With the NT Government intention to take the traditional Anzac Oval home for the National Aboriginal Art Gallery, this will result in a move to Kilgariff that will either make or break the league.

Fun fact, ex-NRL ref Gavin Morris is currently a town councillor and refs both senior games each week.
 

Pneuma

First Grade
Messages
5,475
The CARFL (Alice Springs Comp) has traditionally had four senior clubs. Those clubs have changed over the years around the core two original of Wests and United.

The NT is slightly different in that the CARFL has a local committee, though it is now struggling to fill positions, like most committees in this community. There is generally one full-time DO based here but not sure if it is filled currently. There is support from Darwin but that is not enough to run junior comps. A full-time DO is essential to run a junior comp, of which there is generally only two teams in each two-year age group. By Under-17 numbers are pretty sparse and it is usually 9-11/side games.

I can foresee one senior club not getting enough numbers, and dropping out all-together in future years. This has pretty much happened in the summer union comp. One club has become notorious for hoarding players, but to their credit they are more active in recruitment and community engagement.

Not sure what the future holds for the CARFL. Like many organisations becoming dependent on fewer and fewer hands chipping in. And a shallower and shallower player pool. With the NT Government intention to take the traditional Anzac Oval home for the National Aboriginal Art Gallery, this will result in a move to Kilgariff that will either make or break the league.

Fun fact, ex-NRL ref Gavin Morris is currently a town councillor and refs both senior games each week.
That all makes sense. I’ve been waiting for the comp to show up on Play Rugby League but looking at comments on their Facebook page everything you’ve said is consistent.
 

Carlisle Bowman

Juniors
Messages
15
Junior Rugby League is pretty healthy up here in Darwin with the local competition kicking off this weekend.

A few handy players have moved on to Queensland lower grades in recent years. Loto Salei is probably the pick of the bunch and was the captain of Norths Devils in the Mal Meninga Cup last time I had a look.

Worth mentioning is the school's competition aka the 'Eels Cup' where Taminmin College (Humpty Doo) play MacKillop Catholic College (Palmerston) in the u16s Boys Grand Final before the Parra / Broncos NRL game up here next weekend.

Some good things going on up North.
 
Last edited:

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
66,097
Alice Springs is looking for answers to youth social problems, maybe rl can provide some of the answers?
 

Pneuma

First Grade
Messages
5,475
Junior Rugby League is pretty healthy up here in Darwin with the local competition kicking off this weekend.

A few of handy players have moved on to Queensland lower grades in recent years. Loto Salei is probably the pick of the bunch and was the captain of Norths Devils in the Mal Meninga Cup last time I had a look.

Worth mentioning is the school's competition aka the 'Eels Cup' where Taminmin College (Humpty Doo) play MacKillop Catholic College (Palmerston) in the u16s Boys Grand Final before the Parra / Broncos NRL game up here next weekend.

Some good things going on up North.
Looks like over 120 teams in the Darwin comp which is terrific.
 

Carlisle Bowman

Juniors
Messages
15
Good to be out of the rain after the match up here in Darwin this evening.

Casaurina Senior College defeated Katherine High by a comfortable margin in the Schoolgirls Cup Grand Final.

In the Schoolboys Grand Final MacKillop Catholic College defeated Taminmin College 16-10 in what was really a very good game. MacKillop is proving to be a real outpost for schools rugby league in the NT and I'd imagine a number of the emerging states.
 

Pneuma

First Grade
Messages
5,475
Katherine have 17 teams this year. 3 teams playing in local under 6, 8, 10, and 12s comps and 5 junior teams playing in boys and girls comps in Darwin. No senior teams this year but they must be back on the cards in future seasons
 

Carlisle Bowman

Juniors
Messages
15
Not sure what Katherine have going on in the seniors. They were able to put together a reasonably handy side in the B Grade Rugby Union in the season just gone by though, so there must be some potential down there.
 

Desert Qlder

First Grade
Messages
9,143
The CARFL (Alice Springs Comp) has traditionally had four senior clubs. Those clubs have changed over the years around the core two original of Wests and United.

The NT is slightly different in that the CARFL has a local committee, though it is now struggling to fill positions, like most committees in this community. There is generally one full-time DO based here but not sure if it is filled currently. There is support from Darwin but that is not enough to run junior comps. A full-time DO is essential to run a junior comp, of which there is generally only two teams in each two-year age group. By Under-17 numbers are pretty sparse and it is usually 9-11/side games.

I can foresee one senior club not getting enough numbers, and dropping out all-together in future years. This has pretty much happened in the summer union comp. One club has become notorious for hoarding players, but to their credit they are more active in recruitment and community engagement.

Not sure what the future holds for the CARFL. Like many organisations becoming dependent on fewer and fewer hands chipping in. And a shallower and shallower player pool. With the NT Government intention to take the traditional Anzac Oval home for the National Aboriginal Art Gallery, this will result in a move to Kilgariff that will either make or break the league.

Fun fact, ex-NRL ref Gavin Morris is currently a town councillor and refs both senior games each week.
1687172883896.png
 

Desert Qlder

First Grade
Messages
9,143
Nrl did a lot of promotion up there so this is very disappointing
The promotion was in Darwin mate, may as well be a million miles away for this part of the world.

It’s just changing demographics if Central Australia. Four senior teams for 25k people has been overstretching it for some time. Big competition from other sports, lack of blokes coming over from eastern states, transience.

This has been coming for years. Sad as there is some good history here.
 

Pneuma

First Grade
Messages
5,475
The promotion was in Darwin mate, may as well be a million miles away for this part of the world.

It’s just changing demographics if Central Australia. Four senior teams for 25k people has been overstretching it for some time. Big competition from other sports, lack of blokes coming over from eastern states, transience.

This has been coming for years. Sad as there is some good history here.
Yep that really is sad.
 

Carlisle Bowman

Juniors
Messages
15
The NT Schools competition Grand Finals were played today before the NRL match. SEDA College took out the boy's competition. Their first win in a while (possibly ever). MacKillop Catholic College took out the girl's competition for their first championship after a few losses in the main event in recent years. Two exciting games.
 

Vlad59

Juniors
Messages
1,541
The NT Schools competition Grand Finals were played today before the NRL match. SEDA College took out the boy's competition. Their first win in a while (possibly ever). MacKillop Catholic College took out the girl's competition for their first championship after a few losses in the main event in recent years. Two exciting games.
Gday mate. I just measure the game by team registrations. How’s it going up there?
 

Carlisle Bowman

Juniors
Messages
15
All seems to be going well. I read semi-recently that on a per capita basis, the participation rate is up there with the healthiest of competitions around the country. The quality of the game at junior level seems to be a lot better than when my kids were involved a decade or so ago so that's a credit to all involved with development. That said, I observe more from arm's length these days, but still like to get out and watch a game of local when I can. Apologies to MacKillop, looks like it wasn't thier first win for the girls in the school comp from their social posts.
 

Desert Qlder

First Grade
Messages
9,143
Rugby League is no more at Anzac Oval, Alice Springs. The game in Central Australia has been hit hard by wrangling over compulsory acquisition. Not sure if it will recover.

1713584792571.png
 
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