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NRL Victoria

Lidcombe Bull

Juniors
Messages
46
Three are in the current squad; Fa'alogo, Ieremia and Tonumaipea, and one is in the current Souths squad, Kennar. They also forgot Fonua Pole at the Tigers, who despite being born in NZ grew up in Melbourne and is a Sunbury Tigers junior. So really should be 6. The only one no longer playing NRL is Mahe Fonua.

You could also throw in Jeremy Smith who started his juniors at Altona before moving to GC as a teenager. Or inversely throw in Gareth Widdop who moved to Melbourne at 15 because his dad moved there from Halifax in England for work, so Widdop played for Altona and got identified by the Storm in their own backyard.
 
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Vlad59

Bench
Messages
4,048

Road to regions is focussing on Mildura. They are trying to get the senior comp up and running there again so this will help given the group’s targeted.
 

yakstorm

First Grade
Messages
6,027

Following a record-breaking 2023, community rugby league in Victoria enters the new year poised to break barriers ahead of the upcoming season.

Local school and club competitions both begin in the coming weeks and are set for an exciting season ahead if 2023 is anything to go by.

More people played rugby league than ever before across the state last year with over 4,600 registered club players in Victoria last year. Records tumbled for junior (up 36% YoY) and female participants (up 43%) while there were also record numbers for registered coaches, referees and volunteers.

Work in the community continued through connecting both schools and clubs across Victoria with school-based blitzes connecting club-run ‘come and try’ events.

This supported Melbourne Storm’s community-based training sessions and events, innovative program delivery and competition structures.

“In 2024 there is even more opportunity for people to play rugby league across Victoria. We have new clubs based in Shepparton and on the Mornington Peninsula and more competition offerings for girls and boys in tackle and tag formats,” NRL Victoria General Manager Brent Silva explained.

"There are over 270 teams participating in Storm Junior League and Storm Premiership competitions across metropolitan and regional locations and we expect the growth in record participation to continue."

“New pathway programs based in Victoria through the Melbourne Storm provide clear pathway for all participants to the highest levels from their local club, further enhancing the experience in the game.”

Those pathway programs provide a tangible roadmap for elite Victorian talent to emulate the feats of the likes of Young Tonumaipea, Dean Ieremia and Sua Fa’alogo who have all graduated from the Victorian system into the first-grade system.

Melbourne Storm’s expanded pathways system will be on full display this weekend for what is set to be a historic day for rugby league in Victoria.

All four Melbourne Storm teams will play at home on the same day with the Harold Matthews U/17s (12:45pm) and SG Ball U/19s (2:30pm) kicking off proceedings on Gosch’s Paddock in the afternoon before the Jersey Flegg U/21s (5pm) take the field on AAMI Park to feature in the curtain raiser prior to the NRL match-up.
 

Vlad59

Bench
Messages
4,048

Under 20s teams had trials in Melbourne yesterday with 4 clubs participating. Be interesting to see if there will be more. The number of 3rd grade teams will also be of interest as 1st, 2nd grades and under 20s already have 18 teams and the total number of senior men’s teams last season was 22. Given the expansion in the Goulburn Murray comp we will see a pretty big increase in senior men’s teams across Victoria this year.
Update on this

men’s seniors

first grade 6
Second grade 7
Third grade 9
Under 20s 4

total senior men’s team’s Melbourne 26. Increase of 4
 

Vlad59

Bench
Messages
4,048
Goulburn Murray comp will be holding junior footy days from may onwards inclusive of tag and tackle with a goal of running a full scale junior comp in coming years. This is genuine expansion inclusive of the growth in the senior comp this year.
 

Penrith fan

Juniors
Messages
586
The growth of the game of Rugby League in Victoria is electric.

If we had twoo teams down there, the junior playing numbers would rival fumbleball.
 

cinders7

Juniors
Messages
61
Interested to hear what people think is pushing this increase.
Is it purely down to the Storm and NRLVic working more closely together? Or are there other factors, like the Rebels floundering?
 

Vlad59

Bench
Messages
4,048
Interested to hear what people think is pushing this increase.
Is it purely down to the Storm and NRLVic working more closely together? Or are there other factors, like the Rebels floundering?
World Cup success (Samoa) plus the Storm nrl vic collaboration
 

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