Mena Warria, Milleah Fulford lead Townsville’s Top 500 junior tryscorers of 2024 so far
Townsville rugby league’s top official has revealed whether the controversial introduction of tiered junior age groups will return in 2025. HATE IT OR RATE IT? VOTE IN OUR POLL
Local Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The introduction of tiered divisions in Rugby League Townsville and District junior competitions has been hailed a success after Townsville Bulletin analysis revealed average margins of victory had reduced by more than a quarter.
The Bulletin raised the alarm for junior rugby league in 2023 after the average margin of victory in the under-13 boys division reached 37.5 points per game.
The sport’s governing body in North Queensland responded this season by splitting age groups in the under-13, 14 and 15 boys competitions into two graded divisions: a Cowboys Cup ‘A’ division and a Blackhawks Cup ‘B’ division.
As juniors prepare to return to the play this weekend after the winter break, the Bulletin can reveal these changes have successfully cut the average margin of victory in the problematic under-13s boys division by 10.5 points per game, a 28 per cent decrease.
And while six of the first 40 games in 2023 were decided by single digits (10.5 per cent), that number has nearly tripled to 14 close matches from 52 (27 per cent) as players enjoy a more balanced competitive experience.
District chairman Roger Whyte said the tiered junior divisions would be here to stay and backed early improvements in competitiveness to be only the beginning as processes are refined.
“It will be a tiered competition again next year, there is no doubt in my mind,” Whyte said.
“We just need to fill the gaps where we could do better. We need to be better with our grading process (through trialling) but certainly going forward, with the evidence we have seen thus far, it is working.”
There was staunch opposition from some corners to meddling with the structure of junior rugby league.
After an unsuccessful trial period around a decade ago, Whyte’s efforts to reintroduce tiered play this year triggered debate over whether his tenure as district chair should continue.
It was the support of former Cowboys captain Michael Morgan, as head of the district’s Game Development Committee, that got the proposed changes over the line.
Whyte said though more finetuning was required, early results indicated it had been the correct move.
“There are always going to be detractors but overall it’s been pretty widely accepted,” he said.
“The driver behind why we’re doing it is to keep young men and women in the game so that when they come and try a game they won’t be on the down side of a blowout scoreline. That’s not to say that from time-to-time a blowout won’t happen, but the aim of our organisation is to reduce the number of times that happens.
“Another driver is we see it being good for the game and the development of our players. Teams are going to be playing stronger teams week-in, week-out, and in the long term that will make it a much stronger junior and senior competition.”
Whyte said the Game Development Committee had identified mandating a minimum of three pre-season trials to allow for accurate grading as an area of potential improvement.
Divisions can be reassessed every five weeks to allow flexibility of mid-season promotions for stronger teams and demotions for struggling ones.
Mena Warria, Milleah Fulford lead Townsville’s Top 500 junior tryscorers of 2024 so far
A pair of 14-year-old girls from the Upper Ross are the top two tryscorers in North Queensland at any level after combining for 48 tries in eight weeks.
Speedy under-14s fullback Mena Warria, 14, has scored 25 tries in seven games in her second season of rugby league.
Under-16s halfback Milleah Fulford, also 14, has scored 23 tries in eight, playing against opponents up to two years older.
No female player has scored more than 36 tries (Jess Furber, Herbert River 2023) or 34 tries (Macey Lahrs, Norths 2022) since the Bulletin began analysing junior tryscoring data in 2022.
Both Upper Ross players have the chance to break through that ceiling in 2024.
“They’re great young ladies,” club chair Kelli Halloran said.
“They are fantastic to work with and great to team players, which is what we need in a team sport.
“Mena is fast, she’s able to see gaps and run into them. She’s come from AFL so she’s got that ability.
“Milleah still does the runaways but in the under-16s that’s a little bit harder so there’s a lot more teamwork to get her into position to score.
“They’ve come from very different places. Milleah is a very talented football player and Mena is still learning the game.”
Halloran said the club was building towards entering a senior women’s rugby league team; a development that would not be possible without emerging junior talent like Warria and Fulford.
The pair have done well to lead the district in scoring because Souths under-13s Cowboys Cup fullback William Price has been on an electric pace, scoring 22 tries in eight.
Originally published as Mena Warria, Milleah Fulford lead Townsville’s Top 500 junior tryscorers of 2024 so far
How Sharks became one of the best state league sides in Australia
From wins of more than 200 points, to an incredible percentage of 684 after four rounds, is this Southport Sharks side the most dominant state league team in Australia?
QFA Division 2 South 35+ breakout stars of the new season
The QFA Division 2 South stars have emerged from each side and we have shone a light on the players who have made their mark throughout the opening month of the season.