Pride, CDRL make last-ditch effort to revive rugby league in 2020
A tri-series of trial matches between the Northern Pride and two Cairns and District Rugby League clubs will be a last-ditch effort to bring rugby league back to the Far North.
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A tri-series of trial matches between the Northern Pride and two Cairns and District Rugby League clubs will be a last-ditch effort to bring rugby league back to the Far North.
The Pride will on Thursday night meet with representatives from CDRL clubs Brothers Cairns and Tully Tigers, as well as league officials, with a goal to get back on the field.
Rugby league has been hit hard from the effects of COVID-19, and there are fears things will only get worse if the sport stays on the sidelines until next year.
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Pride under-20s coach Dave Scott said the lack of league had taken its toll on his Hastings Deering Colts squad.
“There’s a couple of guys going to some other sports on a Tuesday night and they come to us one night a week, and that’s their prerogative,” Scott said.
“At most we’re getting about 10, 11 to training. The engagement with them is a bit different.”
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He said a return for rugby league in the region could help revive the squad, and the sport in general.
“Ninety-nine per cent of the players I deal with in this region want to pull a Northern Pride jersey on,” he said.
“They aspire to play for the club and I want to offer that opportunity and see those kids running around in a jersey this year.
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“It would be great if games can get organised, whatever the format is going to be, and we could possibly put some of the younger boys up with the ISC guys, to get the experience of playing alongside them, their attitudes and their actions on the field.
“The restrictions have been lifted, (so) there should be some football being played.
“Hopefully the powerbrokers come together and make that happen because I think we’re missing a trick if we don’t.”
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Pride head coach Ty Williams said the club could potentially field two teams if rugby league could be played this year.
“We had about 30 in total at training the other night … but if we can come forward and say there is going to be some football next week, I think we’ll see a spike in the number of the lads coming back,” he said.
“The concept with Tully and Brothers, if they do get some football up and running, is we wouldn’t solely put an ISC squad out there, we would mix it up.
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“There’s also a few other avenues that we’d like to approach. There’s certain guys that won’t get to play football this year because their club is unable to participate, do we contact them and say we’re looking at you moving forward, would you be interested in coming over and doing some stuff for the Pride?’
“If there’s an avenue where guys come and have a chat to us about potentially playing some sort of football, then we’ve gotto be open for discussion.”
Originally published as Pride, CDRL make last-ditch effort to revive rugby league in 2020