NRL’s high-shot crackdown praised as junior rugby league players flock to clubs

The NRL’s controversial crackdown on high tackles is showing results at junior level, with more players joining their local teams.

Junior rugby league clubs in Sydney are reporting a boom in player numbers, with strict new safety measures - headlined by the sport’s stringent crackdown on high-shot tackles - heralded as a key reason why.

The Taren Point Titans are one such club, with president Brett Robinson saying the perception the game was getting safer was attracting more and more parents to rugby league.

Mr Robinson told the Telegraph the number of girls playing at the club had grown 500 per cent this year, with the club now fielding seven girls’ league tag teams, up from four last year.

Evie Borg, 6, Isabelle Higgans, 11, Lucy Teplicanec, 11, Kennedy Robinson, 9, Ruby McPherson, 11, of Taren Point Titans U11's on Sunday. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

Neighbouring junior club Kurnell has experienced a similar boom, with five extra teams fielded this year.

“Is it all just because of the new rules in place? You’ll never know, but the perception is that the game is safer,” he told the Telegraph.

“It all filters down from the NRL. Obviously concussion is the biggest concern for the game – but (the steps we’ve taken) mean junior rugby league is the safest sport it can be.”

Elise Borg’s three children are all Titans, with the mother also coaching her daughter Evie’s under eights league tag side.

She said the days of a rowdy parent yelling “take ‘em out!” from the sideline are long gone.

“There wouldn’t be one parent who doesn’t support the crackdown. Nobody wants to see their kid get taken out,” she said.

“Pulling them up is the only way they’re going to learn.

Alexander Borg, 10, Elise Borg, Evie Borg, 6, Renee and Lucy Teplicanec, 11, and Isabella Borg, 11, of the Taren Point Titans at Taren Point rugby league fields, today. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

“In any sport, accidents can happen, but junior league is taking as much precaution as it can to minimise the risks.”

She said the accounts of former rugby league hardmen such as John Sattler and Steve Mortimer, published in the Telegraph, had firmly placed the issue of concussion in the spotlight for players and parents.

“For men like that to come out and talk about it must have been very hard for them, but you can see they’re doing it for the future safety of the kids,” she said.

Fellow mother Renee Teplicanec, whose daughters Lucy, Emily and Charlotte all play league tag and tackle as well, echoed her thoughts.

“We don’t know what the repercussions are for them when they’re older. You see now the medical problems with the older blokes who played back in the day, so I fully support it,” she said.