‘Just let the kids play’: NSWRL boss backs contentious changes as NRL framework enforced at community level

Tackle and finals bans at a community level have left the league world divided, but NSWRL boss David Trodden believes they are a good thing. Hear what he says on the biggest issues in the game.

David Trodden believes changes coming into NSW community football will have a positive impact on participation levels. Picture: David Swift

NSW Rugby League is pointing to increased participation numbers as evidence its contentious changes for the 2024 season will work.

In line with the NRL’s Player Development Framework, associations from around the state now must implement the ‘Tackle Ready’ program in the youngest age groups and finals football won’t be played in certain divisions.

The changes were made in some areas last year with the expectation all leagues would fall into line this year.

It has been met with resistance, with one of the state’s biggest league nurseries in Macarthur rejecting the proposal.

However, NSWRL chief executive David Trodden believes that once parents and officials see the new framework in action, they will see the impact it has on the game.

“I don’t think it will take long at all. It will be quickly accepted as being a great thing for the game,” he said.

“That will be reflected in increased participation numbers and positive reviews about the experience that children have.

“The nature of the game has changed a number of times. It used to be 13-a-side in every single age group.

“Then when there were modified forms of the game that started Mini and Mod, there was the same sort of commentary around those changes, but everybody now accepts that those changes were great for the game.

“If you have a look at all other junior community sports, they all have modified forms of the game in really younger age groups and none of them have finals series in younger age groups.

“Rugby league was really a bit of an outlier by comparison with other community sports.

“I think over time people will appreciate what’s happening at the moment with the Player Development Framework is that we’re really bringing our sport into line with community expectations.

“Everyone will very quickly appreciate it’s a very good thing.”

The latest participation numbers show the NSWRL is on track to eclipse their record registrations from last season.

As of the start of March, registration numbers are up 3.73 per cent on last year, with male figures holding steady at an increase of around 0.5 per cent.

Trodden said this is a positive figure for the game as he aimed to dispel misconceptions on the competitive nature of footy for juniors being abolished.

“There’s a lot of misunderstanding of the rules around competitive footy,” he said.

“The notion that we don’t play for wins and losses every week is nonsense.

“Every game that’s played no matter what age, there’s a winner and a loser. The only thing that’s different is that at the end of the season in some of the younger ages there are no longer any finals.

“The emphasis there is on making sure that children enjoy their sport as opposed to an emphasis on the outcome.

“The real philosophy is just let the kids play. When those (participation) numbers are up on what was a record year last year, that would say to me the Player Development Framework has been positively received by everybody.”

Trodden said he hoped that the changes would also help to increase the retention and recruitment of referees as districts across the state aim to keep match officials in the game.

“What I do know anecdotally is the competitive nature in the older age groups puts pressure on young referees,” he said.

“They’re young people learning a new sport like players learn a new sport. They’re young people on a Saturday and Sunday who want to enjoy their sport just like players.

“It’s really important we provide them with a positive environment within which to do that.

“What we see anecdotally every year is an increase in code of conduct breaches towards the end of the season where referees suffer criticism and sometimes abuse because of a contentious decision that has an impact in a semi final or grand final.”