The NRL and NSWRL will jointly host one of the largest Rugby League festivals in the country as six events are rolled out over the next three weeks at Tuggerah’s Central Coast Regional Sporting and Recreational Complex.
There will be more than 2000 participants who will take to the field over the course of the next week - while the expected attendance from outside the Central Coast region will exceed 5000 - for the ‘Festival of Football’ that provides a unique opportunity to grow the game in all its forms.
“It’s a real smorgasbord of grassroots footy bringing a mixture of school and community events together to end the season,” NSWRL Community Manager Peter Clarke said.
“These are events and competitions which have helped our participation growth right throughout the game.
“Some events have been held separately in the past or have been traditionally held in metropolitan areas.
“But this time we thought we’d bring them together collectively and take them to a regional area and audience this time.”
School teams will converge on Tuggerah after progressing through their respective local, regional and zone finals - from both metropolitan and regional areas - to earn their place in the Katrina Fanning Cup schoolgirl finals.
“In the preliminary rounds we had 4,500 girls participate and at Tuggerah tomorrow for the finals we have teams as far as Forbes, Young and Tumbarumba, Cooma, Warilla, Toormina in the north along with Central, South-West and Western Sydney contenders,” NRL State Female Participation Coordinator Kate Parkinson said.
Parkinson is proud of the growth and opportunity for emerging talent in the officiating ranks as well as for players.
“We have 20 female match officials from across the state who are part of the Women in League Officiating Program (WILOP), demonstrating new pathways for women and girls through the refereeing ranks.”
KEY FESTIVAL OF FOOTBALL EVENTS
Tuesday September 20: Katrina Fanning Cup (20 teams)
Wednesday 21 September: All Schools Secondary (8 teams)
Saturday 24 September: 13s/14s/15s Dev Cluster Northern Corridor (20 teams)
Tuesday 27 September: Lisa Fiaola Gala Day (15 teams)
Saturday 8-Sunday 9 October: Blues Tag State Carnival (28 teams)
Tuesday 11 October: All Schools Primary (23 teams)
