Westpac NSW Blues coach Brad Fittler has handed out more than 1100 footballs as he farewelled the NSWRL Regional Hogs tour today with his 11th and final free football clinic in Moruya, after travelling more than 5700km around NSW for the past two weeks as part of a recruitment drive for the 2023 Community Rugby League season.
Fittler set out for the tour on Sunday 5 February with True Blue Ian Schubert and Harvey Norman NSW Sky Blues coach Kylie Hilder, while True Blues Craig Wing, Boyd Cordner, Steve Menzies and Nathan Hindmarsh, and Sky Blues captain Kezie Apps have also been involved.
The tour took in the northern and north-western part of the state in Week One before focusing on the southern and south-western areas in Week Two.
Both Fittler and Hilder want to help topple the record from 2021 which saw the number of participants rise by more than five per cent to 107,528. That had male players record their highest growth in six years, and female participation break through the 20,000 mark (22,810) for the first time in history.
“It’s been a highlight for me every year to jump on the bike and travel around regional NSW to visit the different Rugby League communities,” Fittler said.
“I want every kid in NSW to have a football as I really believe it is the greatest game of all. You make friends for life and learn valuable lessons about teamwork, resilience, and leadership.
“I’ve been impressed by the turnout we’ve had at all our clinics, and I’d encourage all participants to sign up for the 2023 Community Rugby League season and make sure their friends sign up to," Fittler said.
Freddy's Daily Diary | NSWRL Hogs Tour 2023 - Day 11
“Being a part of Rugby League has been such a rewarding experience for me and I’m certain it will have the same impact for you.”
Hilder said it had been heartening to see so many girls of all ages turn up for the clinics with the women’s game continuing to be one of the fastest growth areas for the sport.
“It’s been a great experience getting out to all the country regions and seeing how much the kids love their Rugby League,” she said.
“The number of girls that we’ve seen at the clinics has been awesome and I just love getting out and spreading the word about how great our game is.”
Fittler, who has been touring regional NSW areas with the Hogs riders since 2013, visited towns as far west as Bourke and Hay, to Lismore in northern NSW and Albury on the NSW-Victorian border. Other towns that were visited over the past two weeks included Dubbo, Walgett, Glen Innes, Tamworth, Harden, Cooma and Moruya.
The highlights have included a dinner at Harden to launch their 2023 season and celebrate their centenary year, with the Group 9 competition formed at the Grand Hotel, Harden, in 1923; and a visit to The Big Bogan in Nyngan and the Big Golden Guitar in Tamworth; the Mount Panorama racetrack in Bathurst; and the statue of legendary Rugby League commentator Ray Warren in Junee.
Freddy's Daily Diary | NSWRL Hogs Tour 2023 - Day Nine
