Two NSW wheelchair Rugby League players Toby Popple and Zac Carl will be hosting a ‘Come N Try’ day for the sport this Saturday (7 December) in Popple’s home town of Wagga Wagga.
Popple and Carl, both passionate players for the Canberra Raiders in the state’s club competition, share a vision of bringing wheelchair Rugby League to country towns and communities.
In line with this vision, Wheelchair Rugby League has established the Rolling Regions program. This initiative is designed to showcase the sport’s accessibility and excitement while inspiring new players to join, with the ultimate goal of establishing regular competitions in regional and rural areas.
It is also happening in the week celebrating International Day of People with Disability (3 December).
“It’s a long-term goal, not a short-term one,” Popple told nswrl.com.au
“If we can get two or three new members this weekend that will be a good achievement. We’ll have all the chairs and gear ready for everyone.
“Ultimately we’re trying to create a bit of noise around the sport, telling people it is there, and there are opportunities to play.
“We have tried before to get a club going in Wagga, but we weren’t successful. We had four people who wanted to come on a regular basis but that wasn’t sustainable.
“But our ultimate goal is to have a team based in Wagga playing in a regional competition.”
Saturday’s free Come N Try event will be held in collaboration with Canberra Region Rugby League at the Wagga Wagga Multi-Purpose Stadium (11am-1pm).
Wheelchair Rugby League’s profile received a significant boost with the Australian Wheelaroos making the Semi-finals in November 2022 of the World Cup, where all matches were streamed live.
“Absolutely, but still there are people who don’t know about the sport, even people with disabilities haven’t heard about wheelchair Rugby League,” Popple said.
“Everyone involved in the sport would like to change all that.”
Popple played the 13-person running game until at age 21, he lost his right leg in a car accident in 2018. But he made the NSW wheelchair team in 2022 and last October made his Wheelaroos debut in a two-Test series against New Zealand.
“I’ve had plenty of highs and lows so far in the wheelchair game – try three Origin games for three losses with the last one going down to the wire (42-36 in June this year). But the highs outweigh it all – the team environment and camaraderie and the joy of playing a sport you love.”
The wheelchair game is five-a-side and played over two 40-minute halves, with the same points scoring as the running game.Teams are allowed two able-bodied players on court at a time opening up the possibility of families playing together.
The ‘field of play’ is across three indoor basketball courts.
Rules are similar. Players must pass backwards, and possession changes after six tackles. A “tackle” is made by ripping off the Velcro shoulder tag of an opposition player, similar to League Tag.
There will be further Come N Try days held in other regional centres across NSW during 2025.
Click here to register for Saturday’s event.
