Western Region Rugby League will launch its inaugural 13-a-side women’s tackle competition in 2018 incorporating district teams from Group 11, Group 10, Woodbridge Cup and Castlereagh-Barwon areas.
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The four team competition is set to kick-off on the last weekend in February and finish with a grand final in mid-April.
Teams will play each other twice in a home and away format. Underneath each open women's 13-a-side competition there will be an under 18s 9-a-side division.
The new ladies league format was given the green light by Western Region delegates last week following a proposal from the newly formed Western Women's Rugby League (WWRL) committee. The WWRL is charged with driving female full contact competitions in Western New South Wales.
The new competition follows on from the success of Nines competitions in the western area, the most recent of those was held at Dubbo’s Apex Oval and won by Orange Hawks.
Trangie based chairperson Melinda Gleeson will head the committee. And Gleeson, who was instrumental in establishing Ladies League Tag in the Castlereagh competition, can't wait to tackle the new challenge.
"We have a strong and enthusiastic committee including the astute Kathy Lang from Mudgee who will take on the operations role, along with Jordan Dwyer from Orange and Baradine's Angela Howe, who was in Cronulla Sharks Women’s Rugby League squad this year."
"Following the Jillaroos success in the Rugby League World Cup and the NRL announcement regarding its ladies competition, there is a need and demand for a genuine pathway for women and girls to play rugby league in Western NSW.
"The committee conducted its first meeting last week and is eager to strike while the iron is hot and launch a Western competition in 2018," Gleeson enthused.
"The committee agreed that a four team structure under the banner of each Group would provide a solid foundation to establish a strong competition, a competition that will underpin the growth of ladies and girls Rugby League in the Western Region."
A final draw for the competition will be released in mid-January with teams to kick off training late January.
It is also planned that the 2018 ladies and girls tackle schedule will also incorporate gala days and clinics for interested girls aged 5-15 years.
