RUGBY LEAGUE
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TAMWORTH’S iconic Peel Schools Rugby League Carnival has reached a crossroads.
Staring in July, 1949 the Carnival has become Australia’s longest running junior Rugby League Carnival.
In those 67 years it has become a nursery for many subsequent NRL, State of Origin and Kangaroo representatives and reaching a pinnacle of 244 teams (around 3000 players) from 65 schools in 1969.
It was also then deemed the largest schoolboy carnival in the Southern Hemisphere.
While not drawing the numbers of those heady days, the event still attracts nearly 100 Primary and Secondary teams and has survived as the last remaining schoolboys carnival in northern NSW.
However, things took a turn for the worse this year when an expectation of increased accreditation of officials made the carnival unviable in the eyes of the Peel Schools Carnival Committee. This led to the regrettable cancellation of the event.
A response to this was soon forthcoming from Country Rugby League, who recently sent officials to Tamworth to meet with members of the Peel Schools Committee.
Most of the concerns were addressed in a positive fashion with a promising new format proposed to keep the carnival alive.
Well to the fore in this was the pledge by Country Rugby League to provide significant support to the carnival, including referees and officials.
An exciting prospect is the possible scheduling of the Primary section to coincide with the much awaited City v Country match next year on the new Scully Park Regional Sporting Precinct sports complex, when many of the NRL stars would be able to attend the carnival on the day prior.
Another possible innovation could be the inclusion of Ladies League Tag, a huge growth area in Country Rugby League, within the Secondary section.
If the 2016 Carnival is to proceed it is imperative that an organising committee be formed at the Annual General Meeting, scheduled for 7pm on Tuesday, October 13 at Wests Diggers Club. Due to the withdrawal of some key executive committee members it is hoped that supporters of junior rugby league will attend the meeting to help keep the iconic carnival alive.
n Further details can be obtained from president Peter Blom
(6769 1648).