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Rugby League is about to kick off again in Gore.
After a hiatus of at least five years, rugby league looks set to return this spring.
Southland Rugby League development officer Dominic Bradley said a decision was made at a community meeting last month to begin the return of league to Gore with a five-week junior competition.
“We’ve had massive interest,” Mr Bradley said.
League was last played in Gore in about 2020, when the district’s few remaining juniors fizzled out.
But a growing number of people from Gore taking part in the Invercargill competition has led to the attempt to re-establish the code in the district, Mr Bradley said.
“It was just a natural progression once those numbers had built themselves up [in Invercargill] to go out to Gore and . . . give them their own club,” the former Southland Rams player said.
Gore players would be able to progress into the youth grades, from under-14 upwards, in the well-established Invercargill competition, at Rugby Park, Mr Bradley said.
Southland Rugby League could offer coaching courses and New Zealand Rugby League training resources to Gore, he said.
Mr Bradley, who was based in Invercargill, said Gore players had full licence to dream big when it came to rugby league.
“The opportunities are plentiful and a lot can come out of the sport,” he said.
Team pathways include Southland youth representative teams, a national youth tournament, and New Zealand under-18 teams.
Southland Rugby League also offered academy pathways, high-performance opportunities, skill development and strength and conditioning.
These pathways could lead to opportunities with the New Zealand Warriors, and the National Rugby League (NRL) or National Women’s Rugby League (NRLW) competitions.
While Gore had close to 10 rugby union clubs, league had its own allure, he said.
“It’s a bit more [of an] expansive game … it’s more teamwork-based, the workload is spread out throughout the whole team,” Mr Bradley said.
The relaunch of the sport also included the establishment of a Gore Main School team.
This year, there are over 200 more players aged 16 and under registered with Southland Rugby League, than last year.
This year, they have over 1000 players.