Let the kids play for points

As you have heard the NRL has changed the following:

1. No tackling until 8 years old;

2. No competition until 13 years old

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/push-on-for-rebel-junior-league-to-combat-nrl-s-tackling-and-competition-ban-20230811-p5dvtt.html

From the article it calls out that the changes are being implemented to discourage a win-at-all-costs mentality at grassroots level while negating the impact of Relative Age Effect and varying stages of physical maturity among juniors.

Unfortunately the issue that they call out does not realistically connect to the changes they are looking to make,

1. Kids learn more quickly in the cognitive stages and the earlier you teach kids to tackle, correctly, the safer the game will be through out;

2. No competition before 13s Is not going to stop a win at all costs attitude. It will make the game into a recreation and not a sport  Kids will go to other sports to get the feeling of winning and conversely losing. Both actions are character building and unfortunately this is not how the real world works.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/tackles-banned-competitive-games-canned-biggest-junior-league-shake-up-in-decades-20220929-p5bm4h.html

Instead of diluting the game, there should be a focus on coaching the basics well from a young age and an oversight of the coaches and how they interact with the children, by both the club administrators as well as Junior League administrators.  

Please read the article and also think about how these rule changes will affect the great game of rugby league, not just for your kids now, but the impact of the game in the future. 

If you don't agree with the NRL's dramatic and unnecessary changes, Please send a message to the administrators in the NRL and your junior league by signing the petition