Rugby League: Coastline District Rugby League finals this weekend

Hangarau Storm playing against Putauaki during the season. Photo / File

Rugby league looks set to grow in the Coastline district with clubs expanding their age groups and volunteer numbers increasing.

Coastline District Rugby League's Mini U6s, U7s, U9s, U11s and Mod-U-13s grade players have been playing for the past 10 weeks with the season coming to an end this weekend and finals matches being held at Grenada Park, Arataki on Sunday.

Coastline District Rugby League chairman Stan Nicholas said 2018 had been "a very good season" which had seen strong performances throughout the age groups.

With clubs such as Papamoa expanding into new age divisions and the introduction of new clubs such as the Hangarau Storm, the competition was growing - all of which was possible because of the passionate work being done inside clubs by volunteers.

"Without the volunteer base in each club we'd really struggle," Nicholas said.

The Coastline district spread out from Te Kaha to Katikati and Nicholas hoped to see the growing interest in the sport continue and potentially even see more clubs introduced into future competitions.

"We're just quite happy with how things are going."

The competition has been running since the 1990s. Nicholas said the juniors fell away completely in the mid-90s.

"We got it going again in 2000," Nicholas said.

Nicholas said having a competition for young league players was vital for the sport.

The Coastline competition allows different clubs to host matches and also travel to other clubs, which does more than showcase the game between clubs.

"It showcases the games to the local community," he said.

"We have six clubs that have teams in the U6s to 13s."

He said the U13s struggled this year, starting with six teams but finishing with three.

However, Nicholas said by offering development pathways for players they hoped to retain as many budding sportsmen as possible because it was not uncommon for young athletes to focus on other codes.

"We have schoolboy grades, our intention is to school them right up until they get up into seniors."

Mini U6s, 7s, 9s Grades Finals Day at Grenada Park, Arataki:

FIELD 1: U6s at 9.30am
Mini field one: Otumoetai vs Papamoa
Mini field two: Hangarau vs Putauaki
Mini field three: Mataatua vs Te Puke
FIELD 1-10.15am
Mini field one: Otumoetai vs Putauaki
Mini field two: Mataatua vs Papamoa
Mini field three: Hangarau vs Te Puke

FIELD 2: U7s at 9.30am
Mini field one: Otumoetai vs Te Puke
Mini field two: Papamoa vs Mataatua
Hangarau Bye
FIELD 1-10.15am
Mini field one: Papamoa vs Hangarau
Mini field two: Te Puke vs Mataatua
Otumoetai bye

FIELD 3: U9s at 9.30am
Mini field one: Otumoetai vs Putauaki
Mini field two:Papamoa vs Te Puke
Mini field three: Hangarau vs Mataatua
FIELD 1-10.15am
Mini field one:Otumoetai vs Mataatua
Mini field two:Putauaki vsPapamoa
Mini field three: Te Puke vs Hangarau

U11s Mod-U-13s Youth International Grades Finals at Grenada Park, Arataki:

U11s 11.15am
Field 1 (Semi 1): Papamoa (1st) vs Te Puke (4th) - winner to final
Field 2 (Semi 2): Putauaki (2nd) vs Mataatua (3rd) - winner to final
Field 3 (5th and 6th playoff):
Hangarau vs Otumoetai (Final)
U13s 12pm:
Field 1: Mataatua (2nd) vs Hangarau (3rd) - winner plays final
Field 2: Putauaki (1ST) bye
Straight to Cup Final
U11s 12.45pm
FIELD 1
Winner Semi 1 vs Winner Semi 2 (Cup Final)
FIELD 2
Loser Semi 1 vs Loser Semi 2 (3rd and 4th playoff)
U13s 1.30pm
Field 1: Winner of semi vs Putauaki (Cup Final)