$5000 prize for breakaway league

OPTIMISTIC: The breakaway group is being led by Hone Harawira.

Nine clubs in the Far North have broken ranks with Rugby League Northland and will run its own competition next year with $5000 for the winner.

The Far North Districts' Rugby League (FNDRL) met on Wednesday and decided on a draft competition format for next year.

It includes home and away games for all clubs, a Ngapuhi v Muriwhenua State of Origin series, rep matches against invitation teams, and the possibility of international games as well.

Spokesman Hone Harawira said the breakaway group has moved on from its differences with Rugby League Northland and was focused on growing the game in the Far North. The nine teams to play under the FNDRL banner in 2016 are Kerikeri, Moerewa, Kaikohe, Otaua, Pawarenga, Muriwhenua, Te Hiku, Ngati Kahu, and Waima.

Mr Harawira said the New Zealand Maori Rugby League has agreed to include the FNDRL under its umbrella and has invited the Far North to send rep squads to its tournaments which covered all ages from U10s right through to the Premiers. FNDRL is also working with Kiwi league legend Tawera Nikau to ensure its best players were available for national selection, he said.

"We've still got a long way to go but the energy is high, and the support we've had from all round the country has been tremendous," Mr Harawira said.

"Oh yeah, and we've already had one sponsor put up $5000 as first prize for the winner of our 2016 Grand Final."

Mr Harawira said FNDRL was working with Graham Lowe and NorthTec to expand the successful Sports Academy run by Jim Larkins in Kaitaia into Moerewa and Kaikohe.

"The academy has only been going a year but four students have already gone on to trial with NRL clubs and two of them have been contracted," he said.

Plans are also under way, he said, to bring representatives from Skills' Active to Kaitaia to outline a programme for FNDRL coaches, referees and administrators.

But Rugby League Northland general manager Alex Smits said the creation of FNDRL was nothing but a power play by individuals.

"The fact is it's a non-sanctioned competition that involves a lot of non-factual information. When they say there are nine clubs, two are not confirmed, and you don't know until people turn up and play."

Mr Smits said by breaking away from RLN, Mr Harawira's group was potentially damaging the credibility of the game.

He said the breakaway group's proposal was to form a body to run the game in the Far North to which RLN had not said no, but had indicated it would not happen next year.

The New Zealand Rugby League has also reacted strongly to the splinter group, saying it will not sanction or recognise another entity within the zone. It has advised Mr Harawira's group that playing in a non-sanctioned competition may have consequences for players and volunteers.

But Mr Harawira said NZRL and the RLN have handled the sport badly in the Far North.

"Rugby League Northland's rejection of our proposals in favour of a structure that has always favoured Whangarei clubs over Far North clubs is disappointing, but not surprising given that the board is essentially made up of people who live in and around Whangarei."