Kick off early to help rep prospects

Change is the air for the 2011 Whangarei City and Districts Rugby League Competition with the hope that better organisation and planning will compliment the upcoming representative season.
The WCDRL season kicks off tomorrow - nearly a month earlier than last year, WCDRL chairperson Juanita Hool said.
After three years in the hot seat, chairman Sonny Hohepa resigned from the position and Hool took over the reins at the start of this year and said she was excited about her new role.
"I'm absolutely enjoying the role so far and why wouldn't I?
"I believe if I can add value to the game which I enjoy, and in doing so make someone else's job a bit easier, then all good."
Hool's father and brothers played league and her mother was a great administrator, she said.
"I married a footballer, Shane, and that is probably when I got really involved in administration. We had two sons who play, which is when I actively got involved with the practical side as well.
"Last year I managed Takahiwai's senior side but that was not my first time doing that job," she explained.
Hool is supported by a board containing mostly old faces in new roles.
"I believe that we are a well-rounded and experienced group.
"I have practical and administrative experience, Sharon Bird is secretary as well as the Northern Zone Board director, Ma-Lisa Kaka is treasurer, Mike Leiman and Dane Ronane-Rata are club liaison officers and Damion Murray is a board member and will be an active referee this season."
The biggest challenge about Hool's new role is getting the rugby league community to understand the board and clubs want the same outcome - a better, more organised and fair club competition.
This will hopefully segue into a successful representative season for Northland in the New Zealand Rugby League National Competition, Hool said.
This year, the competition will see 11 teams contesting the local competition - one more than last year - which made it slightly difficult when the draw was being worked out, the chairperson said.
Marist will make their return to the competition after last playing in 2008, and because the local contest needs to be completed before the representative season starts on August 26, teams have been split into two conferences - North (Otaua, Kaikohe, Bay Slayers, Hokianga, Moerewa) - and South (Wairoa, Takahiwai, Portland, Marist, City, Hikurangi).
In the first round, North teams will play each other once, as will the South teams, but the second round is a full round ahead of playoffs and the grandfinal on August 13.
"We obviously want to have a good competition and see some good football played on the field week in and week out - that will be our way of contributing to our representative team.
"Our ultimate goal is to support the ongoing development of the game in this district.
"Having an extra senior team as well as a credible junior competition is a demonstration of that goal being achieved." Hool said.
WCDRL Round One Draw, March 26:
Bay v Moerewa (Kerikeri Domain); Kaikohe v Hokianga (Kaikohe); Otaua BYE; Wairoa v Hikurangi (Dargaville); Marist v City (Jubilee Park); Takahiwai v Portland (Takahiwai). Tomorrow's matches kick off at 2.30pm.