LEAGUE - Her aim is to foster game in Northland

Sharon Bird had to be the busiest person at grand final day at Jubilee Park on Saturday.
While the majority of the 500-strong were captivated by the thrilling finale to the Whangarei and Districts Rugby League season between Moerewa and Hikurangi, Bird was moving from job to job making sure that everything ran smoothly.
Why? Because the chairwoman of the Northland league organisation just loves the game.
"My brothers played and that's how I really got into it ... and I've got the full support of the family in the job and I'd like to make the competition here in Northland stronger - especially for the kids so that they stay and play league rather than going to other sports," she said.
She has been the chairperson of the league for two years, but has mixed feelings about continuing in the role next year.
"I have enjoyed it, it has been challenging because I work fulltime and, of course, this job has heavy commitments as well and there's not too many of us on the board," Bird said.
"I don't really wish to (stand again) because I've got a lot of things on. But it depends really - I've got some unfinished business here at Jubilee Park and also regarding the development of the game."
Bird said that, while it wasn't the norm for a women to run a rugby league organisation, it never had been an issue for her.
"If there's nothing wrong with a woman running the country, a woman can run the rugby league - I love it but I had some experience - I was the chairperson of Portland (Rugby League Club) for 10 years before I started here."
She has presided over Northland Rugby League during some interesting times in the sport, witnessing the changing of the guard in the sport's governing body in New Zealand.
The new NZRL board has made sweeping changes to the sport's competitive structure this year, most noticeably the scrapping of the Bartercard competition and replacing it with the national club competition.
While expressing regret that there is no provincial competition for Northland this season, Bird is willing to give the change in direction a chance at least.
"There will be a full calendar of rugby league next year from the NZRL point of view and it should see some players playing in a number of competitions, whether it be club football, national club or provincial football and another plus is there will also be a big under-18s competition happening," she said.
For now, the Northland boss is just happy that the 2007 season ended on such a positive note.
"My congratulations to Moerewa for coming from No.4 to win it but I must congratulate Hika, they played a very good game ... it's been a good year and an awesome grand final," she said.
The workload doesn't ease off for long though and Bird is already looking forward to getting next season off to a good start.
"The AGM will be in the first week of November or perhaps even before that. We want to have it earlier this year so we can plan effectively for 2008 and be prepared to start in February rather than start preparing in February," she said.