League: Stars' time to shine

The chance to impress Kiwi rugby league legends Ruben Wiki and Tony Kemp will be in the minds of Northern Swords' hopefuls on Sunday.

Around 90 of Northland's best junior players will trial, under the eye of the Kiwi legends, for the right to represent Northland in the 15 and 17 age grades in the 2012 National Provincial Championships at Kensington Park.

In a joint New Zealand Rugby League and Rugby League Northland initiative to provide player pathways for talented Northland players, the pair will also present a high performance camp to help prepare players for their future in the sport.

Not every aspiring league player will play for the Kiwis or in the NRL like Northland legends Adam Blair and Sam McKendry. But there is more to the sport than solely aiming at making a career out of the game, RLN general manager Alex Smits said.

"We hold true to NZRL's motto of 'more than just a game' and so the day includes fitness testing and lifestyle workshops ... and of course the chance to be identified and mentored from the 15s right through to wearing a Kiwi jersey," he said.

The day-long session starts with player registration at 8.30am.

The Whangarei and Districts Senior club league resumes tomorrow after a break for Queen's Birthday weekend with some interesting match-ups.

The battle between third-placed Hokianga and second-placed Moerewa is perhaps the pick of the games.

There are three matches in Whangarei with mid-table Marist and Takahiwai looking for valuable points while City Knights and Hora Hora also try to move away from the wrong end of the table.

Meanwhile, leaders Hikurangi get the chance to revisit their only loss of the first round when the Northern Wairoa Bulls visit the Blue Goose.

In the Mid North, Kaikohe host Kaitaia while the late-charging Otaua will present visitors Bay Slayers with a major challenge for the points.