Northland left to stand alone

Northland clubs will go it alone in New Zealand Rugby League's Northern Zone after the Auckland Rugby League flexed its muscles and forced the NZRL to change its proposed national provincial competition.
Northland may be the big loser after Auckland blocked North Harbour from joining Northland in the Northern Zone - after threatening legal action - a month out from the start of the National Premier Zonal Competition.
Seven zones were created as a result of a NZRL review by Sport and Recreation New Zealand (Sparc) in 2008, with Northland and North Harbour forming the Northern Zone.
At the end of 2007, Sparc contacted the NZRL registering concerns about the health of the sport in the country after the NZRL had accumulated losses of $2.2 million for the 2006 and 2007 periods and had no cash reserves.
The registered playing numbers had fallen to fewer than 17,000, there was no national competition and Sparc proposed an independent review, which recommended a total overhaul and restructure of the organisation. NZRL adopted the plan and has begun to implement it, starting with the creation of the new zones and National Zonal Competition, which kicks off on August 28-29.
However, after the threatened legal action, the NZRL and Auckland Rugby League met and reached an "amicable agreement" where it was decided the Auckland Zone would include North Harbour clubs, and Auckland and Counties Manukau zones could incorporate all clubs currently in the Auckland district between the two zones.
Auckland Rugby League chairman Cameron McGregor said the agreement recognised the strong club competition and solid financial footing the ARL provided.
In reality, North Harbour's inclusion in the Auckland Zone makes it unlikely the traditional heavyweight will ever be beaten in the national competition. Their established premier and reserve grade competitions involve 44 senior teams, and therefore a larger player base from which the Auckland Zone team will be selected. The Northern Zone in contrast, has 10 clubs from which to selected the Northern Zone team.
Northern Zone general manager Rob Wakelin said while there was a flipside to every decision made, he was focused on the positives about having a smaller zone to administer and look after.
"With 10 premier squads it means we only have around 200 players to select a premier representative team from. But it also means each club will get more support and attention from me and the [Northern Zone] board. Less population but more penetration. The benefits to the players is their representative selection chances have really increased," Wakelin said.

 While the premier side may struggle the strong junior base in Northland may have a  chance of making a statement in the Under-15 and Under-17 National Zonal Competition, he said.