Tough Times in North West
                                                  From Adam Goddard, North West Delegate

The North West Sports Region includes both the Longreach and Mount Isa Education Districts, with 700km separating the two major centres of the region.

School Rugby League in the North West is facing some serious problems. There is no local school competition in the Central West Sports District (centred in Longreach), and the Mount Isa District has limited competition options due to the small number (3) of secondary schools in the district and the great distances required to travel to compete in other centres.

The North West Regional selection trials for Open and Under 15 teams were held on Friday 16 April. Under 15 teams from Central West, Mid West, Mount Isa Districts, and Open teams from Central West District, Mount Isa SHS and Kalkadoon SHS competed at the carnival.

Many thanks to Peter Wilson of Kalkadoon for convening the carnival. Thanks too to the players and coaches, some of who travelled over 800km to compete, for the successful carnival.

The Mount Isa District continues to provide its students with opportunities to compete in rugby league. This year the Secondary and Primary School Sports Associations have joined forces, staging the Mount Isa Primary Schools NQ Cowboys' Cup and the Fleur Daniels' / Cowboys' Secondary Schoolboys Competition, Wednesday afternoons at the home of Mount Isa Rugby League, Alec Inch Oval.

The afternoons have a carnival atmosphere with eight games being played. The local Mount Isa company, Fleur Daniels have provided $2,000 in prizemoney and the North Queensland Cowboys have provided much needed travel subsidising.

The competition is played at three levels - Year 8, Under 15 and Open. Mount Isa SHS, Kalkadoon SHS, Mount Isa Catholic High School and Cloncurry SS have teams in the year 8 and under 15 competitions. Only Mount Isa SHS and Kalkadoon SHS have teams entered in the Open competition.

This provides our younger players with much needed competition and hopes to develop the interest and natural talent of the players as they progress through the grades.

It is not known whether the renowned Mount Isa streaker made an unscheduled
appearance, but something certainly caught the eyes of these Kalkadoon players
at a recent fixture day of the Isa schools competition at Alex Inch Oval.

north west teams
make next selection