Former Tigers, Warriors and Kiwis player Ben Matulino prepares the tackle pad for a charging Dre Brown, 7, at the Sky Sport Rugby League Roadshow in Mount Maunganui. Photo / George Novak
Former Tigers, Warriors and Kiwis player Ben Matulino prepares the tackle pad for a charging Dre Brown, 7, at the Sky Sport Rugby League Roadshow in Mount Maunganui. Photo / George Novak
The next generation of New Zealand league stars had the chance to learn from the best on Saturday.
The Sky Sport Rugby League Roadshow stopped off in Mount Maunganui and saw past and present New Zealand representatives such as Ben Matulino, who was forced into retirement last year with a knee injury, and Warriors Women's captain Georgia Hale running skills and drills.
Hale said it was great to get out in the communities and see that there was a genuine love of the game among the children.
"It's been awesome, we started off in Gisborne, carried on to Whakatāne, in the Mount today and finishing in Whitianga tomorrow. We've seen a lot of people and we've done a lot of fun and really cool things in these regions.
"It's very promising, the way the game has changed and the way it's growing, to see so many young girls involved and the fact that our presence here is through our female players. It's really exciting for these girls to sort of cross paths and rub shoulders with us."
Luka Stosic, 5, makes a run during the Sky Sport Rugby League Roadshow in Mount Maunganui. Photo / George Novak
She said the pathways and opportunities for girls in rugby league had changed a lot since she was a child.
"I wasn't as fortunate, there wasn't any rugby league around for me at that age group, the girls' game didn't really exist. For me looking back, young girls playing the game now can play from the age of 4 right through to women's which is awesome.
"It shows how much the game has grown and how far it has come so it's exciting times."
Hale and her Warriors teammates fly to Perth for the NRL Nines next weekend.
"That will be a nice start to the season. It will definitely be one of those moments to see if you've done enough work [in the preseason] but I think we have and we're really looking forward to it.
"We've had two years of our competition now so we're looking forward to the third and just trying to be better than before."
Ben Matulino mans the tackle pad at the Sky Sport Rugby League Roadshow. Photo / George Novak
New Zealand Rugby League Upper Central Zone operations manager Hamana Amoamo said the goal of the event was to engage children and give them a chance to try rugby league.
"We've made it a fun experience, it's a whānau environment. We're taking the game out to the people and it's a chance for those who might not have seen a rugby league game to see what our product is.
"At this age you don't want kids specialising in one sport, we encourage the kids to try as many sports as possible. The reaction has been great, we've had great turnouts. This morning was terrific, we had a huge crowd and there was a really good vibe."
