As a first shot at getting children together for rugby league, it wasn't too bad an effort for the game's newly-appointed development officer, Anaru Bartlett.
That was the Rugby League Community Roots Carnival which attracted about 160 children to the Hawke's Bay Showgrounds in Hastings on Sunday, raising confidence thatnew mini and mod league and "backyard" rugby league will get under way this year in the latest attempt to rejuvenate the sport in Hawke's Bay.
Among the attractions were the Rugby League World Cup, won by the Kiwis in Brisbane in 2008 and set to be defended in the next tournament in the UK in October-November 2013.
Also present was former Kiwi and NRL star Ruben Wiki, while among the coaching and skills staff was Taranaki league stalwart Alan Jackson, who coached the Hawke's Bay Unicorns through a particularly successful era in 1991-92.
With Rugby League Hawke's Bay having last week decided to can plans for a senior grades winter competition this year due to lack of interest, the focus will be on regrowing numbers through primary, intermediate and secondary schools.
The attendance of children from across Hastings and Napier highlighted the potential for weekly modules in local areas, hopefully with the support of 20 parents who on Sunday were also put through a coaching fundamentals course.
New Zealand Rugby League Mid-Central zone manager Kelly Mackay said some schools are interested in entering rugby league teams in the Association of Intermediate and Middle Schools Sports (AIMS) in Tauranga in September.
He said a lot of children are missing out on sports opportunities as club structures fail around the country, affected by numerous pressures on clubs and families, and rugby league is one sport which aims to help in their struggling communities.
RLHB chairman Kevin Tamati said that while no senior grades winter competition went ahead, the league would still be looking at running a spring competition.
