Dubbo and District Junior Rugby League president Bernard Wilson is "100 per cent" certain the female tackle game is the future, but plenty of work needs to happen between now and then.
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The DDJRL is set to incorporate girls' tackle into the competition next year but the details around how and when are still being decided.
The main factor for Wilson is ensuring the best for the entire league, given booming under 12, under 14 and under 17 league tag competitions have grown to become one of the highlights of the junior season.
"One thing we don't want to do is we don't want to detract from our league tag," Wilson said.
"It's highly successful and there's definitely a market there for lots of girls to play it.
"All we need to do is sort out our balance of when and how we can incorporate tackle into the season."
The female tackle game is a hot topic at the moment after the huge success of an expanded Western Women's Rugby League competition this year.
Group 10 Junior Rugby clubs have asked for expressions of interest regarding a potential female tackle competition in 2024 and the DDDJRL board has had some early conversations with NSW Rugby League about introducing it next year.
While nothing has been set in stone, one option Wilson put forward was playing tackle in four-week blocks during the season and focus on development as much as competition.
That would give an idea of the interest in the tackle format while also allowing those players to continue in league tag for the rest of the season.
"I think, definitely, in 2024 we will have some kind of sub-competition to give girls a go at," Wilson said.
"Whether that be like a development thing where we put them in like a four-week program to get them up to speed.
"We obviously have concerns about the tackling side of it and so does the National Rugby League. They're pushing all these courses about tackling and we're big believers that girls should go into that program.
"We can't throw them straight out on the field and say 'go run and tackle'."
The idea has support from current Western Rams under 17s coach, Kaitlyn Mason.
As someone working with the best junior female players in the region, Mason said she was hopeful winter competition could be formed.
Wilson added he was "100 per cent" certain tackle would become the norm during the regular junior league season in the years to come.
The WWRL - which runs from under 12s through to opens - currently runs in a shorter season from September to November.
"There's just the pathway," Wilson said of the benefits of tackle.
"League tag has no pathway in the sense of where you go. What's the next step? It provides exercise and a team sport and the girls love it but what we've got to do is try to to create a pathway now.
"That's so girls who are interested and want to go down and play in the national women's league have something there for them.
"It's going to take work and it's not going to happen overnight."
Wilson highlighted current Parramatta Eels NRLW player Taneka Todhunter as someone who rose from Dubbo with virtually no junior tackle footy.
While praised for doing so much her self, a tackle competition in winter for junior players would make it vastly easier to rise from the western area to the NRLW.
Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
