The Juniors Today

Before examining the issue of the juniors over the past decade, let us look at the club in 1999. Is it, in fact successful?

The club is divided into two divisions - pre teenagers and teenagers .The under 8's, 10's and 12's train and play on a Sunday. This enables them to play competitive sport on Saturdays if they wish, and others not to, if they wish. These teams travel a circuit of annual carnivals at places like Moree, Gunnedah, Mudgee, Bathurst. The biggest carnival of all is held at Dubbo each August with over 1000 players attending.

In 1999 there is an under 12's team and enough players for 5 under 10's teams and 2 under 8's teams. The under 8's have played at Sydney Football Stadium this year as a curtainraiser to a Super 12 game.

The bus trips to carnivals are renowned for great family day trips with numerous parents and grandparents attending. Many fathers assist with training, and have obtained Level One Coaching Certificates. Whole families are mobilised for the annual Dubbo carnival, which is a major fundraiser for the club.

Based on the criteria of player registrations, numbers and parental involvement, this division of the juniors must surely be classified as "successful".

By the time the boys reach their teenage years the club takes the attitude "now you must make up your mind what sport you wish to play". To play rugby in either the 13's, 15's or 17's, players compete in the Central West competition - one of the largest in the Southern Hemisphere (in terms of both player numbers and distances travelled). There are clubs competing from Mudgee, Bathurst, Cowra, Orange (3 clubs), Molong, Wellington, Yeoval, Forbes, Parkes and of course Dubbo.

There are over 800 players in the competition. Central West select four rep. Teams each year. Of the 88 representative players selected in 1999, 24 came from Dubbo. We expect up to twelve of these players will go on to make the Country NSW sides. Dubbo has won six central west premierships in its 10 years in the competition. In 1999, we will field an under 13's team, two under 15's, and two under 17's.

Again there is a rightful claim to this division of the juniors being successful. In fact, the whole junior club is booming. Player registrations are increasing year after year; success on and off the paddock is evident everywhere.

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