The Otago Rugby League has just over 1200 registered players now.
That might not seem like a lot. But it is a long way from where the sport was at 14 years ago.
There was no club league played in the city in 2010 and 2011. None.
Somehow the Whalers, the province’s senior men’s team, kept going. That is a testament to long-serving coach David Reedy and his refusal to give up.
Former Southern zone rugby league general manager Steve Martin was charged with rebuilding the sport from the ground up in 2010.
He was in the role for 12 years before handing over to Liam Turner, who has built on the base Martin re-established.
Otago Rugby League regional development officer Troy Anstiss is another who can look back with pride at the way the sport has grown.
And the numbers are impressive.
Reaching 1200 — 1212, to be exact — registered players was a milestone.
That represents a 40% increase in playing numbers since 2023. It is the fastest-growing rugby league district in New Zealand this year.
The major part of the growth is down to the establishment of a junior club competition, which involves 26 teams.
There is also a four-team women’s club competition up and running. One of those teams is from Southland.
The Whalers are the only South Island team in the national men’s premiership this year, and 26 players from Otago were named in the South Island age-grade Scorpions squads, which is the most the region has contributed.
Turner said there had been a lot of hard work done behind the scenes.
"A lot of credit goes to Troy, who’s the development officer here in Dunedin. But, yeah, look, it’s been a range of things," Turner said.
"A big one has been the new junior club competition here, which started a couple of weekends ago."
The competition is for under-6s right up to the under-13s.
Turner believes it has been at least 30 years since there has been junior league in the city.
"Over the last few years, a lot of engagement has been in that school space and will continue to be so. But it’s pretty exciting to have a week-to-week club competition.
"It’s a huge step for the growth, but also it’s a sustainable competition that we hope will run for many, many years."
The junior competition runs for only four weeks but it is a step in the right direction.
Having a brief competition had its advantages, Turner said.
"I think in the modern society, parents, coaches and everyone are just lacking in time.
"So these shorter, punchier competitions suit society really well and it’s something we’ve tried to adapt to. And there’s obviously a bit of a window with the union season finishing and then summer sports starting."
Working around rugby union has been one of the keys.
The senior club rugby season has been shorter since Covid, and rugby league start their season at the end of the union season.
That allows people who want to play both codes to fill their boots.
New Otago Rugby League chairman Rod Bannister said the challenge now was to build on the foundations they have re-established.
"We need to make sure we have good people on the ground, and all round Otago not just Dunedin, supporting that growth."
That means making it easy for parents to get involved, to have good quality coaching in place and "finding a way to utilise our volunteer base without exhausting them".
"That is what we are looking at and it is top of mind," Bannister said.
