RISE carnivals locked in for 2022

The opportunity to go to the next level is fast-approaching for the Queensland Rugby League’s RISE Rugby League Development program participants, with the first carnivals just over one month away.

In an expansion of last year’s inaugural program, 2022 will see RISE teams throughout the state come together across five carnivals so the aspiring participants can put all their practice into action.

This year’s program launched in May and June in 22 locations, with 1947 players registered, in an increase on last season’s numbers.

The carnivals, which will take place in September and October, will cap this year’s program, following feedback from the 2021 season.

QRL’s male pathways coach, Guy Williams, and female pathways coach, Tahnee Norris, said the carnivals would ideally lead to a “transfer of skills” after months of training and learning as part of the RISE program.

“Last year the feedback was the players went through the sessions and learnt all the great skills and gained a broader understanding but they didn’t get the opportunity to put it all into practise,” Williams said.

“With these carnivals, the hope is they have a day where they play against a couple of other teams so they get that opportunity to play some footy.

“The way the RISE programs are structured or set out, with the actual matches they play at the end, we should start to see a transfer of skills.”

Norris said it’s also about embracing that carnival or representative environment and enabling the participants to build towards their futures in rugby league.

“The opportunity with these carnivals is to get as much out of their skills sessions as they can,” Norris said.

“It’s not about winning or losing, it’s an opportunity to show what they’ve learnt and apply that in a game format.

“The skills they learn throughout these sessions, they’re generic across the board but it’s up to the kids to apply that when they play the game and show what they can do outside of their own skill levels.

“The carnival is also an opportunity to meet new people, have fun, create friendships… it’s about increasing skill level and having fun at the same time.

“RISE is not only about driving the skill sets of our playing base but identifying where the pathway belongs and how they can move in and up and down.”

The RISE program is viewed as a strong developmental pathway for young up-and-coming players, with many aiming to graduate to the under 16 boys’ Cyril Connell Challenge, the under 18 men’s Auswide Bank Mal Meninga Cup, the Queensland Under 17 City and Country teams or the Harvey Norman Under 19 competition for women.

The QRL also unveiled the Future Maroons Academy last month, which further develops upon these pathways for female players.

Williams and Norris said the RISE program, and now its carnivals, gave young players the opportunity to have more exposure and there was far more awareness from the participants this year in how the program could lead them into those statewide and representative pathways.

And the RISE program has not only helped with player development, but coach education, wellbeing, and opportunities for trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, and more.

“It’s encompassing everything about footy on and off the field and about being better humans,” Norris said.

Full information for the five RISE Rugby League Development carnivals below.