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Eels See Growth in Rugby League in Clyde North
With the forecast growth in Melbourne’s South Eastern suburbs set to explode, the number of junior participants taking up Rugby League in Clyde North is already starting to have positive outcome on game development for the Pakenham Eels Rugby League Club in 2024.
Recent Melbourne Storm representative matches at the clubs home ground at Comely Banks Recreation Reserve in Officer has seen plenty of supporters and junior players flock to the international rugby league facility to experience some high quality rugby league being played.
2024 is beginning to see the development of Rugby League in Clyde North and the growth of Pakenham Eels Rugby League club explode, with players from these high growth suburbs calling the Eels home in 2024.
Although the Pakenham Eels are firmly rooted in Cardinia Shire, the surrounding growth areas of Clyde North, Clyde, Cranbourne East and Officer South are set to become a real breeding ground for junior participation in both Rugby League and Touch Football over the coming 3 to 5 years.
Pakenham Eels Catchment Population Growing
Identified over 10 years ago as a potential Rugby League growth area, the South East Melbourne corridor that encompasses Cardinia Shire has seen significant change and development since the Pakenham Eels Rugby League Club first started in 2016.
The opening up of new suburbs in Clyde North, Cranbourne East, Officer South and Pakenham East, has seen travel time to Comely Banks Recreation reserve slashed. Traditionally considered a long drive, the Pakenham Eels Rugby League Clubs home ground at Comely Banks Recreation Reserve is literally 3 minutes off the Monash freeway, and travel time is between 12 to 15 minutes from anywhere within a 12km radius.
In actual fact it takes as long to drive from Pakenham as it does from Clyde North, Narre Warren or Berwick, making it easily the most accessible club within the region.
Junior and Senior Participation
As Rugby League in Clyde North and other key growth areas continues, The Pakenham Eels are seeing further growth in both junior and senior rugby league. In addition, the clubs NRL League Touch competition has seen teams from Cranbourne, Frankston, Dandenong, as well as Clyde North, Cranbourne East and Narre Warren compete every Friday night from mid September.
2024 will see the Pakenham Eels increase the player membership, especially in the junior age groups from under 6’s to under 12’s, and sees this year the introduction of the clubs first female under 12’s team, scheduled to play under lights every Friday night at Comely Banks Recreation Reserve throughout the season.
With all of these grades playing a highly modified format of the game, the accessibility for players to learn and enjoy the sports has been a big focus from NRL Game Development for many years now. The introduction of the player framework has set a new standard around participation:
“By achieving the three primary objectives of Attract and Retain Participation, Foster Personal Development, and Transition and Nurture Performance, the game will deliver an environment that affords all Australians the opportunity to play Rugby League regardless of their age, skill or aspiration.”
This has had positive results when players move from non-competition to competition grades (13+) and see the retention and development of players being better achieved, and therefore attracting and retaining a greater percentage of those players who take up the sport in their early years.
For youth players and especially those playing Rugby League in Clyde North it provided greater opportunities for engagement, and allows players a real chance to have representative pathways available, especially through the Melbourne Storm systems. There is no doubt that the Pakenham Eels Rugby League club is fast becoming a club that fosters family as well as a real work ethic around potential opportunities into future seasons.
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