The NRL needs an extra 100 players. Here’s how we target rugby’s strongholds

June 11, 2026 — 5:00am

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With two expansion clubs joining the NRL in the next two years, and talk already turning to a third following soon after, rugby league needs more players.

Ninety to 100 extra players is what that translates to at the top level alone, let alone the juniors and pathways that set a club up for the long term.

Where I think there’s an opportunity to find those players – and it’s only an opportunity – is in South Africa. And an even bigger, far more tangible pathway, is the south island of New Zealand.

Firstly, across the Indian Ocean. South Africa has an incredibly rich rugby union history with four World Cup victories (including the last two) and sport in their DNA. They produce phenomenal athletes, especially big, strong and fast rugby players who thrive on the physical side of the game.

Rugby union’s foundations in South Africa present rugby league with a chance to grow as well, especially if our code looks to get involved in their school system using rugby league nines.

Nine-a-side league is a great intro product to the game – it’s fun to play, fast, open footy with a lot of space. But the physicality that makes rugby league what it is (and which I think South Africans thrive on), as well as the defensive fundamentals, are still there.

Sevens rugby league and rugby union have so much emphasis on fitness, speed and endurance, whereas nines offers more of a balance between the codes.

South Africa’s school system plays a massive role in rugby union’s pathways over there, much like the 15-man game here, and I........

© Brisbane Times