WHEN the 2021 Group 10 Junior Rugby League season was cancelled before the finals series could be completed it left players across the region disappointed, but now it's all smiles and excitement.
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Last Saturday St Pat's Jack Arrow Oval hosted under 6, under 7, under 8 and under 9 teams from clubs across the region for a mini cluster carnival.
There were 54 games played in massive program of close to seven hours.
"It was brilliant, we had a full house. There were lots of games, lots of kids smiling, it was a great day," Tony England, St Pat's Junior Rugby League president, said.
"Those mini age groups, it's all about getting those kids to play, bring your family and friends, get everybody along and have all those kids enjoy it."
This Saturday the Eglinton Eels will host another mini cluster carnival with strong numbers anticipated once more. England, who is also chairman of Group 10 Junior Rugby League, said it is a big positive for the sport in the region.
"Across all clubs, our mini clusters are very strong in the Bathurst, Orange, Mudgee, Cowra areas, it bodes well moving through into under 10s through to our 16s age groups, it looks good for the future," he said.
"We're really lucky out here, we've got that really good skill-base for our juniors, which starts at that cluster level.
The Mudgee Junior Rugby League mini's season will start this Saturday, April 30 at Glen Willow - under 6s, 7s and 8s at 9am, and under 9s at 9.50am.
It was August 14 when the last games of the 2021 season - the elimination and qualifying semi-finals - were played at Lithgow, so the young talents are eager to lace up their boots once more.
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