Big numbers: Kellyville Bushrangers president Mick Tiskins presents Zachery Barnfield with a 10-year membership award. Zach was one of 126,000 individuals to play rugby league across Australia last season. Picture: Carlos Furtado
REGISTRATION numbers in rugby league are at record highs this year with thousands of junior players flocking to their nearest club to sign up for the 2013 season.
The Kellyville Bushrangers are one of those clubs in the Parramatta rugby league district to be cashing in on the game's resurgence with 400 players already committing to the club in February.
Club president Mick Tiskins said the spike in registration numbers was a result of the NRL's highly-successful community engagement program.
"Rugby league's had a lot of media exposure with player appearances and kids are responding," Tiskins said.
Tiskins said it was encouraging to see large numbers of juniors signing with the club year after year.
"Our under-8s division is particularly strong and we have four teams in that age group," he said.
"Generally speaking these players tend to stay with the club and play a number of years well into their teens."
One of the first players to sign up this season was 10-year club veteran Zachery Barnfield.
The 14-year-old signed for the club in 2004 and is one of the youngest players in Parramatta District rugby league history to reach a 10-year membership milestone.
"I love rugby league so much and don't think I'll ever stop playing," Zachery said. "It's a game which is fast-paced, exciting to play and full of action."
Registrations at the Bushrangers will continue until the Parramatta District Rugby League season in April.
kellyvillebushrangers.com.au.