18 Month Registration Window /

To further enhance the Rugby League experience for participants born in the second half of the calendar year, the game is excited to be offering the 18-Month Registration Window. It is designed to promote a more enjoyable environment for younger players who, for many reasons, may feel overly challenged in their calendar group by providing an opportunity for players who are born between July and December to register in the year level immediately below their calendar grouping. The 18 Month Registration Window sets out to minimise the Relative Age and Maturation Effects in Rugby League as well as promoting a players ongoing participation and personal development.

PLEASE NOTE; The 18 Month Registration Window is not offered for players meeting the demands of their calendar group regardless of their DOB. The purpose of the 18 Month Registration Window is to improve the Rugby League experience for players who are being adversely impacted by the Relative Age and Maturation Effects.

Eligibility

All Junior players that are born in the second half of the calendar year (July 1 – 31 December) are eligible to apply for the 18-Month Registration Window. Only Senior players who are entering their first year of a senior competition, up to and including the year they turn nineteen (19) years of age and are born in the second half of the calendar year (July 1 – 31 December) shall be eligible to apply for the 18-Month Registration Window.

Considerations when identifying players eligible to apply for 18-month registration include, but are not limited to:

• Differences in physical, mental or emotional maturity relative to remainder of calendar group
• Feeling overly challenged in their calendar age group
• Unavailability of the applicant’s calendar group
• New participant to the game of Rugby League
• Additional provisions may be provided in extenuating circumstances (including but not limited to medical reasons)
  
  

Successful applicants of the 18-Month Registration provision will forfeit the following:

• Consideration for Junior Representative teams in the age group they are applying to play in 
• Eligibility for ‘portability’ clearance to transfer to another competition
• Eligibility in a Restricted Weight Division outside their calendar group
• The right to participate in their calendar group unless under special circumstances (e.g. a team would forfeit without their involvement)

Please note;  Females  turning 13 years are unable to apply under the 18 Month Registration Window  to play in an Under 12 Mixed Gender competition as per the Mixed Gender Policy.