RUGBY League fans will soon be able to play the sport in the South West.

President of the Rugby League Steering Committee Wayne Capper said there was a lot of interest in the sport in the area.

“Basically a committee of eight noticed a lot of interest of people around the South West regarding Rugby League. What we are doing is we are in the starting phase. We will put in a proposal to the West Australian Rugby League by December stating interest of wanting to join the competition next year,” he said.

“We are looking for interest from anyone in the South West.”

Capper said a Muster Day would be held on Saturday, November 14.

“We will be in Dunsborough at noon at Lions Park, Busselton at 2pm at Mitchell Park and at the Bunbury Runners Club at 4pm.

“We will also be having a Muster Day on Sunday, November 15 at the Harvey Recreation Centre at noon, Roche Park in Collie at 2pm and Leschenault Leisure Centre at 4pm.”

The ARL Development would be at the Muster Day looking for junior and senior players, coaches and managers and also committee members, Capper said.

The club will be called the South West Warriors.

“We are not too sure about where our headquarters will be so we are doing the Muster Day to gauge the level of interest in each area,” he said.

“It is basically going to be a home and away basis and will be involved in the Perth competition. We are trying to find as much support and sponsorship as we can.”

Capper said there is already quite a lot of interest in Collie, including interest from women.

“The age group for juniors will be five to 18 and there will be girls and boys teams for juniors.

Also for seniors we have had a lot of interest in a women’s team. A lot of women used to play rugby but now live in Collie and want to get back into it. It is not just a sport for men,” Capper said.

Capper said the committee aims to have the proposal for the team done by December.

“Hopefully then pre-season training will start in January.”

“The WARL is trying to get a team into the NRL by 2013 and part of what they have realized is the game needs to be state wide for that to happen. There is already a competition in the Pilbara and Goldfields and South West is an area they have wanted to get into for a while. They have offered full backing for next year and will support us in anyway they can.”

For more information visit www.southwestwarriors.rlc.com.