My local Rugby League club (Wangi Warriors) is offering free rego to everyone. Kids, all-age, everything. From what I've been told by a few sources, the NRL have realised that their sport is dying a slow & painful death, so they're re-investing into juniors to get more people playing.

My little 8-year-old nephew got offered free rego & gear to go play Under 8's league for this upcoming season, and while ~$150 to play football isn't a great deal in the grand scheme of things, my sister had a serious think about whether she wanted to put him into league instead. The voices of reason (aka my old man & me) were on-hand to pull her out of the idea of letting him play anything but roundball, but I can't help but think how many of his little mates have parents who would let their kids change sports because of this free rego thing.

I understand that football rego costs are broken down into insurance, federation fees, club fees, etc - but this understanding doesn't help the fact that kids are getting lured away from the sport because of rego costs. I know Westlakes Juniors had ~370 rego'd last year, and this year they're under 300.

I really like the idea that A-League teams are getting salary caps subsidized due to the Fox TV deal, but would all/some of this money be better off being re-invested into local football? I'm imagining all the money local rugby league clubs have to give free rego from is coming from the NRL's TV deal.

I know the sponsorship that NNSW have with Newcastle Permanent is meant to be the best they've ever had and all - but is enough being done, from grassroots through to the A-League?

How many kids will we lose to league, and when we realise that rego numbers have dropped considerably & something needs to be done about it - will it be too late?