Great Southern Nines Tournament continues to grow with six teams to battle it out in second carnival

The Great Southern Nines Tournament hosted by Albany Sea Dragons Rugby League Club and NRL WA will be back bigger and better for its second instalment this Saturday. Supported by NRL WA, the Sea Dragons will host their second official tournament with an estimated 100 players across six teams taking part. Mandurah Storms Rugby League Club, Fremantle Roosters Rugby League Club, Rockingham Sharks Rugby League, and Serpentine Jarrahdale Rugby League and Sporting Club will take part for a second time while Western Fijians Rugby have joined the tournament. There will also be a women’s league tag game between Rockingham sharks and an invitational side. The Sea Dragons will have two under-12 sides that will face off in two matches throughout the day. Players from Albany and Kojonup along with four from Perth will make up the Sea Dragons’ 15-man playing squad. Sea Dragons captain Tia Telea said he was “absolutely ecstatic” about the tournament. “Rugby league is pretty new to Albany so it’s pretty awesome to have such a following in the early stages,” he said. “It means a lot to be captain. I have been around the rugby scene here in Albany for a while and it’s mainly been touch so to be captain of the contact team is pretty awesome. “I think we are looking forward to just learning from the experience, being a new team we don’t really get much game time so this tournament is going to be pretty awesome for us to learn. “I’m going to say I’m pretty confident that we are going to win but you can’t really say until the day so just going to stay confident. “Hopefully we get a good turnout down here and it’s a good spectacle.” The Nines tournament is essentially rugby league but with teams of nine players, shorter game times and minor rule changes. The tournament will be played at the rugby fields on the corner of North Road and Campbell Road, with games starting at 9.30am on Saturday and the final set down for 7pm. There will be a junior come-and-try session for ages five to 17 on Thursday afternoon and Saturday morning.