PILBARA KIWI'S SMASH THE KARRATHA ROOS AT WEEKEND NRL CLASH

The Karratha Kangaroos and Pilbara Kiwis at the ANZAC Challenge

The Pilbara Kangaroos rugby team took on the Pilbara Kiwis in Karratha over the weekend in the annual ANZAC Challenge and thousands were present to watch the game at the Karratha Leisureplex.

The Kiwis snatched victory 24-20 despite a strong performance from the Roos late in the game, thrilling the crowd of around 2000 spectators.

“The Kiwis got off to a flying start and then the Aussies managed to score a few late tries to make it pretty close in the end,” said Joshua Cruice, the Karratha Junior Rugby League president.

The late sin binning by a player from the Kiwi team helped the Aussies along with the Roos’ talented First Nations players.

“Both teams have been training pretty hard to put on a good show for the local community,” Cruice said.

As an ANZAC game, national anthems from both Australia and New Zealand were played and a digger from Roebourne read the Ode and the Last Post was played.

The Kiwi team performed the Haka at the start of the match, taking on the cultural element that New Zealand’s All Blacks rugby union team has made a core feature of every game they play.

“Everyone loves the Haka,” Cruice said.

The ANZAC Challenge is played across the Pilbara with different regional towns taking on hosting duties each year. Last year South Hedland hosted the match with the Roos emerging victorious with a high-scoring 48-40 win.

The host of the 2026 clash is yet to be announced.

The rise and rise of NRL

NRL is growing in popularity across Western Australia with new team Perth Bears due to join the competition in 2027.

Cruice says the number of junior players is up by 43 per cent on the 2024 season.

 “I think rugby league is only going to get bigger and better in the Pilbara,” he says.

The Karratha Junior Rugby League club is intensifying its training schedule for junior teams this season with extra training offered to U12 and U14 teams as well as girls league tag.

U12 and girls league tag teams will also head to Perth in July to play against clubs there.

“It’s full steam ahead for our season now,” Cruice said.

Sign up for try sessions

In recognition of the growing popularity of rugby league in the Pilbara, NRL representatives will head to the region next week to promote the sport in schools .

Reps will visit schools in Hedland, Wickham and Karratha with ex-NRL players including dual premiership winner Dale Finucane, who played with Sydney’s Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks and Canterbury Bulldogs as well as Melbourne Storm, before retiring last year.

Any young players keen to join Try Day need to register in advance using a link posted on the Karratha Kangaroos Junior Rugby League Facebook page.