New Western premiership will be a boost to league tag

While there have been increasing calls for women's tackle rugby league to play a more prominent role in the region, Jones is excited that she will be part of the inaugural Western league tag premiership this year.

The Western union will eliminate the problem that both the Group 10 league tag competition and the Group 11 premiership had in 2022 with inconsistency of games.

The new premiership also forms part of a four-grade Western system and Jones thinks it is a step which will increase league tag's longevity.

More games, more teams and new rivalries is exactly what she thinks the sport needed.

"I'm fully supportive of it. We had five weeks off at one stage last year. Now why would you be bothered doing that when you can go and play netball, or AFL or rugby union, why would you be bothering to train and not play for five weeks?," she said.

"I want to play good footy, I want to play Group 11 teams, I want to play new teams and enjoy it again. I want to enjoy being competitive and enjoy having to adjust as well.

"In Group 10, we walk on against say [Orange] Hawks and we've played them so many times, we know what is going on and they'd be the same with us.

"They'd know exactly who they've got to target, we know their players and who we've got to target. So I'm looking forward to having to adjust again, to be 'We don't know this team, this is what they're doing, we've go to adapt'.

"I think it's going to be a really good year."

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The Saints will venture into the new premiership off the back of four consecutive Group 10 titles. Much of that success has to do with the mateship within the side.

However, Jones thinks having league tag join the under 18s, reserve grade and first grade teams as part of the Western-wide competition structure will be a further boost to camaraderie.

"With inflation and everything it is hard to justify playing sport now, especially on a weekend where that's when people are earning their over-time," she said.

"So it needs to be made really competitive again and club culture needs to come back across the board.

"A lot of clubs still have a good culture, but I don't think it's as good as it used to be."

As for the possibility of the Western Women Rugby League competition, which currently runs in a different time slot to the other Western premierships, replacing league tag, Jones laughs that she'll be retired before that happens.

Though tackle has increased in popularity, she definitely still sees a place for tag.

"The numbers for tackle is not there to replace tag yet, there are six teams in opens [tackle], there are a lot more tag teams across Group 10 and Group 11 than that," she said.

"Tag, it's a really good sport, it's good for someone who has just had a baby, league tag is the perfect sport for a female.

"You're getting a touch of the footy without worrying about getting really sore or getting injuries or anything major happening. I certainly don't feel up to playing a comp of tackle, but I'm definitely happy with league tag.

"Also if you're looking to learn, the skills in tag translate across, that's where you can learn and not be hesitant about the contact. You can learn the basics like what lines you've got to hit."

The first games of the new league tag premiership will be played on the weekend of April 15-16. The Saints will meet Group 11 based Nyngan on the Saturday.

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