Local rugby league youngsters shine at Smudger showpiece

Dozens of young rugby league players from Saddleworth Rangers and Oldham St Anne’s rugby league clubs joined with 10 others from across Yorkshire and Greater Manchester for the fifth annual Smudger U7s at Halifax’s Siddal Rugby League ground.

The tournament was the biggest since the launch of the annual event in 2018, which was set up in memory of Siddal legend Nick ‘Smudger’ Smith, who died from motor neurone disease at the age of just 38.

Nick made over 400 appearances for Siddal, including captaining the side for many years, and was passionate about encouraging young people to take up and keep playing the sport he loved, rugby league.

The aim of the Smudger U7s is to bring together junior clubs who do not usually get the chance to play together so the youngsters can learn from each other and test their skills.

This year, boys and girls from 12 amateur rugby league clubs came together from:

Batley Boys

Emley Moor

Keighley Albion

King Cross Park

Newsome Panthers

Oldham St Anne’s

Ossett Trinity Tigers

Saddleworth Rangers

Siddal

Stanningley

Swillington

Thornhill Trojans

As well as taking part in a series of matches, they received a copy of Smudger’s Top Tips for rugby league and a ball kindly sponsored by bricklayers Josh and Tommy Gear.

The event is continuing, despite the The Nick Smith Foundation finishing its work earlier this year, as part of the lasting legacy of the charity’s aims in Nick’s memory.

Nick’s friend and teammate Luke Simeunovich, who took on the organisation of this year’s event with fellow coach James Barnett, said: “Thank you to all the boys and girls, plus their parents and coaches, who joined us for this year’s Smudger U7s.

"It was great to see clubs who have supported the event from the start taking part, as well as some new names who were with us for the first time this year.

“Nick was a legend of the amateur game, and is missed by us all every day, so we wanted to make sure this amazing event in his name continued.

"It does so much to encourage boys and girls to take up and keep playing the sport he loved, and I’m really proud we were able to make this year’s tournament the biggest Smudger U7s ever.”

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