Like any other career, you might choose, stepping into the professional leagues of rugby is a difficult and challenging path that takes skill, commitment, and dedication. NRL players in Australia come from many different backgrounds and social situations, but they all have one thing in common – a love of the game.
The path to becoming a pro NRL player
Many kids start to develop their love of the NRL at a young age, whether it is developed at home or on the field. It is this passion for the game that may set them on the path to becoming professional rugby league players later in life. Usually beginning in school teams at around the age of 12 or in early high school years, the initial skills development takes place in an amateur team or club close to home.
For those who believe that rugby is the game for them, we start to see kids moving into semi-professional teams in the Under 16’s and Under 18’s categories which is where the opportunity to be scouted begins to arise. It is at this stage that natural talent is assessed and honed to develop the kind of skills one would require to make it in the more professional circuit. Most professional NRL players are scouted in their late teens and make their debut in the professional leagues in their early 20’s.
Is it hard to become a professional rugby player?
The short answer is yes. Becoming a professional rugby player is more than just being good at the sport, it is committing to an intense exercise regime, strict diet, and an unwavering skill development program to be the best you can be. Playing rugby at the pro level is a constant battle against injury, and not for the faint of heart. You need to sleep, eat, and breathe rugby to maintain yourself at professional levels.
For those considering a professional career in rugby league, there is no time like the present to begin researching the kind of competition you will encounter along the way.
Sites such as Sportsbet offer statistics on the best NRL players that you can use as a point of reference to give you something to strive for. Staying current with the game is sometimes just as important as your performance on the field.
Is it worth becoming a part of the NRL?
For those who are dedicated enough to be scouted into the professional leagues, after years of training and hard work, they will go on to experience one of the shortest professional careers that one can entertain. For this reason, the NRL offers career development programs to all their players to prepare them for a life after rugby, because no matter how good you are, your time in the leagues of professional NRL players is always limited.
If you have the drive and the dedication to make it as a professional rugby player, the fame and the glory of stepping out on the field at the top of your game is absolutely worth it. For some, there would be no greater pride than becoming a professional NRL player. Though the path to achieving a successful professional rugby career is tough both physically and mentally, there are very few NRL players who would tell you that it is not worth it in the end.
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