What do I need before a player plays above their natural age group?

Under NSWRL Policy 2.19, a player's natural age group is the Under group matching the age they turn in the calendar year (a child born in 2015 can play Under 11s in 2026). Every player playing up an age group must have a completed NSWRL Playing in a Higher Age Group Consent Form. The form must be authorised and uploaded to the player's member record on MySideline.

Under 6 to Under 12: players are strongly encouraged to play in their natural age group. Exemptions to play up one age group only may be granted in exceptional circumstances:

• Permanently (their Primary Registration is held in the higher group) if the team does not have enough players to field a team, the club has no team in the player's natural age group, or it can be proven a duty of care issue may arise if they stay in their natural group.
• Casually (Primary Registration stays in their natural group), but the player must not take the starting place of a player of natural age. A 12 year old on a casual exemption cannot play in Under 13s finals series matches.
• Exemptions of two or more years above natural age will not be considered unless extremely exceptional circumstances exist, for example a player who totally dominates a competition because of size and strength.

Under 13 and up: a player may play in the age group one year above their natural group (a player born in 2010 and registered in 2026 can play Under 16s and Under 17s). The consent form must be completed before the player takes the field, then sent to the League Administrator at the earliest convenience after participation. Two years above is allowed only in exceptional circumstances on application to NSWRL.

The 2023 Team Managers Manual says to keep the approved form in your Team Managers folder at all times.