Graham Blackhall has taken over as the Wellington Cowboys president

Blackhall has been named to replace Mick Peachey after the latter left the role earlier this year and is looking at getting the club's under 18s back on the back.

Last season, the Wellington under 18s struggled for numbers and finished at the bottom of the Tom Nelson Premiership.

Now, Blackhall and the rest of the club are doing all they can to recruit players but won't be trying to poach ahead of the season.

"We commenced the year off looking pretty strong," he said.

"We are wearing the consequences of COVID which I know everyone says but we are a small community which have been impacted by not having rugby league.

"The last two years we are showing that in our under 18s which we are trying to manage.

"We've got a good committee but we are just seeing something else can pop up."

A long-time volunteer with the club, Blackhall admitted the club is a bit light on numbers for their under 18s side.

"Macquarie have been very open at trying to support us," he said.

"We are going sit down with our representatives with Group 11 and work out how we could do things, maybe have a permit/loan system.

"It would help us fulfil our requirement of being competitive, our first grade is coming along well."

A proud club, Wellington's under 16s side is a talented bunch at will step up into the under 18s next season but for 2023, the club has to explore other options.

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After being in talks with other clubs, Blackhall confessed the Cowboys were happy with the support they had received around Group 11.

"Things are looking good, we want to make our 18s as safe as possible," he said.

"We don't want parents thinking they are just out there by themselves, whatever they are feeling to committee wants to do as well.

"We want to go into battle with them and support them as best we can.

"We are really grateful for Macquarie and Forbes who have offered us support."

Having entered 2023 with a different president, Blackhall is hoping he can do his part to help get Wellington back to being ultra-competitive in all four grades.

"We are looking at revamping and changing the club around," he said.

"We want to be more inclusive and become a pathway for players, we want to make it as safe as possible.

"We have had a few circumstances out of our control which has happened and past presidents have moved on.

"I put my hand up to go into the role and we spoke straight away about making a change. In the past, our volunteers have been really burned out and we really want to change that.

"We want to put a better view and a better environment amongst the club."

Anyone interested in playing under 18s for Wellington should get in touch with the club via Facebook.

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