Player numbers have doubled and now there is the potential for a combined 13-a-side competition involving both Hastings League and Group 3 teams.

Hastings League president Geoff Connor said “numbers have gone through the roof” and the “slow build-up” of the competition was now set to be rewarded.

“We have put a proposal to the Country Rugby League for a 13-a-side competition,” Connor said.

“We know there are three or four sides in the Hastings League and another three or four in Group 3 so we could potentially have six or eight teams.”

Connor was hopeful the concept would be given the green light before Christmas to give teams enough time to start preparing for a possible March or April kick-off.

The possible 13-a-side competition would not affect the current league tag competition.

“We’ve got to be careful not to steal the league tag girls so to speak because we’re not out there to disrupt that,” Connor said.

“But we’ve noticed a lot of union girls have come across and only a few from league tag.”

The Hastings League nine-a-side competition will play its finals this Saturday at Lank Bain Sporting Complex.