Rugby league: Under-12 Pirates win praise

The Pilbara Rugby League Pirates under-12s representative side brought home glory last month with the team winning two out of three games of the Perth tour.

The Pirates played South Perth Lions and lost 26-4, beat Rockingham Sharks/Mandurah Storm 36-18 and downed the Northern Primary Schools combined team 14-0.

Pirates manager Tom Keefe said it was a credit to the Pilbara to have such outstanding players compete.

"The way they played their game, their manners around the whole city, people were coming up out of nowhere and complimenting them on their behaviour and the way they were playing their rugby," he said.

Keefe asserted the only reason the Pirates lost to South Perth was because of the cold, rainy weather which left some players shivering on the field.

He said it was highly beneficial to play in the tour, especially since one team had six State players in their side and the Pirates gave them a shock with their remarkable performance.

"(The parents) have noticed that most of the kids have picked up on their schooling, the way they act at home, so I think it's been quite beneficial to the kids and also to myself," he said.

Keefe said he got very emotional when he saw the squad run out onto the field, as he has been involved with Pilbara Rugby League for 40 years and it was the first time he had seen a full junior squad go on tour. Keefe said the squad loved the competition and wanted to come back next year.

"They have some unfinished business with South Perth," he said.