IT can be difficult for rugby league teams to attract players around Bradford with the draw of other sports often proving too big.

However, one local club bucking that trend is Wyke ARLFC, who celebrate their 130th anniversary next year.

They have enjoyed a remarkable rise in the last few seasons, gaining trophies and promotions, as they aim to compete in the National Conference, the highest league amongst the amateur ranks, in the near future.

Read more: Ambitious Wyke target National Conference

The black and whites have dominated their division in the Yorkshire Men's League in recent years, recording back to back promotions before completing a treble in an unbeaten campaign last term.

It is not only the open age squad that is enjoying success but the whole club have made it their aim to create more youth teams. They now have teams ranging from their under sevens right up to their successful open age side.

Chairman John Rayner thinks it is important for the club to represent the community in a good light and wants to continue to win throughout each age group.

He said: "Over the last five years we have made it our aim to get a team at every age group with the juniors and, with the open age, we are determined to put two teams out.

"At the moment we have got a real good core of volunteers at the club. We are all on the same wavelength and we have got loads of people willing to put the hours in.

"In the last 20 to 30 years, the bigger clubs relished playing us as we were seen as an easy game. Whereas now we have a solid core determined to buck that trend.

"There are a lot of clubs, especially in the Bradford area, where the open age don’t care about the juniors. It is almost like two separate clubs within a club.

"We tried to do away with that and it seems to be working. There is a good atmosphere around the place and everyone seems to be pulling in the right direction. We try to promote a one-club mentality.

"We started it this year and will be doing it at the start of next year going into schools to give presentations in assemblies to get juniors to come down.

"We encourage the open age to get involved with the juniors and want them and their parents to come watch the games.

"Our open age did a big Easter egg donation to the Wyke foodbank and it was well over 100. We are part of the community in Wyke so it just puts a bit of a feelgood factor around the club."

He added: "We have got a really good open age coaching team who have worked wonders in the last couple of years.

"The ultimate aim to get our first team into the National Conference and to get our juniors up and running with a team at every age group.

"This year, we have had over 60 lads in our open age, we won the league, the Bradford Cup again and the play-off finals in Division Two while our academy side finished mid-table which was a good result.

"We gained our under-sevens this year so we are looking to go into 2020 with the most juniors we have ever had.

"It would be good for rugby league and for Wyke to have that continuous feed of home-grown players to open age."

In a sport where some teams have folded due to their lack of players, it is nice to see that clubs like Wyke are putting a positive shine on grassroots rugby league in Bradford.