Meet the mums who helped launch Northern Territory rugby league club

Jess Argent was slightly nervous about the prospect of running a junior rugby league club earlier this year. Fast forward six months and it's the best decision she's ever made.

With the support of NRL NT, Argent combined with three other mums to establish the Livingstone Jets. The club based about 45 minutes outside of Darwin was an instant hit, with local families flocking to be part of the team. 

Argent signed on as president, with Casey Hanekom, Georgie Weppner and Chloe Hardy joining the committee to help form the team. Kirsty Foster has also recently come onboard as the Jets continue to grow in their inaugural season.

Argent's experience is a familiar one across the country, women stepping up and filling volunteer roles to support the sport's beating heart at the grassroots level. 

The president is one of many volunteers honoured this week as the rugby league community pauses to celebrate Women in League Round. 

"As mums we work really well together," Argent told NRL.com. "None of us knew each other prior to this and we were just four people that just decided to give it a go.

"Since then we have become good friends and all the kids that play for Livingstone are like our babies now. When we go to games we know all the kids' names and we're cheering for them like they were our own kids. 

"Mums just get things done. We're all juggling so much already, we've got kids and school lunchboxes during the week, so what's another thing to add team manager to it on a Saturday."

The Jets are the latest new club in the Northern Territory as rugby league in the Top End continues to grow at an impressive rate.

Overall participation is up nearly 8% on this time last year, with junior numbers surging 11%. 

The growth of girls and women playing rugby league in the Northern Territory continues to impress. Female participation numbers have risen nearly 9%, with junior girls up more than 9%.

Argent has seen this growing demand among girls first-hand and plans for the Jets to introduce female-only teams are well-advanced. 

"It has been our goal from day one to have a girls-only junior team," she said.

"We've tried really hard and could split our under 6s into boys and girls teams but some of the girls are quite shy being their first year of rugby league so it makes sense to keep them together for now. 

"We have an under 11s team that's full of girls so our goal for next year is to make it an all-girls team. We're just a few short at the moment but that would be the dream. 

"This year was a little bit rushed, we were up and running very quickly and then it was full steam ahead. We had to get sponsors and uniforms very quickly and kids are still slowly coming. 

"With a full season done, next year people will see we are legit and we are growing so we will have more teams and more kids will come over. Some parents who travel to places like Palmerston will be able to play in their own community rather than having to travel."