Recently released figures across senior and junior competitions showed 5798 played the sport in 2021, up 13.5 per cent on 2019 - the last season unaffected by COVID.

It puts Canberra Region Rugby League ahead of junior strongholds Parramatta, Illawarra and Canterbury, and now behind just Central Coast, Penrith and Newcastle.

"It says a lot about the grip of rugby league and the Raiders footprint which continues to increase numbers," CRRL boss Mark Vergano said.

"Parramatta's always been well in front of us, and we've reeled them in. . .that was a significant change for us, because it's always been Parramatta, Penrith, western Sydney you're talking four and a half, five million people out there.

"To pick that up and have more people registered on the ground, that's significant in our mind. Rugby league certainly has plenty to be proud of with those numbers."

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Underpinning the growth in rugby league numbers has been a steady stream of female participation, which is set to boom under a significant competition restructure in 2022.

Females now make up 20 per cent of participation in the region, after 1150 players took to the field in 2021.

That number is expected to surge with the Raiders preparing to bid for an NRL Women's team in 2023, and the proposed introduction of younger junior girls competitions across Canberra next year.

Ultimately the CRRL hopes to run under-6s, under-7s, under-9s, under-11s and under-13s all girls competition, underneath their under-15s and under-17s leagues.

Junior players could then feed into the Katrina Fanning Shield, and ultimately into an NRLW Raiders team.

"We want aspirational players coming through at all ages from a talent perspective but also from a participation perspective," Vergano said.

"That's why NRLW becomes important. The boys have got and the girls are wanting that."

Male participation growth is also expected to increase in 2022, as the Territory slowly escapes the clutches of COVID-19, which has impacted the past two seasons.

The imminent return of Canberra junior Nick Cotric to the Raiders will also likely boost interest in the sport, as he slots back into the Green Machine fold alongside the likes of locals Jarrod Croker, Sam Williams and Harley Smith-Shields

"Guys are able to identify with so many of these guys because they've played with them," Vergano said.

"It has a halo effect which the Raiders often do, but they're even more relatable with the Raiders coming through and the programs bringing them through.

"A guy like Harley especially, he's come through and played at Gungahlin Bulls in first grade, his brother's been there, they're well known in the district. He's very identifiable, a lot of kids can relate to him.

"If Nick comes back, he featured there before. Even guys like Matty Timoko played locally before graduating. Youve got cricket, basketball, everyones talking about an increased number on the ground. There seems to be a certain swing in the last 12 months to get back into organised sport."