Grading for the 2027 season
Grading is how we pick our top teams in each age group. It runs across two Sundays in November, before registration opens in January.
Sunday 15 and Sunday 22 November 2026 Rozelle Parklands, 84 Lilyfield Road, Rozelle (nearest cross street Denison Street) Free to attend
Grading is open to players from Under 8 to Under 13 in 2027 – that is, the age group your child turns during 2027.
Do we have to come?
No. Grading is optional.
Here’s how it works. In each age group we grade the top two teams. Every other team is built around friendship groups, and those teams play in the same competition, on the same days, at the same grounds.
Come to grading if your child wants to be considered for a top division side and is happy to be assessed. If that’s not for you, skip it – it doesn’t affect whether your child gets a place at the club.
You don’t need to be registered for 2027 to attend, and it costs nothing. Registration opens in early January, which is after grading. Coming along in November doesn’t commit you to anything.
Session times
The same schedule runs on both Sundays. Mixed and girls sessions run side by side on two pitches.
| Time | Pitch 1 – Mixed | Pitch 2 – Girls |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00 – 9:50 | Under 8 | Under 8 Girls* |
| 10:00 – 10:50 | Under 9 | Under 9 Girls* |
| 11:00 – 11:50 | Under 10 | Under 10 Girls* |
| 12:00 – 12:50 | Under 11 | Under 11 Girls |
| 13:00 – 13:50 | Under 12 | Under 12 Girls* |
| 14:00 – 14:50 | Under 13 | Under 13 Girls |
* Runs if there are enough players. We’ll confirm which girls sessions are going ahead once grading registrations close by email to everyone who has registered.
If a girls session doesn’t run, your daughter is welcome in the mixed session for her age group instead. Girls can play in mixed teams up to Under 13, and plenty do.
Please arrive 15 minutes before your session so we can sign your child in and get a numbered bib on them. Sessions start and finish on time – we have six age groups to get through and only ten minutes between each.
Attendance
Players need to attend to be graded. We assess on what we see on the day, so we can’t consider a player we haven’t watched.
Come to both Sundays if you can. One session is usually not enough, and two give us a much fairer picture – children often play very differently on a first morning than a second, and we’d rather not judge anyone on a single hour.
If your child can’t make either date, contact us before the day. We can only arrange a separate assessment in exceptional circumstances.
What happens in a session
Fifty minutes, and it looks a lot like a normal training night.
- Warm-up and ball work – first touch, passing, one-on-ones
- Small-sided games – the bulk of the session
Most of what we’re looking at comes from the games, not the drills. We want to see decision-making: what a player does when they haven’t got the ball, whether they find space, whether they look up. Teams are mixed up regularly so every player is seen alongside and against different players.
Grading is run by our Technical Director, supported by club coaches and experienced senior players.
What to bring
- Football boots and shin pads (no shin pads, no participation — same rule as a match)
- Training clothes, no club uniform needed
- A full water bottle – there will be no canteen running at Rozelle Parklands
- Hat and sunscreen
How to register
Complete the grading form before you come. It helps us plan numbers, allocate graders and get sign-in moving on the day.
Registering for grading is not the same as registering to play. Player registration for 2027 opens in early January through PlayFootball.
Wet weather
If Council closes the ground we’ll post on our Facebook page and email everyone who has registered.
What happens next
Every player who attends grading gets a place in a team, whether or not they’re selected for a graded side. Nobody is graded out of the club.
If you disagree with a grading outcome, our Grading Policy sets out how decisions are made and how to raise a concern.
Team Formation
Below the graded teams, we build sides around friendship groups wherever we can.
Some years we run Team Formation sessions in February to help place players into balanced teams – particularly useful for players new to the club. Other years we don’t need them.
If sessions are needed for 2027, we’ll confirm dates and venue in January and email all registered players. They’re for registered players only.
Questions
Grading questions: admin@leichhardtsaints.com
Or text the club on 0403 474 000.