By TANIA PHILLIPS

LITTLE Jordan Kempnich has some big shoes to fill when it comes to rugby league, but the tenacious six-year-old is willing to give it a go.

Jordan, son of Tweed rugby league legend Alan Kempnich, will be one of hundreds of young players signing on at rugby league clubs across the Tweed this weekend.

In his second season with South Tweed, Jordan can't wait to get back on the field for another season of under-sevens.

He loved his first year in the sport and is looking forward to getting back on the field and emulating the feats of both his father and older brother and hero, Christopher, 12.

"I love running and tackling ? I'm a good tackler," Jordan said when asked why he wanted to play league.

Player of the Year last year, Jordan is particularly happy about this season because his dad Alan is taking on the role of coach.

For Alan Kempnich, coaching his son is a good way to put something back into a sport he has played all his life.

"I can pass on stuff that I have learned from some very good coaches through the years," he said.

Kempnich Snr started his playing days as a Seagulls junior before joining the newly established South Tweed side.

A brief flirtation with Aussie Rules saw him switch to the Coolangatta Blues to play as a rover for a season.

But he returned to league and played at Cudgen, South Tweed and Seagulls ? earning a premiership at South Tweed and narrowly missing one at Cudgen.

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Kempnich then played two seasons with the Gold Coast Seagulls in the then-ARL competition under coaches John Harvey and Bob McCarthy.

But despite a long and illustrious playing past ? Kempnich said it was never definite that the boys would get into league. Kempnich said he and wife Linda just wanted to see them happy, healthy and playing whatever sport they wanted choose.

"Before he started playing league, Christopher was very keen to play soccer," he said.

"We got all the way down to the ground to sign up and he changed his mind."

Christopher, Player of the Year for his team last year, makes the step-up to the full international game this year and is part of the Group 18 development squad.