COUNTRY REFS ROUNDUP The Newsletter of the NSW CRLRA Volume 1 Number 1 April 2013 Website: www.crlra.leaguenet.com.au A WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT It is with great privilege that I present the 1st chairman's report in the first CRLRA newsletter, Country Refs Roundup. It has been a busy start to 2013 for the CRLRA and there have been a number of changes in the Association s Executive at the AGM held in November 2012 and hosted by the Group 3 Referees. The most prominent changeover occurred after the retirement of Kevin Riolo who has held the position of secretary of the CRLRA for 36 years. Kevin s work in this role was always of the highest order in all facets of what is a very demanding position. KR s retirement coupled with the retirement of Nick Best OAM which occurred twelve months earlier has seen a life time of knowledge and experience leave the Executive as both gentlemen moved on to new phases of their lives. However neither are totally lost to our game in that Nick still takes a very active interest in the Association s affairs and Kevin still retains his position as Chairman of the NRAS Subcommittee. It was great to see them both in attendance at the February Workshop as I m sure they will continue to be in the years to come. Both the CRLRA and the CRL owe a great dept of gratitude to these gentlemen and I would like to thank them for the roles they played over so many years. Kevin Rayment our new secretary has some big shoes to fill. I would also like to welcome Steve Brown to the executive as Vice President. Steve is highly skilled in many different areas and is a valuable member of the Executive. The CRLRA Executive has now developed its Strategic Plan which is in the process of being distributed after having been presented to, and accepted by, the CRL. The executive has put a lot of time and effort into the development of this dynamic document which will give the CRLRA clear targets and guide lines that support what the CRL is aiming to achieve. This plan outlines key issues facing referees in CRL and methods to improve our Associations and member numbers. There is a large amount of work to be done, but with the strategic plan now in place to give a clear direction and goals we are well on our way. I would like to thank all the executive for there time and effort on the plan with Kevin Rayment and Steve Brown doing a lot of the heavy lifting in pulling the plan together. Thank you. To finish off I would like to wish every one the best for the coming season and I look forward to seeing you around the grounds. Best regards, William Drury President - CRLRA The CRLRA welcomes contributions to Country Refs Roundup in the form of articles on Affiliate Association news, special events, awards and achievements. Please send your stories and photos to the editor, Steve Brown at steveb@1earth.net SECRETARY S REPORT It's been a busy first few months as your new Secretary. I have had to extend my home to accommodate the Association records that had previously lived in the Illawarra for almost forty years and made an unsuccessful attempt to steal Kevin and Leonie's very stylish china cabinet. In this first edition of our Newsletter, I must pay tribute to the dedicated work of Kevin Riolo, who has been a great administrator of the CRLRA. He continues to take an active interest in Association matters and is always on hand when I need advice. Thank you KR. Kevin, former President Nick Best OAM and current Treasurer Frank Kitcher have led this Association wisely and with purpose. With the evolution of the new Executive, I hope we can continue this tradition. President William Drury and myself attended the recent Presidents / Secretaries Meeting at Rugby League Central. At this Meeting, we presented our three year Strategic Plan. This was well accepted by the Executive of the Country Rugby League as well as the Group Leagues and our next challenge is to put this Plan into action. To this end we need your support and the support of all in the game. If we can improve the image of Referees and boost our numbers, the work will be worthwhile. Special thanks must be given to Steve Brown for his expertise in formatting and finessing the Plan. The CRLRA Executive is a great support network and I truly thank them for their knowledge and assistance. We are also truly thankful to be able to call on the services of Honorary Solicitor John Meehan who is extremely generous with his time and cuts a fine figure on the dance floor. As we head into Season 2013, I wish you all the best. May you achieve your goals and enjoy your involvement in our great game of Rugby League. Kevin Rayment Honorary Secretary - CRLRA Please address all correspondence directed to the CRLRA to: Mr Kevin Rayment The Honorary Secretary Country Rugby League Referees' Association 3 Sheppard Street OLD BAR NSW 2430 Country Rugby League Referees Association of New South Wales Page 1 of 6
Young Country Referees Visit the Big Smoke Young Group 11 referees Gregory Peckham, Tjapukai Shaw and Jordon Towney with NRL referee development officer Willy Barnes. Three young Indigenous referees recently had the chance of a lifetime when they took part in the NRL All Stars week in Brisbane. Dubbo s Tjapukai Shaw and Gregory Peckham, and Peak Hill s Jordon Towney were selected from an Indigenous referee camp as the best of the 16 referees in attendance at the camp, which was held in Sydney last July. With NRL referees development officer Willy Barnes in tow, the trio made the 10-hour trek to Brisbane, where they mingled with some of the modern day stars of rugby league as well as officiating on some matches. After making the long journey north on the Wednesday prior to the game, the boys had Thursday morning to do some sightseeing and shopping before it was into action in the afternoon. The boys met with Doug Keen, who is a NSWRL referees development officer then onto a Queensland referees meeting led by former international referee Eddie Ward, Barnes said. The meeting was addressed by NRL referees high performance manager Daniel Anderson who showed a DVD and spoke on the changes of the NRL laws for 2013, however those laws don t apply to the CRL. The following morning the boys got the chance to venture to Suncorp Stadium for training with the Indigenous All Stars, where they helped Ronny Gibbs run the water before going into the sheds to meet with the players. They were also privileged to meet the 1973 Indigenous team. With the fun stuff out of the way it was then off to Davies Field where the trio officiated as touch judges in six under- 16s games and two first grade games before the QLD Murris v NSW Kooris game. On the morning of the match the boys went to Brisbane for more shopping, where they met with NRL stars Sonny Bill Williams, Willie Tonga, Willie Mason and Reni Maitua for some photos and autographs. On Saturday afternoon it was back to Suncorp Stadium for the All Stars game where they ran water for the Queensland referees during the Women s All Star game and the under-16s game before watching the main game and mixing with the players on the field afterwards. Each boy had a different highlight of the trip. I liked being able to run the water onto Suncorp Stadium, Shaw said while Peckham admitted his best moment was witnessing the main game up close at Suncorp. For Towney, the chance to mix with the best players in the game was his highlight of the trip. The trio would like to thank Eddie Ward and the Queensland referees, the Country Rugby League, Doug Keen (NSWRL), Willy Barnes (NRL), Ronny Gibbs (Sport and Rec/ NRL) and Steve Hall (NSWRL) who made such an awesome trip possible. (The above story appeared in the Daily Liberal on Wednesday 20 February 2013) Country Rugby League Referees Association of New South Wales Page 2 of 6
BRISCOE ELEVATED TO GRADED RANKS Congratulations to Damian Briscoe on becoming the first referee to be graded directly from Group 6 Referees Association to the ranks of the NSWRLRA. Damian joined Group 6 from Western Suburbs Referees Association in 2006 and has spent several years in junior reps and country championships culminating in becoming Group 6 s number one referee in 2010. In 2011 he refereed the Group s First Grade Grand Final and won the inaugural Brett Meredith Award. Damian has shown all young up and coming referees that with hard work and dedication you can reach great heights through a Country Association. A Point to Ponder... Why do you Referee Rugby League? Is it to be involved in the action of the game you love? Is it to challenge yourself? Is it to make some extra cash? Maybe it's because you believe you have talent and the ability to get to the NRL. It could be that you simply enjoy the mateship you have found with other Referees. Whatever the reason, you love what you do. Why not get a friend to join your local Association? If we all recruit just one friend, we can solve the crisis in numbers. NEWCASTLE TAKES OUT LAWS CHALLENGE AWARD TO GROUP 6 SECRETARY Greg Ricketts accepting the Tony Young Shield from CRLRA life member, Tony Young. The Newcastle Coalfields Referees Association took out the third Annual "Tony Young Laws Challenge" at the CRLRA Seminar held at Wollongong at the start of February. They pipped Central Coast and Group 3 Referees to win the coveted shield presented by CRLRA life member, Tony Young. The quiz took the form of seventy video clips with corresponding questions on what decisions referees had to make based on the International Laws of the game. Participants were separated into four groups based on age/ experience for the quiz and subsequent discussion. The quiz was conducted by the three NRL Referee Development Officers, Willy Barnes, Tony Hardy and Pat Walsh along with the three CRLRA Referee Development Officers Kevin Petty, Steve Toms and Wayne Wilson. Congratulations to the Novacastrians but watch out, the other Associations are coming to get you. Group 6 Referees Association Secretary, Kim Marie Teale, has been recognized by Wollondilly Shire Council for her outstanding work in the local area by being named Wollondilly Sportsperson of the Year. Apart from her role as a coach at The Oaks Rugby League Football Club, Kim has been a referee with Group 6 Rugby League Referees Association since 2003. She attends the Association training sessions every Monday night and has been on the Association committee as Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Vice President, President and Treasurer. To achieve recognition as President in a male dominated sport shows just how much the males in the local area respect the leadership and knowledge that Kim brings to the Group 6 Association. She was the first female President of the Association, which supports the concept of Women in League. The role Kim plays for the Association is unmatched and she is a credit to that Association and the CRLRA. Well done Kim! Country Rugby League Referees Association of New South Wales Page 3 of 6
CRLRA STRATEGIC PLAN RELEASED On 22 March 2013 the CRLRA presented its three year Strategic Plan to the CRL and on Tuesday 26 March distributed it electronically to all of its Affiliate Associations. The Plan does not signal the end of the planning process but quite the opposite. It signals the beginning of the journey of making the CRLRA an effective hub for Referees in Country NSW, utilising the vast knowledge and experience accrued by our Membership base to educate, develop and nurture all Members to achieve their individual goals; supporting Group Associations and promoting excellence and higher learning for talented Officials. (Our Mission). The Plan addresses seven major challenges facing the CRLRA and therefore refereeing in the Country Rugby League. Strategies have been developed and costed that will hopefully serve to resolve these challenges and thus put refereeing in the Country on the front foot. These challenges are:- 1 An ageing Referee population; 2 Aversion for mature age Referee candidates to become involved (eg. ex players); 3 Reluctance for younger qualified Referees to progress to higher grades (senior grades); 4 Reluctance of people in general to join a profession that is seen to be fair game for abuse and anti-social behaviour; 5 Reluctance by local Leagues to assist in recruitment and retention; 6 Lack of recognition / profile of Referee Development Officers and Referee Coaches by some local Leagues and Associations; 7 Limited preparedness for Members of Referee Associations to participate in Association management and / or reluctance to allow new blood into Association management. Recruitment strategy has been successful in obtaining young Members in some areas and less so in others. Talented Referees have been assisted by the CRLRA Development Officers to fulfil their potential and take the representative opportunities presented to them. Recruitment strategy in regard to more mature officials, including ex players, has been less than successful. The main challenge facing the CRLRA is to develop strategies to overcome this shortfall and lower the average age of Referees in senior Group Competitions. We need to develop an ongoing Plan and level of commitment to achieve this goal. The assistance of the Country Rugby League in regard to crowd control and abuse of Referees is crucial to the success of this strategy. We must work with the Country Rugby League and other Referee organizations to achieve this and facilitate sufficient funding to this end. STEVE TOMS LEAGUE HONOUR Long-serving CRLRA Referee Development Officer, Steve Toms, from Lismore in Northern NSW has been recognised for his many years of service to the game in the North of NSW with Life Membership of the Northern Rivers Rugby League. Steve has been a "quiet achiever" in his role of some twenty-five years of developing new and up and coming referees firstly in the former Group 1 and then the Northern Rivers before taking on the Development Officer role with the CRLRA that expanded his geographic area of influence. At the last CRLRA AGM held at Diamond Beach, CRL Junior Vice President, Doug Harrison, paid homage to Steve and his contribution and stated that too often the refereeing fraternity have been overlooked in these types of awards conferred by the various groups of the CRL as they are not usually making their significant contribution in a high profile position. Harrison said that it was an area that he has decided needs to be addressed and that he will be pursuing it in future. The CRLRA congratulates Steve on this significant accolade Country Rugby League Referees Association of New South Wales Page 4 of 6
ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL SEMINAR The first weekend in February saw another very successful CRLRA Annual Seminar conducted at Wollongong with approximately one hundred CRLRA referees in attendance. The weekend was full of informative lectures. workshops and activities with presenters including NRL High Performance Manager, Daniel Anderson, orator extraordinaire, David Jay, NRL officials, Gavin Badger, Ben Cummins, Grant Atkins and David Munro, Melissa Sevil from the AFP High Tech Crime Operations Unit, Terry Quinn and Bert Lowrie from the CRL and NSW Country Coach, Trent Barrett. The Seminar was preceded by a day's workshop for thirty of the CRLRA Development Squad members organised by the six Development Officers and assisted by former NRL whistle-blower and newly appointed NSWRLRA Director of Referee Development, Tony De Las Heras. The Executive and the Development Officers are to be congratulated on putting on such a tremendous programme and in particular, Tony Hardy, who put in a tremendous effort especially with the Laws Quiz All of the attendees are to be congratulated on their behaviour and participation during the weekend right from the kick-off BBQ at the Towradgi Bowling Club on the Friday night through to the lunch on the Sunday when everyone departed to return home to all points of the compass. It was great to see eighteen of the nineteen Affiliated Associations represented on the weekend. Members of the CRLRA Development Squad with NRL High Performance Manager, Daniel Anderson. The six Development Officers assisted by Tony De Las Heras put the CRLRA Development Squad through its paces at a special development session prior to the Seminar. Members of the CRLRA Development Squad with their Coaches Tony De Las Heras (far left), Steve Toms (second from left), Willy Barnes (back row, eight from left), Pat Walsh (back row, seven from right), Tony Hardy (back row, second from right), Wayne Wilson (far right) and Kevin Petty (front row far right). It appears that referees are the only people in the world who must be born perfect and then improve from there! Country Rugby League Referees Association of New South Wales Page 5 of 6
COUNTRY CREAM RISES TO THE TOP The first round of this year s NRL Competition saw some interesting match official appointments for the Newcastle v West Tigers matches played at Newcastle on the Monday night. Of the seven on-field officials appointed to the main game and the Holden NYC along with the stand-by referee for the NYC, six of them originally came from the Country ranks with the other two coming from NSWRLRA and Queensland. This is a strong indication that no matter where you learn your refereeing craft you can make it to the very top in our game. The NYC with the Country genes were Shane Smith (Newcastle), Drew Oultram (Newcastle) and Cameron Mitchell (Newcastle) while the Country referees in the main match were Nick Beashel (Newcastle), Dave Munro (Grp 19) and Gerard Sutton (Grp 4). The other two officials appointed on the night were Ziggy Preklasa- Adamski (Parramatta) and Brett Suttor (Queensland). [Story and photos from Wayne Wilson - Referees Development Officer Central Eastern] NRL Round 1 officials Nick Beashel (Newcastle), Brett Suttor (Queensland), Gerard Sutton (Group 4) and Dave Munro (Group 19). Holden Cup Round 1 officials Shane Smith (Newcastle), Cameron Mitchell (Newcastle) and Drew Oultram (Newcastle). CRLRA s NEWEST LIFE MEMBER The CRLRA's Honorary Solicitor, John Meehan, has become the CRLRA's twentyninth Life Member for his significant contribution to the Association. John s wife, Eileen, pins his new CRLRA Life Membership medal. John became Honorary Solicitor in 1996 and prior to that was a member of Group 6 Referees Association and ran their Judiciary for a number of years. He continued to run the Judiciary some years after becoming our Honorary Solicitor. John was a referee and was very much involved with Group 6 so he came to the role with an excellent understanding of the difficulties referees can experience as well as how the CRL operated. In the early years he was very busy in preparing guidelines for the conduct of a Judiciary as most were not conducted as an evidence gathering forum or in accordance with the CRL Constitution. Over the years he has visited most, if not all, Groups to run workshops with them to update constitutions and model the Judiciary operation and as a result of his support, each Group now successfully conducts their Judiciaries. John has always been available to any of the Group members and has given generously of his time and when legal issues come up, which they do throughout the season, he spends many hours and weekends researching the issues to provide sound advice. He has always maintained a professional approach to the role and even though a lawyer, his friendly, down-to-earth manner and use of easily understood language, enables him to help referees and their Associations deal with legal issues and often these issues are complex requiring research and careful definition which John has been able to resolve for the benefit of individuals and their Associations. He has been a great ambassador for the CRLRA. Congratulations, John, on receiving this award and joining such a distinguished group who have all made like contributions to the CRLRA. The next edition of Country Refs Roundup will be distributed in early July so get your stories in to us by the end of June. Country Rugby League Referees Association of New South Wales Page 6 of 6