NSWRL’s top 40 match officials and coaches have held a high-performance camp to help prepare for the 2023 Major Competitions season.
The two-day get together at the NSWRL Centre of Excellence at Sydney Olympic Park (SOP) is part of the officials’ training ahead of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup, Jersey Flegg Cup, Ron Massey Cup, Sydney Shield, Presidents Cup and Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Premiership.
The NSW Women’s Premiership has begun its season earlier than usual to fit in with the expanded NRLW competition – up from six teams to ten this season – later in the year.
NSWRL Referees High Performance Manager Stuart Raper also organised a 10km ‘Amazing Race’ around SOP, where officials had to gather clues from venues and other points of interest.
“We wanted to add a little fun – and competitive edge – to our sessions around rules, theory and practice,” Raper said.
“Since we’re close to trials we wanted to get them all together to reinforce our values and look at getting some bonding amongst the group by spending time with each other.
“Once the season starts match officials work every weekend in smaller groups as they are not like a football team playing with each other week in week out.”
NSWRL Chief Executive David Trodden, experienced leadership and coaching mentor, Wayne Goldsmith, who has worked with the Australian Olympic Team, and a host of other elite athletes and organisations, also addressed the group.
“We talked about how we want to be portrayed as NSWRL referees going forward,” Raper said.
“We start from the base of the values of our organisation – Courageous, United, Legacy, Inheritance, Innovative and Professional.
“The reason why I had it here at COE was because I wanted all our referees to really feel part of the NSWRL family.”
Referees and match officials face renewed challenges each year, he said.
“Preparing physically each season as well as the skill levels that need to be adhered to for all the trial matches and then competition games is a major task,” Raper said.
“Every year there are rule changes, clubs come into each season with different tactics, standards (of play) keep improving through our Major Competitions each year.
“We have to make sure our standards in the way we officiate keep pace with that.
“We didn’t want to be just reactive to what’s ahead but be proactive by having this camp to get the guys as ready as we can.”
A similar camp was held for Junior Reps match officials – now called the NSWRL Development Squad Referees – in Canberra last December.
