The 2009 QRL Referees Board Professional Seminar will be a 1 Day course next year, held at the Bronco's Leagues Club on the 28 February 2009 commencing at 8.30am. Click here to download the Application Form. Please return the completed form to the Secretary by email, fax or in person. More details will be available closer to the date.
Mr John Topp, Executive Officer for the QRL Juniors' Board, today released the notification of changes to shoulder charges in Junior Rugby League in Queensland. The memo reads:
The QRL Board of Directors has accepted the recommendation of the QRL Juniors’ Board that from commencement of the 2008 season Shoulder Charges are banned in all Matches (Under 7 – Under 18) played in Queensland.
The Queensland Secondary Schools Rugby League has also banned Shoulder Charges from all schoolboy matches. The ARL Board has also banned Shoulder Charges in the Interstate Under 16s & 18s.Please ensure all Leagues and Referees’ Associations are made aware of these changes.
All South East Qld Division clubs are primed for sign-on days, recruiting new players, and preparing for pre-season trial games. But beware - our local Match Officials are also back into training as of this week. These young Referees are members of the QRL Qld Referees Academy who took their first fitness test for the 2008 season back in October, with their regular training starting up again in November. After only a short holiday break over the festive season these boys are fit, focused and ready to hit the centre. The local Brisbane boys completed their Level 1 International Laws course when they joined the ranks of the former Brisbane Senior Referees' Association and skilled themselves by firstly running lines. Through attending weekly training and educating themselves at lecture evenings they quickly improved their fitness levels and passed their first QRL fitness test to enable them to join the QRL - Qld Referees Academy. Tim Rutherford is proud of his achievements to date and has a smile on his face when remembering starting his match official career at the tender age of thirteen. Tim was too young to referee at the time, and prior to his fourteenth birthday spent his weekends running lines as a Touch Judge. "I never had the thought that I could be running a line at Suncorp Stadium for a State of Origin curtain raiser. Every little kid growing up in Queensland wants to run around on that grass and I now get paid to do it - I would definitely say, I'm one of the lucky ones," but to a fresh faced referee struggling to make it through the ranks it might not seem so glamorous. "My advice is to stick it out if you have a rough day at training and you're feeling tired. You're body will appreciate it over time. I'm fit and I've made some long-term mates through footy," Tim says when asked about what advice he would give to some young refs faced with a new hurdle. Chris Butler knows all about the rewards. "Sometimes you can have a game where you walk off the field wondering why you do it when you're faced with hard teams, but the benefits outweigh those tough moments." In 2007, Chris was selected to receive an Australian Government Officiating Program scholarship which involved traveling to Sydney four times over the season, spending time at NRL headquarters, having access to sports science support services and developing his own training needs. Only sixteen recipients across Australia participates in the 2007 officiating scholarship program from across all sporting codes, "I had a great feeling when it was announced that I was on the receiving end of one of those scholarships. I was very excited, but I can't deny that I've put a lot of time into my fitness and training and I would never have learned all that I have without going to lectures and talking to the more experienced guys at the Association and QRL. But, that has all helped me to where I am today," not bad for a 22 year old who has only been refereeing for seven years. Where you will find all of these guys throughout the season is at O'Grady Park, Fairfield on Tuesday nights. Anyone is welcome to come and join the Brisbane Rugby League Referees' Association, or to visit the club and watch some of the leagues current success stories. Remember that even if you are a teenager, a thirty year old woman or a fifty year old granddad, everyone is welcome at the Association. Officials are wanted and needed for games all over Brisbane. You may have a dream to blow an NRL whistle, or to help out at your local club, but by joining the referee ranks you can be guaranteed to meet some new friends and get fit while having fun. We hope to see you at training.