Refs set for massive pay rise

Talk about NRL, State of Origin, Tests, Four Nations, World Cup, everything rugby league

Moderator: GH Moderators

Post Reply
User avatar
greeneyed
Don Furner
Posts: 145090
Joined: January 7, 2005, 4:21 pm

Refs set for massive pay rise

Post by greeneyed »

www.news.com.au

Refs set for massive pay rise
By Steve Mascord
November 27, 2005

NATIONAL Rugby League officials will announce on Tuesday a massive injection of funds for referees, with the top whistle-blowers guaranteed $100,000 a year.

But Steve Lyons, a veteran of 56 first-grade games, has missed the boat after being rated outside the top 11 and dropped to premier league.

NRL chief executive David Gallop confirmed there would be a major announcement about match officials on Tuesday but declined to elaborate.

"We want to make a big announcement," Gallop said.

Referees coach Robert Finch revealed that "there will be a new contract structure outlined to the refs on Tuesday, (but) I don't want to go into detail at this stage".

The Sunday Telegraph understands that the league's bid to improve refereeing standards and attract more youngsters to the game involves:

Paying the top four officials $100,000 per year - perhaps in a lump sum (referees previously got $1600 a game plus $400 a day for working during the week over a 43-week period);

Paying the next rung of referees $80,000;

Having a squad of 25 first-grade officials, including 11 referees and 14 touch judges.

The new scheme is the brainchild of young whistle-blowers Tony Archer and Jason Robinson.

The overhaul is not only a response to the "crises of confidence" that occur every season, it is an attempt to improve depth following the retirement of Bill Harrigan.

It is also understood that Britain's Rugby Football League tried to poach Sean Hampstead, while others have made approaches to English officials.

The Sunday Telegraph
Image
Post Reply