Queensland match officials go on eye-opening journey to Darwin
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An opportunity for some of Queensland's emerging match officials to pass on their knowledge to others has also turned into a vital learning opportunity.
Ryan Cracknell and Harrison Lea last week went to Darwin to assist the Northern Territory Rugby League with a shortage in referees.
Match officials from Parramatta and Illawarra in New South Wales have been flying north to Darwin all year to plug holes and last week the Queensland Rugby League Officiating High Performance Unit coach Andrew Wareham got the call for help as well.
“The Northern Territory Rugby League reached out to me… they don’t have enough refs up there,” Wareham said.
“The boys went up there and ran some women’s games and an A grade match. They got to referee some hard footy.
“They’re all AFL players up there so it’s a different style of footy and a really good learning curve.
“(Cracknell and Lea) are both emerging A grade referees. I needed them to go have a different experience, to have hard man management.
“I knew they’d have to really referee as opposed to a Colts game where it flows from end to end.
“I wanted them to get different perspective and put them into a game that would challenge them, not just physically because of the conditions, but also mentally because of the style of footy, which they wouldn’t be used to.”
Cracknell and Lea were certainly challenged, catching a red eye flight to Darwin on the Friday night and returning on another red eye flight in the very early hours on Sunday.
They officiated four games between them and helped coach the local referees.
Lea said he went north with his mum’s approval to miss Mother’s Day weekend and found it to be an eye-opening experience.
“On the way up there, the flight was empty so we both lay out across the whole row but on the way back it was full so we were cramped up after running 15 to 20 kilometres in one day,” Lea said.
“Only being there for 24 hours, it was pretty fatiguing. But it was also just an eye-opener of how short they are on refs up there ... hearing each week they send guys from NSW and Queensland to help them out and develop them.
“It’s different footy up there compared to refereeing your local A grade and what not. You have to man manage a bit more and stay on top of things.”
Wareham said it’s something the Queensland Rugby League match officials will assist with as much as they can throughout the season and Cracknell and Lea have already put their hands up for a second stint if need be.
Cracknell said the trip to Darwin gave him a bit of perspective on how hard some match officials around the country had it.
“They’re doing six to eight games a day up there, from under 6s up to A grade,” Cracknell said.
“It’s bloody hot up there too so they’re pretty cooked.
“It’s good for us as referees to do this because it helps you with your development. It’s a completely different brand of football up there.
“There wasn’t as much contact and wrestle. It was straight up and down because of their AFL background. They play that in summer and league is just what they do in the off-season and you can see it in the way they carry the football, move and kick… they were AFL players.
“It was really rewarding. It was good to put everything in perspective. We get it pretty easy doing a couple games a weekend whereas these guys are getting flogged and the heat was pretty full on. There’s not many of them and they do a bloody good job.
“I think (the Darwin match officials) appreciated the feedback. They understand we’re living it and breathing it every day and it was good for them to get some feedback from people with more experience.”
