Whistle while you work
They're the most misunderstood of rugby league teams.
By David Hayes
Bernard Sutton, Jared Maxwell and Tony Archer agree that technology has made their job harder
In the National Rugby League there is a team of 33 men. They work five days a week, their diet is carefully monitored by nutritionists, and their every moment on the arena of dreams – the football pitch – is monitored by satellite tracking systems... and a million fans.
“The football field is a hostile environment,” says NRL referees boss Robert ‘Finchy’ Finch from the comfort of his glass-walled office overlooking the epic paved forecourt of ANZ Stadium. “It’s not a place for the faint hearted. But these blokes understand that.”
Like most people involved with refereeing, rugby league pulses through Finchy’s veins. He grew up in Maitland near the rugby league heartland of Newcastle and was signed to play for St George as a 17-year-old school boy in 1974. He found his way into his current position in 2002 after stints coaching the Newcastle Knights and administering the Canberra Raiders.
“The most challenging thing [with this] job was changing 95 years of history,” drawls Finchy with a cheeky grin. “There was very much a culture of denial and excuses for refereeing errors rather than being honest about performance.”
These days, accountability and analysis is a big part of refereeing. On Monday mornings at 7.15am during the NRL season, referees cram into offices in Homebush to appraise their performance over the past weekend. “We go through every ruck, every play-the-ball and every penalty,” explains Finchy. “It takes about an hour and a half.”
For the rest of the week the referees are put through their paces with fitness, strengthening and conditioning sessions and workshops to improve communication and decision making skills. Guest officials from other sports such as cricket, soccer, AFL and rugby union also visit to share their experiences.
The current batch of referees come from a diverse range of backgrounds. Whistleblower Jared Maxwell made the transition from soccer to rugby league reffing when he became bored with officiating the world game. “I have a couple of superstitions,” he cautiously explains. “I’ve had the same whistle for 10 years. It’s a simple superstition but it’s one that’s quite important to me. It’s been through everything I’ve done in refereeing… I’m very protective of it.” Maxwell says he also insists on wearing the same colour speedos – black – when on the park.
“I’m from the country,” offers Coonabarabran referee Bernard Sutton, 27, in broad bush brogue. “My old man started refereeing the junior league and my older brother started refereeing. I thought, ‘I can’t have my old man being better at doing something than I am’.”
One of the most experienced referees in the code, Tony Archer, began refereeing as a 16-year-old schoolboy in Newcastle. “I remember one kid’s father from the school that I went to kicked down the door of the dressing rooms after a semi-final when I put his son in the [sin] bin,” says Archer. “He had words with me. But that was probably a good grounding for refereeing at the top level.”
Improvements in television and replay technology have sparked new challenges for referees. “Technology has created issues for sport,” says Finchy. “There are eight or nine cameras at every game now… it’s all very well to see something in slow motion on TV, but the poor bloke at the other end of the park who has seen something in real time can’t pick those sort of things up.”
Finchy has focused on building a team culture among referees and encourage the sharing of knowledge. On Thursdays, the referees share lunch and chew the fat. “When I took the job over it was very much an individual situation where refs would not share knowledge,” says Finchy.
“There’s only one team I support,” agrees Archer. “And that’s the refs.”
League kick off
The Centenary NRL season kicks off this weekend with four hometown derbies (see listings). This season Time Out Sydney keeps you up to speed with match previews and reviews, news, interviews and everything you’ll need to know about footy. Get ready for a cracking season.