I PLAY AND REFEREE IN RUGBY LEAGUE:
Story By : Josh FLECKNOE
Photo's : Josh Flecknow &  My name is Josh Flecknoe and I ref in the St George District Rugby League Referees Association. I also represent Balmain Tigers in the Harold Matthews Cup Competition and play club footy for the Kingsgrove Colts in the Under 16yrs this year.
I started playing league when I was 4 years old and have always wanted to become a referee. When I was 14, I was asked if I wanted to referee in the St George District and I jumped at the opportunity. After 2 weeks of attending the course at the St George Leagues Club, and passing an exam, I was an accredited junior rugby league referee.
The thought of it was a bit daunting at first but after the first few games and lots of encouragement from my mentors at St George Referees Association and the support of my parents, I really enjoyed it and looked forward to being challenged by reffing higher grades.
I worked my way up from under 6 and 7’s and have now refereed an U/15’s game (I was 15 at the time). I also was the appointed referee for an Under 11’s Grand Final and I was the Touch Judge for the Under 16’s Grand Final last year. I also touch judged an under 19’s semi final.
My first year as a Junior Referee saw me awarded the “Junior Referee of the Year” for my district which was a real buzz.
Being a player referee has its ups and downs though. When I’m refereeing a game I call things as I see it. Understandably the team that I’m penalizing saw it differently to what I saw.
That’s a given! Before I was a ref I always thought that the Ref was there to penalize as much as he/she could. But now, being a player referee, I understand that the referee is an absolute necessity to the game. Without the referee there is no game and penalties are only a small part of the art and skill and fitness involved in being a referee.
A down side to being a player referee is it takes up a lot of your time. My Sundays are my relax day. I play my game and then I hang out with friends.
Because I don’t referee on Sundays I don’t get the higher graded games which I know is having an influence on how my grading is coming along but I do referee all day Saturday so that eliminates the day for any socializing or doing some study. (a necessary evil in Year 11)
Becoming a referee has helped me as a player though. Getting a deeper knowledge of the game and understanding the rules helps my game as a player. I find I can communicate better with the referees of my own games.
Knowing and being up to date with the rules that are given to us at the regular referee meetings sees me helping my coaches with how to set up plays or execute them.
Now for the darker side of becoming a referee. The amount of abuse that a referee cops in the game of rugby league is alarming. You have to have broad shoulders and tune out when you are being attacked verbally by the “ugly parents” or “ugly coaches”.
If I can give any potential future referee advice, it is to realize it is not personal and to tune out! Lets face it, we turn up to a game to referee as we see it, not to send number 10 off (that is my number – not suggesting anything though) because we don’t like him.
If the crowd could understand that the ref is trying his or her hardest to keep the game as fair as possible, whilst endeavoring to maintain control of the game, we would have more referees in the game today. There is no point abusing the referee if they make a mistake.
People, players, coaches etc need to accept the decision and let the game flow. My whole perspective has changed in relation to the job a referee has to do and this has helped me as a player and when I am a spectator I don’t have a go at the ref because I know he/she is doing his/her best.
All in all, I love playing rugby league and I would give anything to play in the NRL. However, if I don’t make it, I plan to continue refereeing and hope that I progress up the ranks and eventually make it in the NRL on “THE DARK SIDE” of Rugby League as a well respected ref.
I hope I have inspired other players reading this to consider becoming a referee. It will change you as a footballer and make you an even better player. - Josh Flecknoe. |
2008 BALMAIN TIGER JUNIOR REP SQUADS
Down load (.pdf) to see the squads 
HCC 
ENDEAVOUR SHS 
HOLY CROSS 
BALMAIN 
