After last year announcing his departure from the NRL, referee Matt Cecchin will officiate his first first-grade match of the year this weekend.
Six months after leaving Australia as a result of death threats, referee Matt Cecchin will return to the NRL field this weekend.
The veteran whistleblower has been named to take charge of Saturday’s clash between Manly and Sydney Roosters at Lottoland.
Cecchin last year announced he would quit the NRL after being targeted in the wake of his performance in England’s World Cup semi-final win over Tonga.
He denied Andrew Fifita a try which would have sent the Tongans into the final against Australia, prompting some fans to bombard him on social media.
Cecchin’s decision to not award the try was later endorsed as correct.
He had planned to head to the English Super League in 2019 however a visa hiccup scuppered those plans.
He returned to Australia and oversaw a NSW Cup game last weekend before being asked to step up to first-grade once again this weekend.
© AAP
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