Recently the NRL released a powerful video featuring Ben Cummins, who has refereed over 400 games at the top level.
The video is about Cummins’ fifth NRL grand final in 2019 where he was officiating a game between the Canberra Raiders and Sydney Roosters and made an error which became the major talking point about the game.
The video discusses what happened on the field, but more importantly, what happened off it too. The immediate media attention and the impact it had on his family, including his children.
His son copped abuse at school as a result of a decision made on the footy field and his daughter faced the same challenges online.
As for Cummins, he didn’t leave the house for a week and he talks about the shame and embarrassment he felt following the game.
Much like many of us, Cummins loves rugby league. One of the reasons he decided to become a referee was so that he could become more involved with the game he loved so much.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
However, as we continue to see constant media focus on the ‘controversial calls’ which ‘cost’ teams every week and observe the brutal social media commentary that targets our officials, it begs the question, why would anyone want to be an NRL referee?
But these challenges aren’t only being felt at the elite level of our game, it’s happening at our grassroots too.
Sarah is part of a family that has always loved rugby league.
One day, her mother saw a post on Facebook about a ‘come and try’ session for refereeing at a junior level and she encouraged Sarah to give it a go. Whilst apprehensive at first, Sarah agreed to go to one session with a promise that if she did not like it she did not have to go back.
She left the first session early, feeling a bit overwhelmed, but something pushed her to go back a week later and try again.
In that session, Sarah had the opportunity to train with the referees. She loved it, has kept going since and now has done referees course and received her accreditation.
“I never played rugby league, but I loved watching it,” said Sarah.
“Being a referee was an opportunity to do something different because there aren’t too many people to put their hand up to do it.”
In her first year as a referee Sarah really enjoyed herself, despite the season being cut short due to COVID.
When the season resumed this year, so did Sarah and whilst she has continued to enjoy it, she has seen the negative side to refereeing and it has certainly impacted her.
“I think there is a culture in our game that tells us that it is okay to bag referees,” said Sarah.
“When you have a first grade coach who criticises the referees for a week after the game, that flows down and says to the junior coaches and players that this is okay and that it is something that they can do.
“We have a major shortage of referees at the moment and it has gotten to the point where we don’t referee some of the younger age groups because we don’t have enough people to fill those roles.”
An additional challenge is getting more young women involved in refereeing. Kasey Badger and Belinda Sharpe have both been incredible role models and demonstrated that there is a place and opportunity for women to referee at the highest level.
But Sarah has observed some of the female referees also being subject to bad behaviour from players and spectators.
“Earlier this year I had a mother run onto the field towards me over an incident which should not even have been an incident,” said Sarah.
“I remember being upset but my parents were a big source of support.
“My mum insisted that I wasn’t going to quit over it and reminded me that incidents like this would help me to build my resilience.”
Sarah acknowledges that there are things that we can all do to improve the situation.
“In the junior league, the rules are so different to the NRL and I don’t think parents and spectators necessarily understand that,” said Sarah.
“There is an opportunity for us as a refereeing association to reach out to the parents and explain the rules.
“A lot more of this needs to happen in the community.”
As for Sarah, she isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
“We need referees and sometimes the bad does outweigh the good, but I really do have so much fun when I’m out there,” said Sarah.
“I love the game of rugby league and I enjoy being on the field with the kids; who knows, one day they might play first grade and I can say that I was a small part of the journey.”
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
Sounds like him but he was a regular contributor at one point here on The ROAR and Zero Tackle forum. You sound a lot like him except for the wrapping referees in cotton wool part.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
Yes the Rabbitohs are the most successful NSW club but Brisbane, Melbourne, Manly and Easts have been the most successful clubs of the NRL. The Dragons had a good run when Wayne was coach otherwise it's been spoon avoidance.
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
In my view Tim the NRL is one continuous competition starting in 1908 with the NSWRL evolving into the ARL and then the NRL. So all records count despite the inconvenient truth that the Rabbitohs are the most successful club covered in the most glory.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
Rabbitohs supporters can’t reference premierships before the NRL The history of the NSWRL has interested me from early days. Whenever it was my birthday I would get RL books because everyone knew I was a Saints fan. I loved to watch all three grades at Kogarah Oval and would go to the SCG with my uncle. You can talk about whatever you like but we all saw Penrith beat Souths last year but in 1955 there was no TV in Australia and we only have the people at the game to tell us what happened.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
My first game was the 1964 grand final. I missed 3rd grade where Parramatta beat St.George and arrived during 2nd grade that went to Saints, beating Souths. Balmain were unlucky in 1st grade, they were winning the scrums and Keith Barnes had them in front 6-4 when Bob Boland failed to find touch and Saints scored a try as Balmain were walking to the scrum. I played RL from 1966-1972. The last year was full of head injuries following a game against Lalor Park where I was knocked out but fortunately for me there was a pink mattress on the ground that broke my fall.
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
Klein cost Souths the 2 points against the Panthers allowing that blatant obstruction TRY and referee Gee's blunder in not giving Souths a penalty when Latrell was pushed to the ground in the process of playing the ball. Otherwise Souths, who had the momentum at that point of the game would have most likely scored at the other end. When there was only a 4 point difference in the final score and the Panthers got 6 points from that sequence of incompetent blunders it clearly affected the result.
andyfnq
Roar Rookie
Ref called it, accept it. They aren't robots and just like players, they are allowed to make a mistake. If your team had played better, they wouldn't very been in that situation in the first place. REFEREES DO NOT COST YOU MATCHES.
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
The first try of the game was THE turning point in that game? How long have you been following the game Tim? That doesn't sound like a very informed comment. So let me get this straight... Rabbitohs supporters can't reference premierships before the NRL period but Bunnies haters can go back to the post-war period when it suits their narrative? Have I got that right? I can see how that would seem fair to an irrational mind.
Choppy Zezers
Roar Rookie
Who is Angry Eagle? That character on the Muppets who called everyone weirdos?
Choppy Zezers
Roar Rookie
I'm a z-grade ref. I'm rubbish. I don't favour anyone cause I'm not anywhere near good enough to. Neither Klein nor Atkins favour the Panthers. South's lost the GF because Latrell clobbered Joey Manu and got himself suspended for six weeks, Cody threw an intercept and Adam missed a kick from the sidelines with his dodgy groin. And the Panthers were too good on the night Had Latrell not had priors, he would have been out for just three weeks.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
The referee’s ruling couldn’t be questioned until they brought in the Captain’s Challenge so if the ref ruled try it’s a try. If the referee made an error then good on him. It makes up for the 1955 finals where the referee was a Souths fan according to Alan Clarkson also a Souths fan. The turning point of the game was the intercept. If there was an obstruction why didn’t the bunker intervene?
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Some very good points Mary and a pertinent article. I'd lay a lot on the NRL over 3 issues;- Not fully supporting refs in the first instance, plus having the bunker and the Captains Challenge. Had the NRL established a protocol of having a ref rep at each game wrap to field questions, accept the odd error or two and then point out the myriad of errors the losing team made that contributed more to the loss than the ref error we wouldn't be in this mud heap. Social convention supported by consistent response from the NRL would give fans appreciation of the difficulties of the job plus understanding that - at the end of the game - ref errors contribute much less to a result than player errors, Having the bunker and CC creates a huge air of ref fallibility and if you go and see almost any juniors match you'll see players challenging the ref on numerous counts, wanting captains challenges and making vide reply signs with their hands. The NRL has taught kids at a young age that the refs aren't right and are there to be challenged.
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
You sound very much like old mate Angry Eagle with the same Choppy logic.
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
If you can't remember the incident in question then you didn't watch the game. The FOX Sports commentary team emphasised what a debacle it was. It was the turning point of the game for crying out loud. You must have fallen asleep.
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
I didn't realise you were an NRL referee. Sorry
AshleyChoppy. :laughing:Choppy Zezers
Roar Rookie
Teach young ref's the rules so they can work their way to first grade, make the big bucks, get called spineless and incompetent weekly, have their integrity questioned, cop threats and have their family abused. Who wouldn't wanna do it? It'd be about as fun as being Donald Trumps legal counsel.
Choppy Zezers
Roar Rookie
Oh please. Coaches bag ref's because it takes the pressure off his players. Refereeing and coaching/captaining is, as one damn good ref once told me, who can transfer pressure better. The ref's try to put the onus on the players to get them to comply, the coaches put the pressure on the ref's by pointing out perceived bias or bad calls so his players are protected. And your comment here shows the coaches gambit works a treat.
andyfnq
Roar Rookie
I can't remember incident in question, but whatever the ref ruled I'm happy with. No refs = no game, show some respect
Choppy Zezers
Roar Rookie
Did you bag referees? "There are too many brainless, spinless jellyfish with whistles in our game. Case in point Ashley Klein who has been widely acknowledged as the biggest ignoramus in the game and whose integrity when it comes to officiating Panthers matches has been in question" I might be a brainless, spineless, ignorant jellyfish but I know a bagging when I read one.
Gags
Roar Rookie
Good one