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Refs find high performance home at ACU

Unseen and often overlooked, referees will receive a mighty boost thanks to a landmark partnership between Australian Catholic University and the Queensland Rugby League. 

The milestone collaboration will see ACU’s Brisbane campus become a training and administration base for the state’s elite men’s and women’s referees as well as a development hub for up-and-coming officials from southeast Queensland. 

The initiative is hoped to be the first step in establishing an Australia-Pacific centre of excellence for officials, a nursery for referees in rectangular field codes. 

Known for its expertise in sports science research and teaching, ACU is already a training hub for QRL referees.

School of Behavioural and Health Sciences staff and third-year Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science students support the referees’ coaching team with strength and conditioning guidance.

Under the new collaboration, access to cutting edge expertise and facilities, academic-industry led research initiatives, internships and exposure to ACU’s Elite Athlete and Performer Program will enable limitless development for staff, students and referees from both organisations.

“As a leader in sport science, bringing together the state’s elite sport and exercise science expertise with the cream of rugby league’s officials seemed a natural step,” ACU Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise) Abid Khan said.

“The research component will strengthen refereeing pathways from the grassroots up, with a strong focus on junior and emerging officials.”

Work has commenced on a project to better understand what drives performance and retention at the junior level. By identifying the attributes that underpin effective performance, the project will support evidence-based development and coaching while also driving innovation in elite-level refereeing.”

Formalising the relationship between the two organisations demonstrates the QRL’s commitment to the development pathway for the state’s 2000 referees.

“This partnership elevates our program to a world class level so that our elite male and female referees can be the best they can be,” QRL state match officials manager Clayton Sharpe said.

“Down the track it means using a facility like ACU ensures our referees don’t need to move to Sydney to make it in the NRL.”

 Media Contact: Damien Stannard, 0484 384349, damien.stannard@acu.edu.au