Queensland Rugby Referees Association (Brisbane) Inc. QRRA
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Queensland Rugby Referees Association (Brisbane) Inc. QRRA (Brisbane) Inc. Annual Report Season 2014 The Management Committee and members of the Queensland Rugby Referees Association (Brisbane) Inc. gratefully acknowledge the support of the following supporters and sponsors during the 2014 season. Table of Contents. Office Bearers 2014. Page 2 Life Members Page 3 Presidents Report Page 4 Appointments Board Report Page 7 Awards Page-9 Match Milestones Page-9 Service Milestones Page-9 Grand Final Referees Page 10 Representative Appointments Page 11 Referee Match Statistics Page 21 Referee Coaching Statistics Page 31 Fitness Review Page-33 Financial Statements Page 35 P1 Office Bearers 2014 President Mark Hogan Vice – President Michael Willis Secretary Andrew Macintosh Treasurer Dan Sheahan Committee Cath Briner Paul Evans Duncan Male Brian O’Donnell Executive Officer Paul Heath Business Address. GPO Box 2645, Brisbane 4001. Website www.qrrabrisbane.rugbynet.com.au Email [email protected] Phone 0409192396 P2 Life Members Fred Crawford Kevin Crowe (OAM) John Forbes Phillip Jones Barry Leask John Meehan Frank Meek Chris Oxenford Geoff Pegg Ian Scotney (AM) Graham Sheehan (OAM) Colin Waldron P3 PRESIDENT’S REPORT – 2014. In years gone by, this report would be prepared as a reflection on the past season as all enjoyed decent break before focusing on the requirements for the next year. It appears those days are now well behind us, as the season grows inexorably longer – as I write this report, well into November, around 60 – 80 referees are still being appointed on a weekly basis for both 7s and 15s competitions. This a matter of concern for the QRRA, as it places a heavy additional burden on our administrators, Appointments Officers and particularly on our long suffering referees (some of even the most dedicated of our members have needed to declare unavailability so that they can recover from injuries or preserve their bodies for the year ahead). We are now aware that the new season will start in January, with Premier and Grade teams commencing their competition games by mid-February due to the World Cup timing and other factors. This information comes to us at the same time as the QRRA trainer advises that pre-season training is to commence on November 5. At this stage, I can only thank all of our referees, coaches and administrators for their dedication and perseverance (and skills, of course) on behalf of all of our “stakeholders” across the many representative, club, school and 7s programs that our members have been involved with in 2014. I might also take this opportunity to thank our respective partners, parents, and other family members and friends that have supported our members in their on-field and off-field activities in 2014. In statistical terms, there was a new record of 4764 match appointments in the period between the end of the GPS competitions in 2013 and 2014. (Post-season appointments are carried through to the next season for reporting purposes; also an appointment to a 7s carnival only counts as a single appointment, even though multiple games may be refereed by an individual referee at that event). Following the trend of recent years, the number of appointments at age grade levels increased in 2014, but the number of Senior appointments declined (particular at Grade and Suburban levels). I understand that 266 referees were appointed to games in 2014, including 58 new members (31 of those new members having been appointed to games at Senior or School levels). Cameron Foley and Scott Chapman top the official list with 60 appointments each, but many other referees have more than 50 appointments credited to them. At the end of 2013, I reflected that 2014 would be a year of change. We took to the field in the eye- catching new strip this year, which generated very positive comments from our members, as well as spectators around the grounds. The closer alignment to the premier strip was also very successful, particularly as it made all of our referees appear to be on the same “team” as their more experience counterparts. Pat Rae took over the role of QRRA trainer for 2014, resulting in good attendances throughout the year and a very interesting program for members to participate in. Pat has already been appointed to build on these efforts into the 2015 season. Dick Byres took up the role of Senior Appointments Officer and Laurie Monaghan the role of Junior Appointments Officer for 2014. There were significant challenges for both, not the least being the late notice of new competitions; as well as constant changes to grounds and starting times (particularly in the Junior ranks due to ongoing regrading of teams throughout the year). Dick was faced with the unavailability of quite a number of our experienced members, including such Senior Referees as Rodd Brockett, Darren Rees and Andrew Gillies due to their retirement from active refereeing. Dick also “revoked on-field privileges” for a number of perennial contributors to allow them to concentrate on referee coaching activities, and feedback from all stakeholders was very positive (particularly about the obvious presence of referee coaches assisting our more junior referees around the club and school grounds). P4 This also permitted many of our members to be appointed to Senior and School games they may not otherwise have had an opportunity to referee in 2014, which can only assist with the development of a broader base of higher quality referees for the future. Representative and Premier Appointments As you will note from the report on Representative Appointments contained in the Annual Report, a significant number of our members achieved appointments as referees and referee coaches to various State and National championships, as well as at the Super Rugby level. Leading the way was Rohan Hoffman who was the appointed referee for 11 Super Rugby matches and the National Rugby Championship final. In addition, Rohan made his test debut this year in the Pacific Island test series, and accordingly will be awarded the Kerry Fitzgerald Medal in 2014. Matt O’Brien made his Super Rugby debut this year, as well as being a highly performed referee on the World 7s Circuit. Matt also had the honour of being appointed to referee the 7s final at the Commonwealth games in Edinburgh. Damien Mitchelmore, the remaining QRRA referee on the Australian National Panel, also refereed with distinction in 2014 and was undoubted very unlucky to miss selection in the Super Rugby panel for this year. Steve Leszczynski was again appointed as a TMO throughout the Super Rugby season. At Premier level, the recent ARU interchange program with Sydney was not used this year, at appointments at Premier levels were made by the QRU as the convenor of those competitions. Congratulations to all of our members appointed to Premier Grade this year, and particularly Shaun Rigby and Rachel Horton, who made their debuts at this level. Queensland Rugby Union Following recommendations made at a seminar convened in March by Scott Young of the ARU, the QRU State Referee Committee was dispended (on the basis that there was no longer any separate requirement for that body to operate). A number of functions were then controlled by various QRU representatives, including appointments to the Premier Competitions in Brisbane, as well as the management of the Queensland Junior Rugby Union State Finals and other competitions such as the Country Championships. Thanks to QRU representatives Rob Donoghue, Geoff Pegg, Lachlan Parkinson and Michael Backstrom for the assistance they provided to the QRRA in the performance of their respective roles in 2014. Members will also be aware that Rohan Hoffman has now been appointed as Match Officials Development Manager for the State of Queensland and we look forward to working with Rohan in his new role. Member and Stakeholder Acknowledgements I wish to formally acknowledge our appreciation for the support that we received from the QRU, Queensland Suburban Rugby Union, Brisbane Junior Rugby Union, Queensland Rugby Union, as well as GPS Schools, AIC Schools and the TAS Schools in 2014. We also acknowledge the ongoing support of Laudistons Auctions as a sponsor of the QRRA during 2014. A range of acknowledgements would generally be made at the Annual Dinner, including the major prize winners of QRRA awards for the year. I have refrained from mentioning those prize winners in P5 this report, as they will actually be announced at a function to be held after the AGM at which this report will be presented. Unfortunately, the Annual Dinner was not held this year, due mainly as a result of approximately 40 members being unavailable due to commitments at the Noosa International 7s, National Rugby Championship and a range of other events in Brisbane. We will need to consider timing for this event in the future, particularly in view of the ongoing extension of the season as mentioned earlier in this report. However, on a more general basis, in addition to those members mentioned above, I take this opportunity to congratulate all of the QRRA award winners for 2014 as well as each of those referees who achieved appointments to grand finals in the Premier, Grade, Suburban and Junior competitions. Thanks must also go to those referees who were always willing to fill appointment vacancies on short notice – you certainly helped to make the job of the Appointments Officers somewhat less of a nightmare. Having said that, the number of “pull-outs” in 2014 was a real issue which the Management Committee will try to address for next year, including by means of the use of the Referee Appointment System so that members are able to provide more up to date information concerning their availability to the Appointments Officers.