Former referee Gavin Badger lands job with Wests Tigers following NRL snub
WRITTEN BY
LIAM O'LOUGHLIN
@ljoloughlin
Former first grade referee and all-round great bloke Gavin Badger has landed a new job, after he was snubbed by the NRL at the end of the 2020 season.
The 47-year old was shown the door at the end of last year after 354 games in charge, and sits third all-time for first grade games officiated.
Badger had hoped to continue his career as a referee, but was left no choice and has now found a new role in rugby league with the Wests Tigers.
The club officially announced his addition to their ranks on Friday, with Badger detailing his role at Concord.
“I’m generally here for field sessions when the boys have their opposed sessions — I jump in and officiate those and it gives the boys more of a game experience,” he said.
“This way the boys don’t yell at the coaching staff — they yell at me and they can keep their relationship there.
“It also gives me the opportunity to chat to the guys after that and tell them what could make an impact in the game.
“I also help out with a little bit of education with the mindset of officials in certain situations and in certain games, and how we can better our relationships there.”
Badger will also help off the field, and will be a part of the club's desire to build an Indigenous academy for players.
After refereeing many of the players at the Tigers and other clubs, it is a change of pace for Badger to now be working alongside them - and he admitted he didn't know how the players would react.
“It’s been really great seeing things from the other side. I’ve been used to being on the other side – a bit of an enemy to these guys,” he said.
“I didn’t have a personal relationship with these guys – I had a professional relationship on the field – so I wasn’t sure how they were going to take me.
“I stood in front of the boys to do a little presentation and I wasn’t sure how I was going to be accepted – I’m an outsider coming in.
"But at the end of it, they had some really good questions, and from that moment I felt I have a role here and I have an impact on this club being successful.
"I turned up for my first training sessions and they threw me some gear, and the first gear they gave me was large and I thought ‘I don’t think they realise the size difference between players and referees, who are a lot smaller’.
"When I put on my new gear at home when I was getting ready to come to my second session, and my wife Casey had a second take and said ‘it suits you’."
"It’s a thrill to be part of this club and wear this gear. This club has so much history and the fans have so much passion – I’ve seen that from the other side of the fence ... to be part of over 100 years of history is quite humbling."
https://www.sportingnews.com/au/league/news/nrl-2021-rugby-league-wests-tigers-michael-maguire-coaching-gavin-badger-referee/1lv0cvmtdqgcq1k22e05gysnqd
WRITTEN BY
LIAM O'LOUGHLIN
@ljoloughlin
Former first grade referee and all-round great bloke Gavin Badger has landed a new job, after he was snubbed by the NRL at the end of the 2020 season.
The 47-year old was shown the door at the end of last year after 354 games in charge, and sits third all-time for first grade games officiated.
Badger had hoped to continue his career as a referee, but was left no choice and has now found a new role in rugby league with the Wests Tigers.
The club officially announced his addition to their ranks on Friday, with Badger detailing his role at Concord.
“I’m generally here for field sessions when the boys have their opposed sessions — I jump in and officiate those and it gives the boys more of a game experience,” he said.
“This way the boys don’t yell at the coaching staff — they yell at me and they can keep their relationship there.
“It also gives me the opportunity to chat to the guys after that and tell them what could make an impact in the game.
“I also help out with a little bit of education with the mindset of officials in certain situations and in certain games, and how we can better our relationships there.”
Badger will also help off the field, and will be a part of the club's desire to build an Indigenous academy for players.
After refereeing many of the players at the Tigers and other clubs, it is a change of pace for Badger to now be working alongside them - and he admitted he didn't know how the players would react.
“It’s been really great seeing things from the other side. I’ve been used to being on the other side – a bit of an enemy to these guys,” he said.
“I didn’t have a personal relationship with these guys – I had a professional relationship on the field – so I wasn’t sure how they were going to take me.
“I stood in front of the boys to do a little presentation and I wasn’t sure how I was going to be accepted – I’m an outsider coming in.
"But at the end of it, they had some really good questions, and from that moment I felt I have a role here and I have an impact on this club being successful.
"I turned up for my first training sessions and they threw me some gear, and the first gear they gave me was large and I thought ‘I don’t think they realise the size difference between players and referees, who are a lot smaller’.
"When I put on my new gear at home when I was getting ready to come to my second session, and my wife Casey had a second take and said ‘it suits you’."
"It’s a thrill to be part of this club and wear this gear. This club has so much history and the fans have so much passion – I’ve seen that from the other side of the fence ... to be part of over 100 years of history is quite humbling."
https://www.sportingnews.com/au/league/news/nrl-2021-rugby-league-wests-tigers-michael-maguire-coaching-gavin-badger-referee/1lv0cvmtdqgcq1k22e05gysnqd
