The Badger is now a Tiger

[AL The Tiger]


This is hilarious :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

 

[avocadoontoast]

I think it’s a really smart appointment. He’ll be a big help I reckon.

 

[Tigerbuck63]

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

Really like this idea great thinking having this in place.
He also sounds humble coming to the club and more importantly the boys asking questions.
Its these small 1% that can make a difference in a close game. Like the positivity heading into 2021.

 

[hobbo1]

I think it’s a really smart appointment. He’ll be a big help I reckon.

Doubt it ..
What if he’s hated by the current referees?
Tbh I can’t believe he’s been given the time of day never mind a gig ..
He shafted us for yonks now we employ him ..🙄

 

[Russell]

Well all we need to do now is to get a few reporters on board
Have a weekly get together with all players and staff and invite a couple of reporters along for some exclusive feel good stories about the players and club in general
Let's try and lift the image of the club through the media, with their help of course , to make the Wests Tigers a destination club for all players
Somewhere plays want to go to play football, not just a place to collect thier pay packet

Sounds great! Does that include a weekly wine appreciation evening?

Some reporters would be romoured to be more into the gin...and probably not take time to appreciate it

Main thing is not to invite Buzz.

He'd send the Club broke after just a couple of weeks.

 

[avocadoontoast]

I think it’s a really smart appointment. He’ll be a big help I reckon.

Doubt it ..
What if he’s hated by the current referees?
Tbh I can’t believe he’s been given the time of day never mind a gig ..
He shafted us for yonks now we employ him ..?

I don’t think he shafted us anymore than any other ref. And if he can help in a way where we get penalised less, I’m all for it.

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

I welcome initiative. I think most refs generally had it in for us because we lost more than we won. Badger was a decent ref for a long time and we have issues with the officialdom. Doesn't work he can go. Otherwise it pays off and we are better for it.

 

[Cairnstigers]

I think it’s a really smart appointment. He’ll be a big help I reckon.

Doubt it ..
What if he’s hated by the current referees?
Tbh I can’t believe he’s been given the time of day never mind a gig ..
He shafted us for yonks now we employ him ..?

Time for change Hobbo
You better get with it
If anyone knows how to exploit the rules, it would be Badger
He would have seen it all

 

[Deleted member 3518]

I think it’s a really smart appointment. He’ll be a big help I reckon.

Doubt it ..
What if he’s hated by the current referees?
Tbh I can’t believe he’s been given the time of day never mind a gig ..
He shafted us for yonks now we employ him ..?

Time for change Hobbo
You better get with it
If anyone knows how to exploit the rules, it would be Badger
He would have seen it all

Will he teach that though ? Or is his role how stay within the guidelines , or even where the guidelines are . Might be a little unethical , to be like “here’s all the ways to break the rules on the field “

 

[hobbo1]

I think it’s a really smart appointment. He’ll be a big help I reckon.

Doubt it ..
What if he’s hated by the current referees?
Tbh I can’t believe he’s been given the time of day never mind a gig ..
He shafted us for yonks now we employ him ..?

Time for change Hobbo
You better get with it
If anyone knows how to exploit the rules, it would be Badger
He would have seen it all

The rules change weekly these days and Badger is now out of the referees loop
I’m still pissed how he shafted Nofoaluma in the play the ball v the sharks .

 

[Cairnstigers]

I think it’s a really smart appointment. He’ll be a big help I reckon.

Doubt it ..
What if he’s hated by the current referees?
Tbh I can’t believe he’s been given the time of day never mind a gig ..
He shafted us for yonks now we employ him ..?

Time for change Hobbo
You better get with it
If anyone knows how to exploit the rules, it would be Badger
He would have seen it all

Will he teach that though ? Or is his role how stay within the guidelines , or even where the guidelines are . Might be a little unethical , to be like “here’s all the ways to break the rules on the field “

Let's just call them loopholes

 

[bathursttiger1]

I think it’s a really smart appointment. He’ll be a big help I reckon.

Doubt it ..
What if he’s hated by the current referees?
Tbh I can’t believe he’s been given the time of day never mind a gig ..
He shafted us for yonks now we employ him ..?

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

 

[carltonleach]

I think this is very smart, especially with the young group we got coming through he might be able to give them an insight how to approach refs in a way that will earn abit of respect from the refs. Somewhat like how C. smith does it. He was a hard ref when he was reffing so I recon he will really help us with the mental side of approaching a ref

 

[innsaneink]

Just need big keefy back now

 

[TigerVinnie]

I think it’s a really smart appointment. He’ll be a big help I reckon.

Doubt it ..
What if he’s hated by the current referees?
Tbh I can’t believe he’s been given the time of day never mind a gig ..
He shafted us for yonks now we employ him ..?

Time for change Hobbo
You better get with it
If anyone knows how to exploit the rules, it would be Badger
He would have seen it all

Will he teach that though ? Or is his role how stay within the guidelines , or even where the guidelines are . Might be a little unethical , to be like “here’s all the ways to break the rules on the field “

Real game simulation at training.

Getting more accurate with how long we can spend in the wrestle before a penalty is blown or timing our line speed against an actual ref whistle.

I like the appointment, it's the 1%er improvements that can only help our game.

 

[TCL]

Only risk imo opinion is the team could get used to the way he refs in those opposed sessions and this may inadvertently have a negative effect gameday.

Why was badger let go by the NRL, was it age or because he was no longer up to scratch? Hopefully it wasn't due to a fallout with the other refs. This may also impact us.

If none of the above is a factor then i think its a great idea and may help reduce the penalty count against us.

 

[BermiTiger]

I hear it is a four year deal. $350k PA 😂😂

 

[PrattenParkMagpie]

I think it’s a really smart appointment. He’ll be a big help I reckon.

Doubt it ..
What if he’s hated by the current referees?
Tbh I can’t believe he’s been given the time of day never mind a gig ..
He shafted us for yonks now we employ him ..?

Time for change Hobbo
You better get with it
If anyone knows how to exploit the rules, it would be Badger
He would have seen it all

The rules change weekly these days and Badger is now out of the referees loop
I’m still pissed how he shafted Nofoaluma in the play the ball v the sharks .

Think his missus Kasey might still be in the refereeing ranks.

 

[Geo]

I think it’s a really smart appointment. He’ll be a big help I reckon.

Doubt it ..
What if he’s hated by the current referees?
Tbh I can’t believe he’s been given the time of day never mind a gig ..
He shafted us for yonks now we employ him ..?

Time for change Hobbo
You better get with it
If anyone knows how to exploit the rules, it would be Badger
He would have seen it all

The rules change weekly these days and Badger is now out of the referees loop
I’m still pissed how he shafted Nofoaluma in the play the ball v the sharks .

As much as the Badge was a flop..that particular shafting belonged to Ben Cummins..

 

[Spartan117]


Wow, that's a great idea.

Great addition to the club and shows som out of the box thinking.

Really impressed.