SIOBHAN Wilson is this year set to become the first woman to regularly referee senior matches in Group Three Rugby League.
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Wilson, 27, lives in the Central Coast area and will travel each week for matches.
She will have the centre for the Old Bar/Port Sharks under 18 fixture at Old Bar in today's (May 1) first round, and also be a touch judge for the first grade game.
Group Three referees coach Tony Hardy is sure that Wilson will have charge of first grade matches this year.
"Siobhan has the ability, we just need to build her confidence,'' Mr Hardy said.
Wilson is a member of the Group Three Referees' Association. She has been selected to referee in the national women's tournament to be held in Redcliffe in mid-May and has been on the line for senior and junior representative games in the past.
She was on the line for the final of the Andrew Johns Cup (under 16) country championship final in March.
During the off-season senior Group Three officials, including chairman Wayne Bridge, expressed concerns that there could be a shortfall in the referee numbers, particularly for senior fixtures, this year.
However, Mr Hardy said there'll be enough officials.
"We have 83, that's from juniors through to senior grades,'' he said.
"We're a bit short this weekend because we have people away at a touch football championship, so we've had to call in a few old fellas to help us out. But after this weekend we should be fine, as long as everyone doesn't break down at the same time.''
Mr Hardy is one of the 'old fellas' who will control a game this weekend. He'll do the under 18 game at Forster on Sunday.
"I refereed a few under 18 matches last year, but it's been about three seasons since I've done a full year,'' he said.
However, he hopes Sunday will be a one-off.
Group Three's junior and senior competitions both start this weekend.
Troy Burgess from Central Queensland will also guest as a referee this weekend. He'll be in the area as part of the NRL's program Battle Fields to Footy Fields, which aims to get current and ex-service personnel involved in refereeing. Mr Hardy has persuaded him to stop over and do a game.
Mr Hardy expects a number of promising young referees to push for regular games in first grade.
He added the association has a core of relatively young officials who have first grade experience, including Cameron Thomas and Mitch Graham.
"Mitch is back with us this year and that's a big bonus,'' he said.
"The numbers are pretty good, but we'll always welcome more.''
