Following the December announcement of the National Referees Technical Committee and updated Referees Strategic Plan the FFA Referees Department began the National Competition Referee Selection Process 2012/13.

Our aim is to ensure the Hyundai A-league and Westfield W-League panel is chosen from the best available talent in the country and are adequately prepared for the season ahead in line with the game’s professional development in this country.

It is our aim to have Australian referees regarded as world-class officials.

Our key focus is on searching for the best and those with the potential to be the best. Competition for places is important so that we are constantly looking to improve – this includes no places on panels being made incumbent but earned each year.

Any 2011/12 panel member who is unable to retain their position for the 2012/13 season remains eligible to regain that position in future seasons if they can maintain/achieve the selection criteria.

As referees we have an obligation to the game to continually improve.

A key change is the establishment of the Possibles and Probables Candidates program.

The Possibles and Probables candidate list was created from three areas:

1. Review of last season’s panel
- The best performers from last season’s panel will be classed Probables (i.e. most likely to be reappointed to the panel)
- Some will fall into the Possibles category

2. National Talent Pool
- Looking for those who have the potential to be a top class Hyundai A-league and Westfield W-League referees

3. Nominations from the states for those who are not in first two categories
- Looking for those who have the potential to be a top class Hyundai A-league and Westfield W-League referees

From the above candidate list referees were then appointed, in conjunction with the Member Federations, to various State League games nationally.

Secondly, an FFA representative was appointed to view each referee as often as required with information supplied back to the FFA Referee Department for analysis and discussion.

The Referee Department have from this process created the final panel of match officials from the "Possibles and Probables" list.

In a first for FFA this process started just after the completion of the Hyundai A-league 2011/12 season and took in a full six month process in the lead up to the season ahead.

I was extremely pleased with the quality and professionalism of the candidates for this year’s Hyundai A-league and Westfield W-league and their performances as a part of this comprehensive program.

As a result there are some new additions to the referee’s panel.

With the panel now selected, the focus has turned to preparation to ensure the panel is in optimal condition both mentally and physically for the season ahead.

Three key aspects of preparation include:
- Fitness
- Games
- Communication

For the upcoming Hyundai A-League and Westfield W-League seasons our key focus in the pre-season was on deciding on the Panel Selection, Preparation for the season ahead and Communication with Clubs to create clear lines of communication between decisions and processes and also to clearly communicate our plans for the season.

We are embarking on this project in an effort to ensure we have a comprehensive selection process and a professional preparation schedule ready for the season, so that referees have every opportunity to perform at their best level.

We look forward to the season ahead and continuing the development of referees in Australia and New Zealand.

Click here to download the Referees Panel 2012.

 
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Comments (17)
 
Mark well done! Noting your work for a few years now. Referees are such a very important part to the professionalism of football both off field and on field. Over the years I have attended many games, at all levels, and I have watched where the referees have managed and allowed all the beauties of the game to flow and ultimately be totally enjoyed by spectators and players alike! Conversely I have seen football 'dads' officiate as there were no referees available and it is not pretty to watch, as the focus falls away from the game and onto the official. Fortunately that seems to be happening less. As an example, more and more grounds are displaying their codes of conduct encouraging fair play which leads to fun!! All the best to all the referees. Try not having any .....
Positive  |  
22 Aug 2012 08:48 AM
 
 
As a former referee and player at an amateur level, it is amazing to think that players, fans and team officials believe that referees are the only people in the game that are not allowed to make a mistake. As a referee I made many mistakes and bad decisions (did I like it, well no!), and as a player I made even more, but I tried to learn from my mistakes as you do in life. That is the beauty of sport as well, whether it be football, gymnastics, rugby, tennis etc..., in that it reflects life. Never in life is everything perfect, or goes your way but should something go against you or you receive a bad call, just get on with it, it's not going to be changed. The same goes for sport if a player makes a bad pass or a goalkeeper fumbles one into the back of the net, sure they might not be happy but there are no 2nd chances and the same applies to a match official! Officials make errors or the best decision they can given their perspective, so if this occurs, accept the decision and move on! You can't rewind the clock! Also if you think you are more competent that someone in a current position put your hand up, get off your @rse and do a better job!
Marko  |  
21 Aug 2012 07:24 PM
 
 
I'd like to see continuing action to help referees at the junior level. My trips around the fields see still too much personal abuse toward young referees. This is especially noticeable in the transition from junior to senior ranks. I personally know of several cases of abuse that my local association didn't take seriously and didn't support the young referees. In both cases the up and coming referees have decided to quit after 7-8 years of development. It's great to have a project like RESPECT but we must have follow thru, accountability and know whether or not we're winning the good fight. Happy to speak further if you'd like...
Anthony H.  |  
21 Aug 2012 07:57 AM
 
 
Mr. Shield, all credit to what you have done last season and I hope your persistence will further improve the refereeing standard. We have to remember that bad refereeing is in large proportion responsible for bad behaviour on and off the pitch – as last New Castle “friendly” proved. So good luck and PLEASE consider TV in some form helping refs in taking the right decision. Forgot expensive “technology” – use just what TV viewers are having replay (in seconds after) to be looked at it by fourth ref on side and/or replay on large stadium screen. Again – good luck.
Lubanski  |  
19 Aug 2012 05:58 PM
 
 
anthony, perhaps you should volunteer to be a referee if you can do a better job....its easy to call everyone crap from the sideline, or everyone else a know it all.
david  |  
19 Aug 2012 04:05 PM
 
 
An exibihtion of the rotten refereeing was wittnessed last night in the Newcastle v Wellington match. By not being in the correct position to see the central official, first ignore his assistant and then missed the exact same incident which then lead to an almost all in brawl. Then end result of this mess was 10 on 8 players in what should have been a very good and fair contest. The incident was handled badly and without common sense compromise for the games sake. I don't just blame the officials but also the coaching staff and the players. Previous to this game my son played his final round game and the minor premiership was at stack. When his team arrived here where the officials for the game in the opponents jackets and then they officialted in them. Unfortunately the bias did not stop there. A penalty was given to the supported club on a clear dive as no opposition player was near him. Even the side line spectators commented on the dive awarding it points. So Mr Shields you have a very arduous task ahead of you. If you look to other sports you may find what you need to assist you in this endevour. It was over come in hockey very successfully. Perhaps if you look t the Eeropeans leagues for help and guidance you may save the game. Good luck.
David J Hourigan  |  
19 Aug 2012 08:01 AM
 
 
To be fair Anthony, find me a team sport in any country and in any code and I'll find you a ref or umpire that would be vilified. Especially at an elite level - where the pace of the game is as fast as it is - no ref can make all the correct decisions all the time. You would pretty much need a ref watching every player for every team sport. The cost would be so astronomical that your hard earned would not be enough to cover the games. I think that you have to be as tolerant of refs as you do of all the other aspects of human interaction. If you feel hard done by, be assured that at other times opposition teams will feel hard done by.
Fair Minded  |  
18 Aug 2012 04:15 PM
 
 
Hi Ian or should that be Mark Shield;.....so who made you the spokesperson for referees? Their standard needs to improve pure and simple. Didn't realize you get labelled angry for expressing an opinion these days. You would find most people think the refereeing in this country is not up to standard but if it improves then its only good for the game. So enjoy your laughing glad to know I can make people laugh :)
Anthony  |  
18 Aug 2012 12:56 PM
 
 
anthony - wow - attacking referees.........how courageous of you. a bit angry not everyone agrees with your view - after all you are "an intelligent football fan". it doesn't show in your comments. good to know you put yourself forward as a fan's representative. no one voted you into that role. i'm sure you will respond within two hours with more anger. and you label others a know it all. thanks for the laugh
Ian  |  
17 Aug 2012 12:25 PM
 
 
Nice to know the men in the middle are represented by such know-it-alls as Ian and Steven! So Steven states: "Who was it that said a spectator is someone who doesn't have the courage to get out there and do it themselves?"....well Steven I don't know or care who said it but as a spectator I expect the refeering standard to be good enough to officiate in a game that I have spent my hard earned for going to watch, if thats okay with you. As for you Ian well I'm not a Perth Glory fan nor Brisbane so my gripe with refeering has got nothing to do with the 2012 GF but the standard as a whole for that matter!
Anthony  |  
16 Aug 2012 01:21 PM
 
 
well said Steve. the armchair experts must have missed the real experts who said the decision was correct - we all know what they are referring to. they are just griping that their team lost. just name one expert who said the decision was wrong gillett made the right decision in tough circumstances. full credit to him. bad luck for those who can't face up to it.
Ian  |  
16 Aug 2012 10:52 AM
 
 
I'd be really interested to know where these self appointed experts got the qualifications to comment on referees performances. When was the last time any of you passed a fitness test or a Laws of the Game exam. Who was it that said a spectator is someone who doesn't have the courage to get out there and do it themselves?
Steve  |  
15 Aug 2012 07:03 PM
 
 
Sure, it is moving in the right direction to have a new plan in place for the next A-league season and implement them now and for the future, but this is what took place some 4 years ago by the previous National Instructor and of course filtered through to all levels of football. Our current crop of referees especially in NSW are in many cases still in that system of officiating and probably the A-league last season was a reflection of referees becoming confused on what is the "correct" way of officiating the world game? We must also make sure that referee officials are not compromised nor put under public scrutiny on matches that could be considered "home or biased" by some form of personal ties under no circumstances at all.......Jarred Gillett became an embarrassment to his profession and more importantly the code...... for the sake of all football referees in the country we must be totally impartial therefore don't appoint referees who become targets for all others to fire shots at!!
Ed  |  
15 Aug 2012 01:13 PM
 
 
I am with Anthony on this one, the refereeing last season was an absolute joke. Disgracing the league. Some of the referee's need to get their act together or get out of the A-league. I'm looking at you Ben William's and Jarred Gillet. Two of the worst referee's in the world and the league is calling them the best in Australia. What a joke.
Scott  |  
14 Aug 2012 05:57 PM
 
 
Save your breath Mark and dont bother wasting us intelligent football fans with your devils advocate approach to bettering the refereeing standards in this country, which quite frankly are abysmal, and that is the best I can say about it.
Anthony  |  
14 Aug 2012 03:07 PM
 
 
Like everything associated with Australian football, we are building from the ground up, refs included. The only way our refs are going to improve to match the progression of the football is through implementing standards, education and exposure to areas that are far progessed to us. Our refs should be visiting Japan, Sth Korea and if possible Europe to learn in the of f season. This is a starting point but the progression has to continue and the standards continually raised.
Jets Fan  |  
14 Aug 2012 02:18 PM
 
 
Haha, tell that to Jarred Gillett. What a joke!
paolo  |  
14 Aug 2012 08:27 AM