HON. SECRETARY’S REPORT

Mr. Mario Cafarelli

Mr Chairman and Members,

It gives me great pleasure to present to you this annual report for the 2005 season.

My first season as secretary has been an interesting one. The transition from assistant secretary in 2004 was made easier by the work of my two predecessors, Peter Ryan and Chris Bettiol. Their efforts in putting many of our records onto computer were of great assistance. This was a monumental task that will benefit all future secretaries.

Warren Gee became the new Assistant Secretary for 2005. Other committee positions remained unchanged.

The members elected two new patrons at the Annual meeting held in February. They were Peter Winchester and Bradley Clyde. Garry Hughes was also re-elected. Keith Lotty became ineligible to be a patron of the association as he is now an Honorary Member For Life and, as such, our constitution does not allow him to hold the position of patron. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Steve Mortimer for serving as patron during 2003 and 2004.

SPONSORSHIP Canterbury League Club was once again the association’s major sponsor for 2005. We are extremely grateful for the continued support that is forthcoming from the Club. Thank you to John Ballesty, Kevin Stewart and the Directors.

Rossini’s Restaurant & Café was our sleeve sponsor for the 8th and, unfortunately, final year. Thank you to Carlo La Rosa for your financial support during those years. We appreciate the support and look forward to your continued friendship with the association.

Thank you also to National Trotguide who assisted with our printing needs throughout the season.

Whilst some former sponsors have moved on, the association will be welcoming two new sponsors in 2006. They are Ronnie’s Environmental Services and Clean As A Whistle.

Ronnie’s Environmental Services will provide sleeve sponsorship for 2006 and 2007 and, likewise, Clean As A Whistle will ensure our shorts are clean as a whistle for the next two years. Thank you to Craig Homans, Paul & Yvette Hassarati and also to Andrew Taylor for your generosity.

DISTRICT CLUB Injuries to key players denied the Bulldogs the opportunity to defend their title this season. I’m sure that with a full strength side on the paddock the Bulldogs will be a force to contend with again in 2006.

Thank you to Malcolm Noad, Bradley Clyde and Peter Winchester for the support they extended to our association throughout the season.

JUNIOR LEAGUE Congratulations to all clubs who enjoyed success during the season and especially the Bankstown Bulls who took out the A grade competition this year.

Congratulations and thanks are extended to President Roger Harborne and all the general committee for a smooth and successful season, both on and off the field. I would especially like to thank CEO Paul Tycehurst for the professional and cooperative manner in which he conducted business with our association.

The Junior League and District Club conducted a Meet The Players and Registration Day at the Revesby Workers Club before the season commenced. Our association had a display at the event and we took the opportunity to meet with the clubs and hand out some promotional material. Thanks to the Junior League for providing us with a table on the day.

The association worked closely with the Junior League and the District Club during the pre-season to formulate a new Code Of Conduct for players, officials and spectators. As a result, the number of incidents where referees were involved was down on previous years. Some incidents however, still occured. The season’s first round of football kicked off with the most disgusting of incidents. Young referee Shane Merry was the victim of a cowardly physical assault from an u16s player. The sentence handed down by the Judiciary attracted media attention and sent a clear message to the entire rugby league world that this type of behavior is not, and

WILL NEVER be, tolerated in our game. The Judiciary committee should be congratulated for having the fortitude to impose such a lengthy sentence.

Unfortunately, the victims always seemed to be the younger members. Perhaps the perpetrators see them as easy targets. It is therefore the responsibility of all of us to look out for our fellow members, especially the younger ones and make sure we provide the safest possible environment for them to enjoy their refereeing.

The Junior League has honoured the memory of Leo Randle by introducing the Leo Randle Trophy. It is presented to the winners of the u7res competition. The inaugural winners were the Brothers Football Club.

Also, the Junior League has introduced a new referees award. It is an Appreciation Award and the winner is selected by the clubs. In 2005 the award went to Reg Marks.

Reg Marks and Roger Harborne

MEMBERSHIP & MEETINGS Fourteen new members joined our ranks in 2005 whilst a number of members did not renew their affiliation. Matthew Veigel and Garry Towner were granted clearences to St. George Referees and Michael White relocated to Tasmania to further his teaching career. We wish all former members the best of luck in the future. As of 31st December 2005 our membership stood at 124.

Fourteen meetings were conducted during the season and the average attendance was a healthy 52. We are one of the few associations that still meet fortnightly instead of monthly and with this sort of attendance I think we have the right balance. Thank you to the League Club for once again making rooms available for our meetings.

COMMITTEES Various members of the association continually work behind the scenes on various committees. They include the social committee, the gear committee, the golf committee, the training & development committee and the newly formed Leo Randle finance committee. To all the members of these committees, thank you for your efforts, they are very much appreciated.

The Leo Randle Finance Committee was formed to oversee and manage the funds left to the association by Leo’s estate. A trust fund will be established and will be known as the Leo Randle Foundation. The objects of the foundation will be to provide and administer funds for the benefit of members of the association. This may include recruitment, development and improvement. It may also include scholarships for members and provide benefits for members suffering from infirmity or poverty.

TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT Weekly training sessions were stepped up this year. A professional trainer, Perry Tzamouranis, was appointed to conduct physical training sessions. Perry is a former active member and his experience as a referee, together with his knowledge as a fitness trainer, made him an ideal candidate for the job.

The Training & Development Committee conducted a number of video sessions during the year as part of the on-going training program. These sessions were very well attended by active members. Thanks to Richard and Mo for their time and effort in preparing these sessions.

In the modern game fitness has become a major factor of a referee’s ability and it is vitally important that referees maintain a high level of fitness, particularly if they have aspirations of progressing to higher levels. Hand in hand with fitness goes knowledge of the rules and that only comes by continually questioning and debating decisions with fellow members and by reading the Laws of the Game on a regular basis.

COACHING Lionel Brown and his team of coaches, Joe Attard, Jim Hall and Glenn Jeffcoat, conducted a number of Level 1 coaching classes this season. The first was an experimental one-day course, which was held in March. The format was successful and resulted in three new members. Regular weekly courses were also held at the Bankstown Sports Club. Thank you to Lionel, Joe, Glenn and Jim. Lionel Brown with a group of candidates

LIFE MEMBERS The members selected two new Life Members, Lionel Brown and Kim Archer. Lionel and Kim became our 76th and 77th Life Members at the Annual Blue & White Cabaret. Both members are deserved recipients of the honour. Details of their achievements can be found later in this report.

AWARDS Adam Gee won the coveted Clubb-Johnson Trophy for the second successive year. Greg Fuller, a popular member, received the Farrelly-Dick Trophy for Most Improved and the Leo Randle Award was presented to former President Bob Styles. Congratulations to all three gentlemen. Further details can be found later in this report.

INTERDISTRICT SQUAD Four of our members were selected in the Interdistrict Representative Squad. They were Adam Gee, Shane Merry, Viktor Unal and Jimmy Oliveira. This was Jimmy’s first year at the next level. All members excelled and represented their district with pride. Adam, Viktor and Jimmy all refereed Jersey Flegg games during the year and Shane was appointed to Jersey Flegg lines. I’m sure that with hard work and dedication the rewards will come and, once again, the Canterbury-Bankstown Referees’ Association will have a significant presence at the elite level.

It is especially pleasing to note that no Canterbury member was involved in the unsavoury incident that took place during an Interdistrict camp early in the year.

GRADE/NRL Our graded ranks have dwindled over the years. Wayne Loveday, Alan Fallah and Doug Keen all announced their retirements from grade, with Doug taking on the role of CEO of the Newtown Football Club. This left just three graded/NRL members at the start of the season - David Abood, Richard Daizli and Mohamad Fajajo. Russell Smith increased that number to four when he became a member of the association in August. His experience as an international and NRL referee will be an invaluable asset to the association. Russell was appointed to the Australia v New Zealand Test Match earlier in the year.

David Abood consolidated his position as an NRL sideline official and his career continued to move forward when he was appointment to the NRL semi-final match between Brisbane Broncos and Melbourne Storm.

Mohamad Fajajo received his first NRL appointment to the Bulldogs v Penrith match as a sideline official in August. Congratulations Mohamad, you have shown your fellow members what can be achieved with a strong work ethic. Mohamad’s other significant appointments included Interchange Official for Premier League and Jersey Flegg Grand Finals and Stand-by Touch Judge/Interchange for NSW v Qld u17s.

Richard Daizli officiated in the Premier League competition and capped off an excellent season as a Premier League Grand Final Touch Judge. Congratulations Richard and well done. With that appointment went the best seat in the house on Grand Final day as Interchange Official for the NRL Grand Final.

Off the field Jack O’Sullivan received the NSWRLRA George and Amy Hansen Trophy for service to the association. The award is presented to a member in recognition of their efforts within the head body association during the year. Congratulations to Jack. John McCormack was also nominated for Life Membership of the NSWRLRA Inc.

Finally, I wish to thank the NSWRLRA Board Of Directors for their continued assistance to our association and, in particular, the distribution of grants for Administration and Coaching & Development.

APPOINTMENTS BOARD A number of changes were introduced in 2005, not the least being the structure of the Appointments Board and the introduction of the Director Of Referees. John McCormack was chosen by the committee as the new Director. Two Assistant Directors, Kim Archer and Bob Garwood were also appointed. The role of the Director and his two assistants was to assess referees’ performance and make the weekly appointments.

An Advisory Board was also created. It consisted of elected members and their role was to view and report on referees’ on field performances.

All these positions are time consuming and voluntary. The association could not fulfil its obligation to the active members without the work of the appointments/advisory board. Thank you to all the board members for your efforts during the season.

DELEGATES The association was represented at various other bodies by our willing and able delegates. Thanks to Adam Gee, Jimmy Oliveira, Jim Hall, Hilton Wood and Simon Ghani for giving up your time to attend various meetings.

Thanks also to Vic Pitt for keeping us up to date with Junior League matters.

VALE The season commenced with the sad news of the passing of another of our life members, Mr. Alan Matthews. Alan joined the association in 1953 and was made a life member in 1968. He refereed the district A grade grand final in 1957.

Long time member Dave McLean passed away in June. Dave joined the association in 1969 and was a member for 36 years.

Then in July another Life Member, Bryan Knight, passed away after a long illness. Bryan joined the Canterbury Referees in 1958. In his 47 years as a member Bryan served on the committee for eight years, including seven as Assistant Secretary. He also worked on various sub-committees for another ten years. However, Bryan will be most remembered for the eighteen years he spent on the Appointments Board. Bryan became a life member in 1974 and was re-presented in 1988. Then in 2001 Bryan received the Leo Randle Award. Bryan attended an incredible 584 meetings, the highest total attendance by any member in the history of the association.

Our sympathies are extended to the families of all three gentlemen and to Honorary Member, Martin Puckeridge, who lost his wife during the season. To all members who suffered bereavement during the year, the associations extends it’s sympathy.

CONGRATULATIONS At the other end of life’s mystery, congratulations to Chris and Vanessa Bettiol, Richard and Maha Daizli, Con and Carol Paraskevopoulos and Viktor Unal and Leah. Each couple welcomed new additions to their families in 2005.

Congratulations also to Robert Dubois and Jennie Nguyen who announced their engagement in October.

Members and family enjoy a Chinese Feast

SOCIAL A new idea was tried out this season with the introduction of the Chinese Night on the first Sunday of each month. After a slow start the idea caught on and on one occasion in August the restaurant was stretched to the limits with close to fifty

members and family turning up. Many of them may have come along to sample the new Chinese sensation – pizza.

One of our association’s objects is to “promote goodwill, social fellowship and cooperation” and all members are encouraged to make the most of these functions when they come along. Thanks to Glenn Jeffcoat for organising these nights and all other functions during the year. The job is a time consuming one and Glenn needs all the assistance we can give him.

GENERAL The association launched a new look website early in the year. Thanks to Robert Dubois for the time and effort he put into getting it up and running. As the website develops further and more members become “computer savvy” it will serve as an important tool for communication in the future.

The annual Bathurst exchange was held once again this season. Adam Gee and Robert Dubois impressed our country cousins with their ability and they both represented our association with honour. In return Nathan Blanchard and Trystan Clare from Group 10 came to the big smoke and had an enjoyable afternoon at picturesque Smith Park. Thank you to Peter & Yvonne Ryan for helping with the arrangements and looking after our lads in Bathurst. Thank you also to Glenn and Elayne Jeffcoat for entertaining Nathan and Trystan during their stay.

There were many occasions during the season when members were called on to assist with midweek school fixtures and Womens’ games. I wish to thank all those referees who made themselves available for these matches. It is not always easy with work and university commitments etc.

I would also like to thank Paul and all the committee members for assisting me in my first season as secretary. Your help was very much appreciated and my job was made a little easier with your good advice.

Finally, I must thank my family for their love, tolerance, patience and understanding. Anne-Maree and the kids have spent many nights wondering if I would every come out of the study. Without their support my job would not be possible.

Thank you and good luck to everyone in 2006.

MARIO CAFARELLI HON. SECRETARY