Paid per game
URLA referees are paid each match they officiate. Rates scale with experience and match level — full schedule shared in the onboarding packet.
URLA Referee Corps · 2026
Officiate URLA matches.
Paid per game. Training included. No prior rugby league experience required. URLA runs ref clinics each pre-season — apply now and we'll get you certified before round one.
Why officiate
Why join the corps.
Training included
URLA runs ref clinics each pre-season. New officials get on-pitch coaching from senior referees plus rulebook walkthroughs. No prior officiating experience required.
Certification pathway
New referees work toward URLA officiating certification under IRL Laws of the Game. URLA covers the curriculum and pairs new refs with mentors for their first season.
Real game time
Every URLA match needs an officiating crew. As soon as you're cleared, you're assigned to fixtures — typically 1–2 matches per week during the regular season.
A community
The URLA referee corps is a tight group of officials who back each other up at every match. Officials stay through multiple seasons; relationships matter.
A path to higher levels
URLA referees who level up move on to officiate at regional, national, and international rugby league fixtures. The pathway is real.
Requirements
What we need from you.
- Available evenings and weekends during the season (May–October)
- 18 or older (younger applicants welcome for shadowing/touch judge)
- Reasonable fitness — refs run with play
- Willing to learn the rules from scratch (no prior rugby league knowledge needed)
- Reliable, on-time, and able to take feedback
Certification, rules training, and equipment guidance is provided by URLA — apply first, qualify after.
Process
How to join.
1
Submit the application
Fill out the URLA referee form below. Takes 5 minutes. We'll be in touch within a week.
Jump to form 2
Pre-season clinic
Attend the URLA referee clinic — covers the rulebook, signals, positioning, and game management. Two sessions, weekend afternoons. Free for applicants.
3
Mentor pairing
You're paired with an experienced URLA referee for your first matches — they shadow you, you shadow them, and feedback flows both ways.
4
Get on the assignment list
Once you're cleared, you're added to the URLA assignment rotation. Most new refs get 1–2 matches per week during the regular season.
Apply
Referee application.
Fill out the form below — takes 5 minutes. URLA's head ref reaches out within a week to confirm the next clinic date and walk through the onboarding.
Sponsor the referee corps
Help fund ref training and clinics.
Referee corps sponsorship — $1,500 per season — puts your logo on every URLA official's shirt and funds clinic curriculum, equipment, and certification fees.
Questions before you apply?
Email the head ref.
Schedule conflicts, fitness questions, age questions, "I've never seen a rugby match" — all fine. Send a note, get a real answer.