The Super League clubs have indefinitely delayed the introduction of the two-referee model.
The Super League clubs pulled the plug on the model earlier in the week, despite there having been plans to see the system introduced in the reserve grade this year, before being part of Super League in 2020.
Former NRL referee, Matt Cecchin had been in line to come and oversee the transition, with a job tailored for the 45-year-old advertised in order to make it possible for the Australian to get a visa. But now Cecchin is set to continue his association with the NRL rather than continue his career in Super League.
“We felt it would just be a formality for me to get a visa,” Ceccin said, “but we didn’t know the Super League clubs would decide to change their stance on two refs.
“I got a call this Monday night to say that they had cancelled the two-ref option for reserve grade this season, and are now unsure when they will bring it in for Super League, so based on that there was no possible way for me to get a visa.
“I’m sure that in my first game back in the NRL, half the people are going to think, ‘why didn’t you retire’; that’s never going to change,” he said. “But I just want to keep doing this for as long as I am able to and love it. And for as long as the game will have me.
“If you had asked me 12 months ago I might have given a very different answer. That is how important mental health is.”
