Football Queensland confirms new referee roles in every region

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Football Queensland has announced greater investment into referee development with the expansion of new refereeing roles across the state.

25 referee staff have been appointed across each of the nine regions in Queensland – in Referee Coach and Development, Support, Mentoring and Training roles.

Football Queensland President Ben Richardson acknowledged that the appointment of the new roles would be essential in continuing the strengthening and development of match officials in Queensland.

“Football Queensland has highlighted the need to continue expanding referee development as the game continues to grow across the entire state,” he said.

“The recruitment of these highly respected, well experienced match officials for these roles including FIFA Referee Misuk Park reflects our commitment to improving the quality and standard of refereeing at every level of the game, with the new team members to provide additional support to the local referee community in each region.

“By appointing various new referee team members across each region in Queensland, we are continuing to invest in providing high-quality, accessible football experiences for all participants, regardless of their geographical location.”

See the full list of new staff appointments below.

Football Queensland

Daniel Taifalos: Officer – Referee Support

South Coast

Dion Bradley: Officer – Referee Coach and Development

Maria Roughley: Officer – Referee Support

Daniel Larney: Officer – Referee Support and Mentoring

Metro

Brad Burton: Officer – Referee Coach and Development

Misuk Park: Officer – Referee Coach and Development

Darling Downs

Trevor Jacobsen: Officer – Referee Coach and Development

Frank van den Berg: Officer – Referee Support

Sunshine Coast

Marsh Camille: Officer – Referee Coach and Development

Alinda Vanderharst: Officer – Referee Support

Wide Bay

Cody Schiemann: Officer – Referee Coach and Development

Kris Cobbin: Officer – Referee Coach and Development

Central Coast

Sam Williams: Officer – Referee Coach and Development

Tori Bartlett: Officer – Junior Support (South)

David Perna: Officer – Junior Support (North)

Whitsunday Coast

Trevor May: Officer – Referee Coach and Development and Junior Referee Support

Northern

John Cassidy: Officer – Junior Referee Support

Mike Marano: Officer – Referee Coach and Development

Graham Buzzi: Officer – Training and Senior Referee Support

Jason Ireland: Officer – Training and Senior Referee Support

Far North & Gulf

Martyn Tilley: Officer – Referee Coach and Development

Peter Hazelden: Officer – Senior Referee Support

Chris Doherty-Fisher: Officer – Senior Referee Support

Natalia Bambino: Officer – Referee Support (Mt Isa)

Schools

Jim Bellos: Officer – School Referees

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Football Australia Expands Mental Skills Program for Match Officials Amid Sustained Focus on Referee Retention

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Image Credit: Football NSW

Football Australia has confirmed a second national webinar for match officials, led by sports psychologist Dr Liam Slack, extending a referee development series introduced after strong engagement with an initial session on managing match-day pressure.

The upcoming session, themed “parking with purpose,” will focus on decision-making strategies designed to help referees process on-field calls and reset attention quickly across a match that can present hundreds of individual decisions. Dr Slack, who also consults with The Football Association and the AFC Referee Academy and previously spent over a decade as a performance psychologist with the Professional Game Match Officials Limited in England, brings substantial elite-level experience to a program open to officials at every level, from grassroots to professional.

The theme builds on work Dr Slack has already delivered within Australian officiating. He recently led a session with Football Australia’s National Referee Academy on the same concept, framing the ability to consciously park a decision and refocus on the next phase of play as a trainable skill rather than an innate trait, one that separates officials who reset quickly under pressure from those who don’t. He has also addressed more than 100 Football Australia elite match officials and staff on developing a stronger match-day mentality, an indication of how embedded this psychological framework has become across the officiating pathway rather than remaining a one-off intervention.

The expansion of the webinar series reflects a broader shift in how football administrators are approaching referee attrition. Rather than treating retention purely as a recruitment or pay problem, the program signals an institutional acknowledgment that the psychological demands of officiating, particularly the compounding pressure of split-second decisions under public scrutiny, are a material factor in whether officials remain in the game.

It rests alongside other measures adopted across Australian football in recent years, including visible identification programs for junior referees and structural reviews of referee departments at state federation level, all aimed at the same underlying issue: a shrinking pool of match officials relative to demand.

Football Australia has not detailed metrics for assessing the program’s impact on referee numbers, though the recurring engagement of an internationally credentialed specialist across multiple tiers of the officiating pathway suggests sustained institutional investment in the approach.

Football Victoria elevates fan enjoyment with Streets partnership

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Image credit: Prostock-studio / Shutterstock.com

Football Victoria (FV) revealed last week a new partnership with ice cream giants, Streets. The brand will become an exclusive ice cream partner for the next three years.

 

An iconic brand for joyful experiences

As a well-known and popular ice cream brand with people all around the nation, Streets will now look to support the fan experience in Victoria through its products.

It reflects FV’s commitment to delivering a family-friendly and memorable experience for spectators. Both on and off the pitch, the organisation is striving to elevate the experience for fans and families alike.

“Football Victoria is always looking for ways to elevate the experience at The Home of The Matildas, and this partnership does exactly that,” explained FV Executive Manager of Commercial and Facilities, Chris Speldewinde.

“It’s a fantastic fit for our community and we’re looking forward to what the next three years will bring.”

Furthermore, Senior Brand Manager at Streets, Ryan Katz, emphasised the brand’s role in community sport and in creating memories beyond the action on the pitch.

“Streets is proud to join Football Victoria as its exclusive ice cream partner,” Katz said.

“There’s nothing better than enjoying a great game with a classic ice cream in-hand, and we’re excited to be part of those moments across the state.”

 

Understanding community football

Community football is all about these moments. Sunny days, the family together, and a sweet treat in-hand while supporting a local team alongside friends and neighbours.

This is why a partnership between FV and Streets is particularly important.

Not for its commercial value, but for what it tells us about both parties’ understanding of what matters to fans. From young fans to experienced matchday-goers, everyone wants to find enjoyment while watching the game.

And while the 90 minutes of action is the focus, the experience of a local matchday is truly defined by interactions with fellow supporters and smaller – but no less significant – moments of happiness during the day.

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