Illawarra Rugby League Referees

2026 BLUES TAG GRAND FINAL APPOINTMENTS

The biggest game of the Blues Tag season is here.

Congratulations to all IDRLRA officials appointed to the 2026 Blues Tag Grand Final. A grand final appointment is a fantastic recognition of the hard work, consistency and commitment shown throughout the season.

We wish all our officials the very best as they take charge of the biggest game of the year. Enjoy the moment and represent the IDRLRA with pride.

FINALS APPOINTMENTS ANNOUNCED

The business end of the season is here, with appointments now confirmed for Week 3 Blues Tag Grand Finals, and the Southern Corridor Finals.

A huge congratulations to all IDRLRA officials selected across this weekend’s fixtures. Your consistency and commitment throughout the season has earned you the opportunity to take charge of some of the biggest games on the calendar.

Best of luck to all officials and teams as the finals continue. Bring your best when it matters most.

Full appointments and game details are available here: https://linktr.ee/idrlra

Proudly supported by Dwyers Truck Centre, Warrigal Charters , Extreme Carpet Cleaning, Wollongong, TLE Greentech Wollongong, Community Bank Wollongong and DP World.

GRADED SQUAD FINALS

It’s a huge weekend on the NSWRL stage for the IDRLRA crew.

Michael Ford will take charge as referee in the Ron Massey Cup finals, with Ryde Eastwood Hawks taking on St Marys.

Lachlan Greenfield has a double-header, running the line in the Sydney Shield finals before backing up for NSW Cup on Sunday.

Three big appointments across a massive weekend of finals football. A great reward for the work both officials have put in throughout the season.

Go well, boys.

Proudly supported by Dwyers Truck Centre and Warrigal Charters .

VALE ALLAN BYRNES OAM

Last weekend, our members wore black armbands as a mark of respect for Allan Byrnes OAM, following his passing at the age of 95.

Allan was a lasting pioneer of Illawarra rugby league refereeing, dedicating decades of his life to our game and our Association.

As our longest-serving Life Member, his contribution and legacy will forever remain a part of the history of Illawarra refereeing.

Our members stood together last weekend to honour Allan and the remarkable legacy he leaves behind.

Vale Allan Byrnes OAM.
Rest in Peace.

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🏉 FINALS FOOTY CONTINUES THIS WEEKEND!

The road to the grand finals continues, with Week 2 of the Blues Tag Preliminary Finals and Week 1 of the Southern Corridor Semi Finals taking place this weekend.

A big congratulations to all IDRLRA officials appointed across both competitions. 👏 Your performances throughout the season have earned you the opportunity to officiate when the pressure is at its highest.

Best of luck to all teams and officials — bring on another big weekend of finals footy! 🔥

Check out all the appointments and game details here: https://linktr.ee/idrlra

A huge thank you to all our sponsors for their continued support: Dwyers Truck Centre, Warrigal Charters , Extreme Carpet Cleaning, Wollongong, TLE Greentech Wollongong, Community Bank Wollongong and DP World. 🤝

Continuing with our new daily series: Behind the Whistle!
Each day, we’ll shine a spotlight on a referee or touch judge who has helped shape,

Today we recognise Tony De Las Heras, a proud product of the Illawarra Referees Association and graded official #865.

Tony built a strong career across both the middle and the touchline, officiating 104 first grade NRL games as a referee and 46 first grade games as a touch judge. His career also included 1 Test match as referee and 1 Prime Minister’s XIII match as referee.

His first grade debut as a referee came in Round 6, 2006, when the Newcastle Knights played the North Queensland Cowboys at EnergyAustralia Stadium in Newcastle. One of the more interesting stories about Tony’s debut is that he had reportedly refereed Jersey Flegg earlier that day and was watching from the stands when he was called in to replace the injured Paul Simpkins – a remarkable way to begin an NRL refereeing career.

Tony’s final first grade game came in Round 22, 2012, when the Wests Tigers played the Parramatta Eels at Campbelltown Stadium.

Many rugby league fans also remember Tony from one of the more unusual moments in NRL history. In 2009, during a Broncos v Rabbitohs match, he was accidentally knocked unconscious after a collision involving Jamie Simpson and Tonie Carroll, with play held up for around 10 minutes.

After his time in the NRL, Tony continued to contribute to the game and the wider community.

A referee, touch judge, representative official and proud Illawarra product — Tony De Las Heras played an important role in keeping rugby league moving.

Who will be featured tomorrow? Stay tuned!

VALE Allan Byrnes OAM

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Allan Byrnes OAM, aged 95.

Allan Byrnes OAM took up the whistle in 1953 and made a significant contribution to refereeing and the game of Rugby League throughout his illustrious career. Apart from his on-field centre exploits, which included numerous Illawarra Grand Finals and CRL Interdivisional fixtures, he was also a well-recognised touch judge, being appointed to representative matches controlled by the likes of Col Pearce, Cliff Brown and Darcy Lawler.

He was also prominent in the game’s administration, having served in our Association as both Assistant Secretary and Honorary Secretary, the latter position for a period of fifteen years in the 1950s and 1960s. He also served as President of the Illawarra Rugby League for ten years and was a member of the CRL Management Committee and the CRL Referees’ Appointments Board.

For his services to the game, Allan was awarded Life Membership of the Illawarra Referees, the Illawarra Division Rugby League, the CRL Referees’ Association (now NSWRLRA) and the Country Rugby League (now NSWRL). He was also awarded an OAM for his services to Refereeing and the game of Rugby League. In 2019, he co-authored the book “Get ’em Onside Ref”, which chronicles the 100-year history of the Illawarra Referees’ Association with Steve Brown.

He was the longest-serving and proud Life Member of the Illawarra Referees (1968) and the Regional College of the NSW Referees (1972).

In solidarity and as a mark of respect for Allan, our members will be wearing black armbands this weekend as they take to the field.

Vale Allan Byrnes OAM.
Rest in Peace.

Finals footy is here 💥

Week One of the League Tag Finals kicks off across the Illawarra, and a massive congratulations to all our referees appointed for the opening week of League tag finals.

Wishing all teams and officials the best of luck in what’s set to be a huge weekend of footy.

Check out all the details here: https://linktr.ee/idrlra

Graded Squad Appointments 🔥

Michael Ford will take charge as Centre Referee in the NSW Cup and also run the line in the same competition.

Lachlan Greenfield has been appointed Centre Referee in the Ron Massey Cup and will also feature as a Touch Judge in the NSW Cup.

A strong reward for both officials continuing to step up across multiple levels 👏

Proudly supported by our major sponsors Dwyers Truck Centre & Warrigal Charters .

A big month for our association 👏

From multiple debutants across all grades, to Life Membership honours and key development programs, July showed the strength of our group both on and off the field. As we head into finals, the momentum is building 🔥

Full monthly review 👇
https://linktr.ee/idrlra

Proudly supported by Dwyers Truck Centre & Warrigal Charters .