For referees of Under 13 to Under 18 community rugby league matches in NSW in 2026. Covers the laws and formats used, SafePlay Code infringements, sin bins and send-offs, match officials reports and judiciary timelines, concussion, accreditation and honorariums.
Laws. Junior International (13 to 18) competitions play under the Rugby League Laws of the Game, International Level (the edition on playrugbyleague.com is dated April 2023), the same rules as the adult game. Teams in Under 13 to Under 15 also follow the National SafePlay Code, which applies to all players up to and including Under 15. NSWRL's Club Hub Laws of the Game page says the same, and does not list any NSWRL changes to the International Laws for 13 to 18 year olds.
Formats. NSWRL's volunteer match official guidelines list these formats:
The International Laws say a game is normally 80 minutes, which may be reduced by mutual agreement if the competition's rules permit. They also leave it to each competition to choose unlimited or limited interchange, so interchange limits come from the competition you are officiating, not the laws.
Age and weight. NSWRL's Weight and Age Guidelines allow some players to apply to play one age group down in tackle competitions, and run Weight Restricted competitions. Junior representative players cannot apply.
Sources: https://www.playrugbyleague.com/referee/laws-of-the-game/international-13splus-laws, , and
A penalty is mandatory after any breach of the National SafePlay Code (6-15 years). The infringements are:
The referee, not the player, calls "held" when a ball-carrier surrenders in the tackle. The penalty should be clearly communicated to the offending player, kept brief, and does not have to be a stoppage or formal meeting. If an advantage occurs, the penalty is awarded at the breakdown immediately after the misconduct or where it occurred, whichever favours the non-offending team more.
Referees must be fully briefed on the Code, and a pre-match meeting should include the referee, coaches, ground officials and, where possible, team captains.
Source: National SafePlay Code 6-15 years, https://www.playrugbyleague.com/safety/safeplay/
Under Section 16 of the International Laws (April 2023), for player misconduct the referee may, at their discretion, caution, temporarily suspend for ten minutes, or dismiss the offender.
Under 13 to Under 15. A penalty is mandatory for any SafePlay Code breach, and in the International game for 13 to 15 year olds the referee may also sin bin or dismiss the offending player.
Sources: International Laws, https://www.playrugbyleague.com/media/14513/nrl-international-rules-book-2023_web-version-1.pdf and National SafePlay Code 6-15 years, https://www.playrugbyleague.com/safety/safeplay/
The NSWRL and ACT Judiciary Time Frame Guidelines (last modified 6 February 2025) set these steps:
NSWRL's Match Day Report Forms page links the forms on Cognito Forms:
Sources: https://clubhub.nswrl.com.au/support/solutions/articles/51000451402-judiciary-time-frame-guidelines and https://clubhub.nswrl.com.au/support/solutions/articles/51000451459-match-day-report-forms
The NSWRL and ACT Judiciary Time Frame Guidelines (last modified 6 February 2025) set this weekly timeline:
NSWRL's Judiciary FAQ says a hearing is required regardless of the plea if the offence is Grade 4, is racial, or involves match official abuse.
Sources: https://clubhub.nswrl.com.au/support/solutions/articles/51000451402-judiciary-time-frame-guidelines and https://clubhub.nswrl.com.au/support/solutions/articles/51000467389-frequently-asked-questions-judiciary-code-of-conduct
The NSWRL Community Judiciary Offences Schedule is built on Section 15 of the International Laws. Penalties are in matches. Each cell below is first offence / second / third and subsequent, with the early plea figure in brackets. These are the Grade 1 (lowest grading) figures; Grades 2 and 3 are higher, and Grade 4 offences are referred directly to the Judiciary Panel.
| Offence | Grade 1 |
|---|---|
| Careless high tackle (15.1.b) | Warning / 2 (1) / 3 (2) |
| Intentional high tackle (15.1.b) | 4 (3) / 5 (4) / 6 (5) |
| Dangerous throw and/or spear tackle (15.1.d) | Warning / 2 (1) / 3 (2) |
| Shoulder charge (15.1.k) | 2 (1) / 3 (2) / 4 (3) |
| Disputes a referee or touch judge decision (15.1.g) | Warning / 2 (1) / 3 (2) |
| Offensive language directed at a match official (15.1.f) | 4 (3) / 5 (4) / 6 (5) |
| Breach of Safe Play Code (listed under 15.1.i) | Warning / 2 (1) / 3 (2) |
Adjustments from the Judiciary definitions: a conviction in the previous two years adds one match to the base penalty, and a clean record (no Judiciary or Code of Conduct conviction in the previous two years) gives a one match reduction. Low grading covers careless actions with little impact; high grading covers deliberate or intentional actions that caused, or could have caused, substantial injury.
Sources: https://clubhub.nswrl.com.au/support/solutions/articles/51000451401-judiciary-offences-schedule and https://clubhub.nswrl.com.au/support/solutions/articles/51000451403-judiciary-definitions
Under the NRL's Community Rugby League Policy and Guidelines for the Management of Concussion (effective 3 November 2025):
Sources: https://www.playrugbyleague.com/trainer/concussion/concussionpolicy/ and https://clubhub.nswrl.com.au/support/solutions/articles/51000436400-concussion-links-documents-and-return-to-play-information
Foundation 1 (Community Referee). Complete the Community Referee E-Learning Course, then attend a Community Referee Workshop. The workshop is the final requirement to be an accredited referee.
Foundation 2. Builds on Foundation 1 and needs two on-field assessments. One must be in a game with participants aged 13 or older, played under the International Laws. Referees under 15 can access the online content, but policy limits them to refereeing age groups two years below their current age.
Foundation Referee Coach. Open to anyone with Foundation 1 or higher: complete the online modules, then attend a Referee Coach Workshop.
Expiry. Under the National Match Officials Accreditation Policy, accreditation for referees, match officials and referee coaches expires on 30 June each calendar year.
Registration and checking. Association referees register with their local referees association under the Referee member type at playrugbyleague.com. To check your accreditation, log in to your MySideline profile, open the menu, choose Accreditations and select the member. A completed course updates in MySideline within one hour, and any module showing Incomplete in the NRL Learning Centre must be finalised first.
If you cannot find a workshop in your area, email officiating@nrl.com.au.
Sources: https://clubhub.nswrl.com.au/support/solutions/articles/51000437081-referee-accreditation-courses and https://clubhub.nswrl.com.au/support/solutions/articles/51000437976-frequently-asked-questions-referees
NSWRL treats referees as volunteers. An honorarium is optional, a gesture of thanks and not pay for hours worked, and a referee who does not want one should not receive one.
NSWRL's volunteer match official guidelines suggest these amounts (referee / touch judge):
| Age group | Format | Full game | Finals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 13 to Under 14 | 2 x 25 min halves | $50 / $25 | $70 / $35 |
| Under 15 | 2 x 25 min halves | $60 / $30 | $90 / $45 |
| Under 16 to Under 17 | 2 x 30 min halves | $80 / $40 | $120 / $60 |
| Under 18 to Under 23 | 2 x 30 min halves | $100 / $50 | $150 / $75 |