Queensland Touch Football (QTF) recently brought together the newly appointed Queensland Referee State Panel (Panel)for their first official meeting. The panel reviewed three core portfolios in education, coaching and performance, to collaboratively identify key strategic opportunities to pursue throughout the panel’s three-year tenure.
The meeting was led by Tristan Mana, QTF’s Pathways & Performance Manager, who introduced the 2025 Referee Strategy—a comprehensive plan designed to tackle current challenges in referee development, retention, and engagement.
“With over 80 Affiliates throughout Queensland, it has been recognised that technology plays a key role where distance is an issue and we need to develop new ways to connect with our Affiliate Referee Leaders to have a presence of support and education Statewide,” said Mana.
As part of QTF’s broader shift toward digital innovation, new systems and technologies will be introduced to reduce administrative workloads. These improvements will seek to replace outdated paper-based procedures, simplify field allocations, speed up referee payments, and make referee operations more efficient and accessible for affiliates.
A major change discussed was Queensland’s transition following Touch Football Australia’s (TFA) new Referee Framework released earlier this year, with QTF taking a proactive approach to ensure referees understand the purpose behind these changes.
Queensland referees will now have a clearly defined progression system, supported by performance metrics and badge recognition, allowing them to track their development with confidence.
“The new grading system and events bring clarity and have evolved the Referee Pathway into one of on-going lifelong development rather than one of achievement and upgrades,” Mana added.
The panel also highlighted the importance of retaining experienced referees. Rather than stepping aside, senior officials will be offered meaningful roles that allow them to stay active and mentor emerging referees—ensuring their knowledge continues to shape the future of touch football refereeing in Queensland.
“Seniors are Queensland’s biggest demographic within our referee community, and their commitment to both our affiliates and events needs to be nurtured to ensure they in turn continue to develop the referees of the future!” Mana said.
As another initiative to raise refereeing standards in Queensland and in alignment with national reforms introduced by TFA, QTF will roll out referee workshops to ensure consistent, high-quality training across all regions.
The inaugural meeting of the Queensland Referee State Panel marks a significant step forward in shaping the future of refereeing in Queensland. With a clear strategy, a focus on technology, and a commitment to continuous development, QTF referees are being placed firmly at the heart of the game.
Congratulations to those appointed to the Queensland Referee State Panel and those selected as State Panel Coaches. These members of our QTF community have a dedication to excellence and leadership in refereeing which continues to elevate our sport.
State Referee Panel:
- Dave Field
- Kate Ranger
- Katrina Grant
- Rob Cooper
- Joe Lo Grande
- Brendan Jones
- Brendon Lester
- Renee Marsh
- Bec Webster
- Luke McKenzie
- Matt Lavery
- Greg Taylor
- Ivan Giammarco
State Panel Coaches:
- Tanya Findlay
- David Coe
- Scott Marsh
- Damien Miller
- Lawren Sullivan
- Craig McKee
- Nathan Budge
- Ajay Smith
Find out more on the https://qldtouch.com.au/state-referee-team/
