Five members of the 2026 NSWRL Referees’ Development squad have taken the next step in their career after being graded into the High Performance (HP) Squad.
Liam O’Brien (1046), Matthew Galvin (1047), Bailey Warren (1048), Jayden Kastelan (1049), and Jabril Daizli (1050) were officially announced as the newest members of the HP Squad by Referees High Performance Manager Stuart Raper last week.
The promotion marks a significant milestone in the officiating pathway, with all five referees rewarded for their performances and continued development throughout the season.
“I would like to congratulate Gavin Badger and his coaches for developing these officials to be ready and prepared to make the next step in their careers as officials,” Raper said.
“A lot of hard work has gone into this by coaches and the officials themselves and I’m quite excited to hopefully see their progression through the ranks within our squad.”
All five officials recently officiated in the NSWRL Junior Representative Grand Finals, where their performances played an important role in delivering a strong standard of Rugby League across the day.
The group has already gained experience officiating in Jersey Flegg Cup this season and will continue to feature across NSWRL Major Competitions, including the upcoming NSW Women Premiership.
Badger, who has officiated over 300 NRL games over the span of his professional career, said the move into the HP squad is a major step.
“Being graded into the NSWRL High Performance squad is the first major step for a match official to progress to elite officiating,” Badger said.
“It now places them in a semi-professional environment, working and training with officials and coaches who are involved in the elite competitions.
“This gives them an understanding of what it takes to get to the elite level.”
The latest promotions highlight the strength of the NSWRL officiating pathway, with the development program creating opportunities for emerging referees to progress through the ranks and gain experience in high-level competitions.
