The Klein family are heading for their own slice of history this weekend, with NSWRL High Performance Referees squad member Ethan Klein making his NRL debut on the sideline, while his father Ashley Klein, who is already the NRL’s most-capped referee, will set a new benchmark when he takes control of his 450th game.
It is the first time since the NRL formed in 1998 that a father and son have officiated on the same weekend.
Ethan, who was the 2022 NSWRL Junior Match Official of the Year, has steadily climbed the officiating ranks. He made his debut in The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup last season before taking charge in the middle for his NRLW debut earlier this year.
Now, he will take the next step when he makes his NRL debut as a touch judge for tonight’s game between Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and the Brisbane Broncos.
“It was a shock, it was a relief, but hearing the appointment news, I felt overwhelmed,” Ethan said.
“It’s the idea of getting somewhere where you have set out to go. I am just proud of the journey I have been on.”
That journey has been built through consistency, hard work and a willingness to learn, with Ethan crediting the people around his for helping him progress.
“Just speaking to the right people and doing the work away from the field and trying to consistently perform has definitely helped me progress over the past few seasons,” he said.
Having one of the game’s most successful referees as a father has also provided Ethan with the best mentor, particularly with Ashley becoming the first match official to reach 450 NRL premiership matches with Sunday’s match between Penrith Panthers and Wests Tigers.
“He has definitely played a role, but I wouldn’t say much of a hands-on role,” Klein said.
“He has sort of kept his distance and let me find my own path and navigate my own way through officiating, so there’s not that cloud or story that I am there because of him.
“Although when I ask a question, he is always there to give me advice. He is definitely someone I just watch and learn from, because he has been so successful in the game.
“There is a reason why he has achieved so much, so I take pieces from his games to try and make it my own.”
Ethan is the latest NRL graduate from the NSWRL High Performance Referees program with four other match officials already making their debut this season including Kieren Irons, Tom Cambourn, Jake Sutherland and Dillan Wells.
He singled out NSWRL Referees High Performance Manager Stuart Raper, NSWRL Referees Development Officer Gavin Badger, Strength and Conditioning coach Lachlan Dodd, and physiotherapist Morrie Toum for their help.
“They haven’t been afraid to take risks with young guys and give opportunities,” Ethan said.
“I think the results, the appointments, are reaping the rewards of what they’re doing for us off the field.”
Having grown up around elite Rugby League through his father, Ethan has long seen officiating as more than simply what happens on game day.
“I have been fortunate enough to be around the game since I can remember,” he said.
“The on-field stuff is cool, but the stuff that you do off the field, the people around you and the friends you make in this space, create that want in wanting to be a part of something like this.”
With his NRL debut just hours away, Ethan Klein is ready to begin writing his own chapter in the family’s officiating legacy as he takes one step closer to becoming a leading NRL referee.
