Clive Churchill Medallist and True Blue Luke Lewis helps launch the 2025 Major Competitions season for NSWRL referees.

True Blue Luke Lewis has launched the 2025 NSWRL Major Competitions season for the 38 officials, who will handle 580 games over the next seven months culminating in Grand Final Day on 29 September.

Four of NSWRL’s five Major Competitions start over the next two weekends (8-9 March, 15-16 March): The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup, Jersey Flegg Cup (Under 21s), Leagues Clubs Australia Ron Massey Cup, and Sydney Shield. The fifth, the elite female competition Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Premiership, begins on 3 July to coincide with the NRLW season.

Lewis spoke to the referees at a dinner at NSWRL’s Centre of Excellence at Sydney Olympic Park attended by NSWRL director Kevin Greene AM, who is also Chair of the NSW Rugby League Referees Association (NSWRLRA), and NRL Football Operations Manager and former NRL referee Gavin Reynolds.

Lewis spoke about what drove him during his playing career and how he saw parallels with that work ethic in being a referee.

He played 324 NRL games over 18 seasons at two clubs winning a premiership at both – 2003 with Penrith Panthers and 2016 with Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, winning the Clive Churchill Medal that year.

He also won two State of Origin series a decade apart in 2004 and 2014 playing 17 times for NSW.

Lewis played Harold Matthews Cup (Under 17s) when he was 14 and had a plan to run five kilometres every day until he made first grade. He played SG Ball (Under 19s) in 2001 making the Grand Final, then moved up to Jersey Flegg the next week and into the NRL that same year through a couple of Panthers injuries.

“Some might say a bit of luck got me into first grade but I can assure you hard work and dedication got me there,” Lewis said.

“I was always told it’s not what you do at training, it’s what you do away from it like watching your diet, recovery, rehabbing your injuries properly.

“If you love what you do, you’ll work at it. Hard work will always beat talent,” he said.

“So if you want to referee major games and move up into the NRL, my best advice is to back yourselves – you want the best seat in the house, which is what referees have, then you’ve got to be all-in.

“Refereeing is not a thing you can be half-invested in. You’ve got to make sure everything you do to prepare is rock solid.”

NSWRL Referees High Performance coach Stuart Raper said an eight-week pre-season, training twice a week, had been rigorous for all officials.

“You’ve worked hard the proof of that commitment is in your test results – you are ready,” Raper said.

“We are well-prepared for what will be a tough season.”

Greene added that few realised the time referees devoted to their craft.

“These men and women train hard, have to fit in full-time jobs, make sacrifices around family and leisure time … it is real commitment,” he said.

“Your great teamwork and respect for each other is what makes it all work on the field.”

(Pictured at top L-R: Luke Lewis, Luke Saldern, Stuart Raper, Gage Miles, Karra-Lee Nolan, Kieren Irons. Photo: NSWRL)

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