Before the Match

BEFORE MATCH DAY

Appointments

Appointments are distributed by Football NSW’s Appointments Coordinator. Appointments will be sent by e-mail to those with a registered email address, generally on the Wednesday ten days before the match. Members will be expected to fulfil this published appointment except under exceptional circumstances.

Availability and Appointments are managed and issued online using the Horizon software HorizonWedRef.com.au . This system is administered by Football NSW - any issues should be directed to them for assistance and resolution.

You will need to register separately for Horizon; you will be sent instructions once your membership renewal (or application) has been completed (this means that you have registered on MFC and your membership fee has been paid).

Please remember to regularly update Horizon with the dates and times you are available for appointment. Please include mid-week availability for night matches. You must update your availablity at least three weeks in advance of the weekend's matches affected.

If you have not received any appointments by the Thursday prior to the weekend matches you should phone Football NSW’ Appointments Coordinator.

Any changes to the published appointment will be made by the Football NSW’ Appointments Coordinator and should be positively confirmed (ie a return phone call confirming that you are able to accommodate the change). An email or text message does not constitute positive confirmation.

Appointments to trial and/or friendly matches may be made by Football NSW, Football NSW’ Appointments Coordinator, the President or the Secretary.

Members must not accept appointments unless permission is granted through the above channels. Members officiating at unsanctioned competitions or tournaments will be liable to disciplinary action including expulsion.

Appointment information is to remain confidential and not disclosed to clubs before match day.

Availability and Withdrawal from Appointments

Changes in availability (usually dates on which you are unavailable for appointment) must be notified in writing to the Branch with at least twenty one (21) days’ notice. This is done online via the Horizon appointments system .

Failure to notify unavailability prior to appointments being made may result in disciplinary action.

Supporting documentation must be supplied in the case of late withdrawals. Withdrawals are only allowed under exceptional circumstances.

Members are asked to also communicate instances where they become available again after a period of unavailability using the same procedures.

Inability to Fulfil Published Appointments

If you are unable to fulfil your published appointments you must notify the Secretary and Football NSW’ Appointments Coordinator in writing (you may use availability@nswfootballreferees.com.au if you like), preferably also by phone to Football NSW’s Appointments Coordinator.

Supporting documentation with a valid reason must be supplied to the Secretary in all such cases. Members withdrawing from published appointments without a valid reason may be subject to disciplinary action.

If you are unable to fulfil your published appointments you must simply withdraw from that appointment. Members are not to swap with other members. Appointments are made considering a number of factors which swapping may contradict. In the case of a late withdrawal you may or may not be reappointed to another match.

Change of Appointments

Members may not change appointments with each other. Changes, if required, will be made by Football NSW’ Appointments Coordinator.

Members must inform the Branch’s Convenor of Assessors where changes are made. This allows the Division to ensure that Inspectors are appointed to the correct fixtures.

Punctuality

Members must be at the ground by half-time of the match preceding theirs (including end of season final series matches where members must assume that there is an earlier grade match before the first grade). This means at least an hour before kick off. In all other cases, members are required to be at the ground at least 30 minutes prior to the kick off.

Late Arrival

Members who find themselves running late for a fixture should make reasonable endeavours to contact other match officials to advise them of the situation and expected time of arrival.

Non Members

If an Assistant Referee is not appointed members are encouraged to take members of other Branches to assist them. However, they must first check with the Appointments Officer that a member has not been subsequently appointed. If a member has been appointed they must be used. The non member's name and Referee’s Branch must be added to the team sheet.

Ground Listing

A Grounds List is published by Football NSW from time to time.

The current ground listing can be found at

http://footballnsw.com.au/fileadmin/user_upload/Competitions/Grounds_Directory_new_01.pdf.

Wet Weather (refer also to information from Football NSW)

Where wet weather conditions make any doubts as to the possibility of one or all games being played the Home Club must inspect the ground on or prior to the day of the match and make a decision if all or any games may be played. The decision must be advised to Football NSW by the Home Club official. It is no longer the responsibility of the Referee to inspect the ground on the morning of the match.

If games are cancelled, the Appointments Officer will contact the Referees involved and the Convenor of Assessors. Information to this effect is usually published on the Football NSW website under the link to each competition. In circumstances where a ground has not been closed, the responsibility of the match referee will only be to determine whether a match can be played when he/she arrives at the ground.

Wet weather cancellations will also be notified through Horizon.