The Rockhampton District Secondary Schools Rugby League (RDSSSRL) student referees will take the field this season fully decked out in brand new referee shirts thanks to the sponsorship of The Rockhampton Leagues Club.

The RDSSRL is arguably the strongest regional schoolboy competition in Queensland, with around 40 games taking place on a weekly basis on Wednesday and Friday afternoons. With 87 teams competing in 16 divisions from Year 8 to Year 12, the schoolboys competitions rely on a large contingent of student referees to officiate games.

The Rockhampton Leagues Club has once again showed its unwavering support of junior rugby league in the region. Treasurer for the RDSSRL Walson Carlos said the support was critical to the success of the competition.

“The Rockhampton Leagues Club is our major sponsor and provides well in excess of $25,000 each year in financial and in-kind support to our competition. Without this support from The Rockhampton Leagues Club, our competition would not be what it is today – which is the envy of all other regional competitions in Queensland.

The student referees are a vital part of the competition and The Rockhampton Leagues Club board have always been so supportive in this area.” Carlos said.

“But it’s not only the referee shirts. The Rockhampton Leagues Club assists directly with costs of footballs for both the boys and girls competitions, and through weekly raffles at the club, schools raise thousands of dollars every year to go towards jerseys, apparel and other costs to help them improve their rugby league program.”

It’s no coincidence that one of the strongest schoolgirls and schoolboys competitions in the state have produced this year’s winners of the prestigious Confraternity Shield carnival. The Cathedral College took out the Girls Confraternity Shield in a historic victory and St. Brendan’s College won their record 14th Boys Confraternity Shield in a stirring battle against fellow RDSSRL team Emmaus College.