Australian Referees On Tour To England pose for a team photo
Referees from the NRL competition Australia have used the current Tri Nations series to embark on a bonding excercise to cement friendship and comradeship in their ranks.
In the first tour of it’s kind the referees decided that touring with the Australian team as supporters would give them a chance to get to know the players better and getting to know each other better as well.
“We really have very little to do with each other between games” said group spokesperson Kooky
“We saw this as a chance to have an end of year get together and compare notes” he said as he blew up a balloon and made a puppy out of it.
The tourists, all 22 of them, are all travelling in a bright yellow 1932 Austin 10 (pictured at right) and will visit most of the games.
But for some of the tourists it’s more of a working holiday as some will have to officiate in the Tri Nations matches.
“That’s the down side” said one of the group, a fast food empolyee from Bummee, NSW before letting off a firecracker inserted in his ear.
As a benefit of the tour the referees will get a chance to talk shop with their English counterparts and learn a few of the skills that have seen English referees become so well known.
“We can learn a lot from the English refs I think” said Buttons, a referee from the Northern Territory.
“I’m especially keen to learn how blow bubbles out of me bum. Apparently the key is to take your head out of your arse first but I haven’t been able to perfect that yet so any tips on this will be greatfully recieved” he said while opening a tiny red unbrella.
New Zealand referees were excluded from the tour.
“We don’t want any of those clowns on this trip” said Poodles as he climed into the boot of the Austin.
The referees will return to Australia at the end of the tour and will go back to their day jobs washing windscreens at various intersections throughout the land.
