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NRL to face legal action after sacking two senior referees
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...6511059903?from=igoogle+gadget+compact+bi_rss
Phil Rothfield
The Daily Telegraph
November 06, 2012 12:00AM
THE NRL sacked two of its most experienced whistleblowers yesterday as the mass cleanout of the refereeing ranks continued.
Just a week after the dismissal of coaches Bill Harrigan and Stuart Raper, senior refs Steve Lyons and Tony De Las Heras were marched out the door and told their services were no longer required.
A furious Lyons last night said he would take legal action.
"They just called me in and gave me no reason other than saying they were going with younger blokes," Lyons, 42, said.
He believes he has an unfair dismissal and age discrimination case against the NRL.
Lyons was called in to meet NRL operations manager Nathan McGuirk and acting referees boss Russell Smith during the afternoon.
He thought it was going to be the usual pre-season catch-up.
"They already had my paperwork typed out," Lyons said. "They just pulled it out of a folder. I had no opportunity to put up a case.
"I've been training my butt off ready to start with the rest of the referees in eight days' time.
"There was no warning. I finished the season as one of the top 16 referees. Apart from one game, I thought I'd had a good season."
Lyons has been in the refereeing ranks since 1995.
He was on the line in the 2000 grand final which Harrigan refereed and started as a main referee the following season.
Last year he earned $109,000 in first grade.
"I've got a family and a mortgage but no job," Lyons said. "I think I was entitled to get a bit more notice. I could have been looking around for a new job for the past six weeks.
"And where's my long service entitlements? I started during the Super League war.
"All they've given me is $11,500 to walk away. I will most certainly be taking legal action."
McGuirk last night said change was inevitable.
"We've developed some new younger referees over the past few seasons and we want to give them an opportunity," McGuirk said.
"There are only 20 fulltime positions, so some of the existing referees have had to make way.
"It was inevitable that there would be some changes."
After a diabolical season with refereeing, the NRL has vowed to make changes but whether sacking two of the more experienced referees is the right move is debateable.
Lyons in particular was hardly the worst referee in last year's competition and was often rated highly by the match review committee.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...6511059903?from=igoogle+gadget+compact+bi_rss
Phil Rothfield
The Daily Telegraph
November 06, 2012 12:00AM
THE NRL sacked two of its most experienced whistleblowers yesterday as the mass cleanout of the refereeing ranks continued.
Just a week after the dismissal of coaches Bill Harrigan and Stuart Raper, senior refs Steve Lyons and Tony De Las Heras were marched out the door and told their services were no longer required.
A furious Lyons last night said he would take legal action.
"They just called me in and gave me no reason other than saying they were going with younger blokes," Lyons, 42, said.
He believes he has an unfair dismissal and age discrimination case against the NRL.
Lyons was called in to meet NRL operations manager Nathan McGuirk and acting referees boss Russell Smith during the afternoon.
He thought it was going to be the usual pre-season catch-up.
"They already had my paperwork typed out," Lyons said. "They just pulled it out of a folder. I had no opportunity to put up a case.
"I've been training my butt off ready to start with the rest of the referees in eight days' time.
"There was no warning. I finished the season as one of the top 16 referees. Apart from one game, I thought I'd had a good season."
Lyons has been in the refereeing ranks since 1995.
He was on the line in the 2000 grand final which Harrigan refereed and started as a main referee the following season.
Last year he earned $109,000 in first grade.
"I've got a family and a mortgage but no job," Lyons said. "I think I was entitled to get a bit more notice. I could have been looking around for a new job for the past six weeks.
"And where's my long service entitlements? I started during the Super League war.
"All they've given me is $11,500 to walk away. I will most certainly be taking legal action."
McGuirk last night said change was inevitable.
"We've developed some new younger referees over the past few seasons and we want to give them an opportunity," McGuirk said.
"There are only 20 fulltime positions, so some of the existing referees have had to make way.
"It was inevitable that there would be some changes."
After a diabolical season with refereeing, the NRL has vowed to make changes but whether sacking two of the more experienced referees is the right move is debateable.
Lyons in particular was hardly the worst referee in last year's competition and was often rated highly by the match review committee.
