This archive report was first published on 16 July 2019.
On Thursday night, the National Rugby League (NRL) will make history with its first female referee, Belinda Sharpe, officiating a match between the Brisbane Broncos and Canterbury Bulldogs in Brisbane.
Sharpe's appointment is a significant milestone for the NRL, which has struggled to overcome its 'blokey' culture and scandal-plagued image. The league has faced allegations of sexual assault and violence against women levelled against several high-profile players, leading to a perceived lack of respect for women among male players.
However, the NRL's efforts to shed its scandal-tainted image are also reflected in the rapid rise of women in other previously male-dominated sports. Women's professional leagues have been introduced in Aussie Rules football, a game similar to Gaelic football, which has gained popularity since its introduction in 2017.
Sharpe, a former newspaper sub-editor, has been a part-time touch judge in the NRL since 2014 and was appointed to the full-time squad less than three months ago. Her selection to referee a primetime game was based on merit, and she stressed that her opportunity to get her debut shows other women that it's possible to reach the top.
"It's a historic occasion," head of football Graham Annesley said. "It's the first time it's happened in the 110-year history of the game but it's the first of many that will follow over the next 100 years and the 100 years after that."
