Want to get fit? Want to earn some extra money? Want to learn the rules of the game? Then the Townsville Touch Referees Association NEEDS YOU!
Referees play an integral role with all Touch Football competitions, ensuring our game is played in a fair, safe and enjoyable environment for all participants. Love them or loathe them, there would be no games without them!
While it's not for everyone, refereeing is an extremely rewarding experience for many people. Referees are considered some of Touch Football's most dedicated and highly regarded participants.
The Townsville Touch Referees Association pays referees for giving up their time to officiate over matches during the season and for some it can be very rewarding.
Accreditation
Apart from being paid to referee, attending a referees course is a great way to learn the rules of touch football, and can aid players in their understanding of the game.
If you referee more than three (3) games in a season, you should consider attending the four (4) hour Level One Referee course to gain formal accreditation as a referee.
Becoming accredited is easy and is done via Touch Football Australia's "The Nest".
A list of upcoming face-to-face sessions is below, but make sure you read all of the below information first!
Affiliate
(formerly Level 1)
Face-to-face only — 3 hours
No prerequisites
Must be turning 12 (or older) this year
No prerequisites
Must be turning 12 (or older) this year
Winter Season
Early 2027
(TBA)
(TBA)
Summer Season
Sunday 4 October 2026
9am – 1pm
9am – 1pm
Representative
(formerly Level 2 and 3)
e-Learning — 6 modules
Must hold Affiliate (former Level 1) accreditation
Must be turning 13 (or older) this year
Must hold Affiliate (former Level 1) accreditation
Must be turning 13 (or older) this year
The Representative Theory course can be completed at any time online via NRL Learning Centre.
This course is free for all accredited referees
Have your referee accreditation added to MySideline
Touch Football Australia has moved its education and accreditation courses from The Nest to the NRL Learning Centre, which is now linked directly to MySideline. Existing accreditations from The Nest have not automatically transferred across.
If you already hold a referee accreditation, you should submit a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) request to TFA so your current accreditation can be added to your MySideline profile.
This is particularly important if you referee at representative level or plan to progress to a higher referee accreditation, as your existing accreditation may need to be recorded before you can enrol in further courses.
Your request should include:
- your known referee accreditation(s)
- the approximate date each accreditation was completed, where known
- the location where each accreditation was completed, where known
RPL requests are submitted to education@touchfootball.com.au.
You can use the form below to prepare and send your request directly to TFA. Please check that all details are accurate before submitting.