Cop Courtney on the grand final beat and that’s official
SHE delivers law and order on the streets by night and on the football field by day.
Police officer Courtney Page has dedicated her spare time this season to keeping players in line on the fields at 1300SMILES Active.
But now the lead official is set to break new ground for North Queensland Football.
Page has been rewarded for a strong season with the whistle, taking the centre circle for the women’s Premier League decider between Brothers and MA Olympic.
She will be joined by line officials Kym Nolan and Leila Fisher as well as fourth official Victoria Frewen-lord.
It is the first time in North Queensland Football history an all-female team of referees has taken the reins women’s grand final.
“This is a ground breaking moment for our game,” NQF general manager Declan Carnes said. “On the eve of the women’s World Cup coming to Australia next year, this is the perfect promotion of women.”
The league has done away with tradition, shifting the men’s reserves final to Field 2 to play the women’s Premier of the
League match as the curtain raiser to the men’s Premier League decider.
Carnes said he had no fear Page would live up to the occasion, expecting the experienced referee to be calm under the pressure of the grand final.
“All of our referees have performed all year and the women in particular have really impressed with their composure on the field,” he said.
“It is a fantastic achievement for them and the game to be given a grand final appointment.”
The men’s Premier League fixture will be officiated by one of the league’s best rising referees Mark Siandri.
Siandri was named in the Football Queensland inaugural 33-person panel to join the Football Queensland Referee Academy earlier this season.