Orange CYMS player Kaiden Cole to referee at national rugby league tournament

The Orange CYMS junior has been selected as one of six referees to officiate at the under 12s national rugby league competition in Woolongong beginning in July.

"I was pretty excited," he said of finding out.

"One of my mates from Bathurst, Stuart Halsey, who also got picked, he messaged me to let me know because I was at work when it was announced.

"CYMS are the the ones who have really helped me get to where I am at the moment."

This is Cole's second year refereeing rugby league, but also has four years worth of experience officiating touch football under his belt.

With two games taking place each day during the tournament, Cole's goal is to treat the matches like any other.

"I just want to try and ref it just like I would a normal park game," he said.

"I've also got to adapt to the level they play at, because obviously they're the best players in Australia, so it's about adapting and taking in all the advice that I can.

"The guy who is running it, Willy Barnes, he's starting to take me under his wing to get me through the levels of junior reps, which is something that I've always wanted to do."

Cole is currently living out on a property in Canowindra, and as well as refereeing, he is also still playing. This means his weekends are spent almost entirely at the football field.

"It's an early start to be in town at 8am, ref all day then play my game," he said.

"I'll then go home and do it all again on Sunday. It's pretty flat out."

The tournament will begin on July 31, with Joshua Blackman (Cronulla-Sutherland), Aaron Fisher (Newcastle), Lachlan Gillies (Group 4), William Perrott (Canberra) and Stuart Halsey (Group 10) the other five officials selected.

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