LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
The NRL has announced that Queensland referee Jarrod Cole will officiate his first men's NRL match during Round 24. He will oversee the Sunday afternoon game between the North Queensland Cowboys and the Newcastle Knights.
Cole, who is a familiar face as an NRL touch judge and a referee in the QLD Cup, will have Grant Atkins supporting him from the bunker during his debut.
According to The Rugby League Project, Cole has a solid background, having officiated 185 QLD Cup matches and was appointed to the QLD Cup grand final last year.
Apart from Cole's debut, the NRL bunker continues to face a diminishing number of officials, with Chris Butler set to manage three games from the video screens this weekend.
Adam Gee, another leading official, will oversee two matches, while other officials like Ashley Klein, Matt Noyen, and Grant Atkins will also manage the technology during Round 24.
Notably, neither Belinda Sharpe nor Kasey Badger has been selected for this round, following their previous exclusion.