William Damato has been appointed referee for the Harrigan Cup Grand Final on Saturday, marking his first time officiating the competition’s biggest game.
Damato started refereeing touch football in his early teens before moving to league at age 15. The now 27-year-old said getting the call-up for the grand final was something to be grateful for.
“It’s something I’ve worked towards for a while, so it was more of a weight off the shoulders type of thing that I’ve gotten through the finals series unscathed to get there on Saturday,” Damato said.
From the Sidelines to Centre Stage
Damato credits his early years on the field with building his confidence and fueling his excitement for a moment like this.
“My first season, I ended up with two grand finals in Under 10s in the middle and 14s or 15s on the touchline,” Damato said.
“For me, I’ve been pretty lucky to be involved in some grand finals early on.
“Once I got that taste, it was something I’ve always wanted to keep striving for.”
Embracing Grand Final Nerves
Despite the excitement, there is also pressure.
“You’ve obviously got Collegians who’ve been there and done it before; they know how to win the big games, but then you’ve also got Corrimal who have had that 37-year wait.
“There’s a lot of people that have been waiting a lot longer than I’ve been alive to be part of this grand final, so for me it’s just don’t change what I’ve been doing the last few years to get to this point,” Damato said.
“Pretty much just give it everything I can for the game so everyone gets what they want out of it.”
The Referee’s Balancing Act
Damato admits there’s plenty of challenges that come with refereeing, including dealing with complaints, the crowd and confidence in decisions.
“It’s not easy, I’m not going to lie. It is something you’ve got to learn to deal with,” Damato said.
“I’ve always been taught you’ve got to have thick skin as a referee; you can’t be worrying about what’s happening outside the fence.
“You’ve just got to worry about the 26 players on the field, so just take everything in, but obviously you’ve got to worry about what you can control.
“You’ve got to back yourself, back your training, back all the nights reading the rulebook and stuff like that, to know that you’ll make the right decision in the crunch moments and just back yourself with it.”
Lessons Beyond the Field
Looking beyond the field, Damato said the lessons he takes from refereeing has shaped his everyday life. He counts the friendships and connections forged through the game among the most rewarding aspects of his career.
“Just composure, learning how to manage things, it’s definitely helped me in day-to-day life and work.
“The best part of refereeing is definitely the mates you get out of it. I’ve made some life-long mates.
Soaking Up the Big Occasion
As he steps onto the field on Saturday, Damato’s mantra will be simple: to live in the moment.
“Just enjoy it; it comes around once a year. You might not get another one again; take it all in,” Damato explains.
“It’s going to be a big crowd on Saturday, so enjoy it. We’ve got some good weather.
“Just smile and have some fun.”
Kick-off is scheduled for 3.00pm on Saturday at WIN Stadium.
Words: Harrison Mellare
Photo credit: Denis Ivaneza