WARREN WYNN (Illawarra Referee 1958 - 1987)

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Warren gained his referee’s certificate in April 1958 and commenced refereeing duties immediately. By 1961 he had proven himself to be a competent Grade referee and a respected Touch Judge and was appointed to the first of his three First Grade Grand Final touches.

Responding to an urgent appeal for referees from our neighbouring Group 6 who were suffering a severe shortage of whistleblowers, Warren and his brother, Ted, volunteered their services and were loaned to that Group for most of the 1963 season with both of them controlling First Grade fixtures. In 1971 Warren refereed his initial First Grade competition match in Illawarra and consolidated a First Grade position for that year. He went on to control in excess of a hundred Illawarra First Grade matches. In 1977 he was appointed by the CRL to the Under 18 Country Championships.

In 1982 Group 6 again requested assistance for referees and Warren Wynn again volunteered his services and this was approved by the Association and the League. This was Warren’s twenty-fifth year as a Referee. In 1984 Warren was appointed to the Illawarra versus Group 6 representative fixture at Dapto Showground.

He sustained a leg injury in a car accident in 1985 which prevented him from undertaking centre appointments but he continued as a touch judge for 1986 and retired from active refereeing at the end of the 1987 season.

Warren was very active in the Association. He was Assistant-Secretary for ten years (1972-8) and our President for seven years (1984-90). From that point he took a step up and was elected to the role of Vice-President of the Illawarra League, a position he held for a number of years. At the same time he was also selected as the Manager of the Illawarra Division representative team, a role he also performed for some time.

For his services to the Association and the League Warren has been honoured with Life membership of both bodies. Our Trophy for 1st Grand Final Referee is named in his honour