Kasey Badger cops brutal new blow after controversy around ban from South Sydney games
The referee has suffered another setback after the NRL was forced to take action.
Kasey Badger has reportedly torn her calf and won't be able to conduct on-field refereeing duties for the rest of the NRL season. The female referee was predominantly been used in the Bunker during NRL games this year, but has also been the lead on-field ref for NRLW games.
However her on-field duties are over for the season, after it was revealed on Thursday she suffered a torn calf. According to News Corp, she'll still be able to take her place in the Bunker, but won't be able to perform on-field duties for the remainder of 2024.
It comes as another blow for Badger amid a tumultuous few weeks. Earlier this month, the NRL made the extraordinary move of banning her from officiating South Sydney games because of husband Gavin's role at the club.
Gavin Badger is a former NRL referee and has been working as a consultant at Souths for the last two seasons. But it led to conflict of interest claims when Gavin was spotted in the Rabbitohs box during a game in which his wife was working in the Bunker against the Sharks.
The NRL has since decided that Kasey won't be allowed to officiate in Souths games moving forward. “It won’t happen again,” NRL head of football Graham Annesley said. “We do not question Kasey’s objectivity or professionalism, but we acknowledge it’s not a good look.”
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Phil Gould blasts NRL over Kasey Badger ban
But the decision didn't go down well with Phil Gould, who blasted the NRL for bringing Badger's credibility into question. "So what are you saying? She's going to show them favouritism (because her husband works for the club). How ridiculous. I find that rude," Gould said on his 'Six Tackles with Gus' podcast.
"I find that obscene and I find anyone who complained about that childish. And why the league would react to it, I don't know. You wouldn’t find a more honest person than Kasey. I just found that irritating to be honest.
"I found it absolutely wrong that all of a sudden, someone had to make a statement (on) why Kasey Badger was being a bunker official or a referee or a linesperson in a game where her husband is working for a club. What's it matter? The very basis of being a referee is impartiality, so why are we questioning that? If anyone else questioned the impartiality of a referee, what would happen?"
When Danika Mason suggested they'd be fined, Gus declared: "100 per cent. So why would they react like that to such a situation, purely (based on) perception, purely to please someone complaining on social media. It doesn’t wash with me."
