A-League Men’s debuts for Football NSW referees

Three Football NSW match officials made their debuts in the A League Men’s (ALM) competition over the past two rounds.

Assistant referees Maddy Allum (Auckland FC v Newcastle Jets) and Emma Kocbek (Macarthur FC v Brisbane Roar) will made their first appearances in Round 6 of the ALM after several seasons in the A-League Women’s competition.

In Round 7 of the ALM, Sam Kelly made his debut as a centre referee on Friday, December 6 in the match between Brisbane Roar and Melbourne City.

Starting out with Canterbury Referees Association, Allum made the leap to the A-League Women’s panel for the 2021/22 season after graduating from the Football NSW Referee Academy. She officiated the 2022/23 A-League Women’s Grand Final as an assistant referee and was again appointed to a significant role in the 2023/24 Finals Series. In 2024 she was appointed to the FIFA International Referee List.

Kocbek began her career with the Nepean Referees Group and progressed through the Football NSW Referee Academy to join the A League Women’s panel. Selected as an assistant referee for the 2021 and 2022 NPL Men’s NSW Grand Finals, Emma was appointed to the 2023/2024 A League Women’s Grand Final and to the FIFA International Referee List in 2024.

Kelly’s refereeing journey began in 2013 when he joined the Manly Warringah Football Referees Association. Another graduate of the Football NSW Referee Academy, he was appointed to the A-League Men’s panel as a fourth official for the 2021/22 season. Kelly is the reigning NPL Men’s NSW Referee of the Year, having received the award for both the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

Football NSW congratulates all three officials for achieving this milestone in their careers.

Featured image (left to right): Maddy Allum, Sam Kelly and Emma Kocbek.