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Kasey Badger hit with staggering ban by NRL over 'conflict of interest' around husband

Badger will no longer be able to officiate Rabbitohs games as her husband Gavin Badger works for Souths.

ben talintyre
Sports Reporter
·3-min read

The NRL has taken the extraordinary step to ban referee Kasey Badger from officiating South Sydney games after it was revealed her husband has been working with the Rabbitohs for the past two years. The NRL's decision follows the awkwardness of Saturday night's Sharks v Rabbitohs match, where Kasey was in charge of the bunker while her husband was seen sitting next to and assisting Bunnies interim coach Ben Hornby throughout the match.

Gavin has been the Rabbitohs' referees consultant for two years, working at the club one day a week and assisting the coach on game days. However, the NRL claims they had no idea he was employed there, and if they did they never would have appointed his wife to the bunker for the Sharks match.

Pictured Kasey Badger left and Gavin Badger middle and right
Kasey Badger has been banned from officiating Rabbitohs games after it came to light that her husband Gavin Badger is employed by Souths. Image: Getty/Fox League/Getty

And retrospectively the NRL has decided that moving forward Kasey will not be appointed to the bunker, referee or touch judge duties for any Souths match. “It won’t happen again,” NRL head of football Graham Annesley said on Monday. “We do not question Kasey’s objectivity or professionalism but we acknowledge it’s not a good look.”

Fortunately for the NRL, there were no major controversies at Shark Park as Cronulla ran out comfortable 20-6 winners. However, the NRL was concerned about the public's perception of her working Bunnies games as well as the difficulties and potential controversy that could arise from the positions both hold in their respective jobs.

The issue was raised at the NRL's senior management meeting on Monday morning where the decision was made to keep Kasey away from Souths games altogether. Gavin has played a low-profile role at Souths for the last two seasons and many fans and officials were not aware he was working there until the Fox League cameras zoomed into the Souths' coaches box during the game.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MAY 04: Referee, Kasey Badger speaks with John Bateman of the Tigers during the round nine NRL match between Canterbury Bulldogs and Wests Tigers at Accor Stadium, on May 04, 2024, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)
Moving forward Kasey Badger will not be appointed to the bunker, referee or touch judge for any Souths match. Image: Getty

The NRL's decision to ban Kasey from officiating Souths games is the polar opposite of the decision they made when Gavin was working at the Tigers. Back in 2022, Gavin was employed as a referee consultant and was spotted in then-Tigers coach Michael Maguire's coaching box as Kasey ran the touchline.

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In that instance, Annesley defended Badger’s position as a sideline official, saying he fully endorses her to officiate Tigers matches. "Kasey is a very capable match official with a great deal of experience,” Annesley said in 2022. "Her integrity is beyond reproach. What her husband does for a living has no impact on her role or duties with the NRL.

"Like anyone else in the game, people should only be judged on their performances, rather than who they are related to." However, the NRL has decided not to take any chances this time around, playing it safe as many fans were angered by the scenes over the weekend.