There aren’t many referees who end their career with a guard of honour.

But that’s exactly what was given to Matt Cecchin after he finished his final NRL match in September – and brought the curtain down on a top-flight career that spanned more than 350 games.

The Australian had officiated at the highest level since the early 2000s, refereeing at the World Cup as well as in the Four Nations, while also taking charge of four State of Origin games and three NRL Grand Finals.

He also became one of the most high profile men in Australian sport to come out as gay, when he opened up publicly about his sexuality in 2012.

So, a cracking guest to kick off 2022 on the podcast – and there’s so much brilliant stuff in this conversation with Matt.

We talk about how he got into refereeing; getting his break at an elite level; some of his most memorable moments in the game, and dealing with pressure; coming out in his personal life and publicly; the fear he felt after sharing his story; being a role-model for the LGBTQ+ community in rugby; and decided to hang up his boots.

It’s a cracking conversation with someone we’re really fortunate to have had the chance to chat to, and we’re really grateful Matt took the time to join us.

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