From Kern Brothers Drive to the home of the Super Bowl: Townsville referee Wyatt Raymond

Townsville referee Wyatt Raymond is living out a rugby league fairytale that has swept him to Las Vegas for the hottest refereeing appointment in the sport. We spoke to him exclusively.

Wyatt Raymond will be a touch judge for the NRL’s season opener in Las Vegas. Picture: Getty Images

From Kern Brothers Drive to the home of the Super Bowl.

That is the rugby league fairytale that has swept Townsville referee Wyatt Raymond to Las Vegas as one of seven NRL match officials selected to administer rugby league’s debut in front of potentially millions of new eyeballs.

Raymond has scored the hottest touch judging appointment in the sport as a linesman for Manly’s clash with South Sydney, the opening act of the NRL’s Vegas double-header to launch the 2024 season on Sunday.

“It’s pretty surreal. I started refereeing rugby league at a local level in Townsville at Kern Brothers Drive and now I’m doing a game in Las Vegas at the Super Bowl stadium,” Raymond said.

From humble beginnings to the site of the world’s biggest sporting match, which hosted Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs just weeks ago. Picture: Getty Images

“When I first started refereeing I never could have imagined where it would take me.”

The son of Rugby League Townsville volunteers Jodi and Paul Raymond, the 27-year-old began officiating 12 years ago at the advice of local referee’s boss Tom Dungerval when opponents began to outgrow him on the field.

Since 2021 Raymond has been one of the game’s top officials as a member of the NRL’s elite full-time refereeing squad.

He hopes the nod to officiate in Las Vegas is a sign his debut in the middle is on its way.

“My aspirations would be to touch judge in State of Origin and in a finals series, and then one day get my first crack with the whistle out in the middle,” Raymond said.

“When that time comes I’ll attack it head-on but for now I’m certainly happy doing what I’m doing. It doesn’t feel like a job, it’s a dream for me.”

The Vegas double-header begins 12.30pm Sunday.

Originally published as From Kern Brothers Drive to the home of the Super Bowl: Townsville referee Wyatt Raymond