Dealing With Real Life Pressure Makes Refereeing Easy with Bill Harrigan

In this episode Ian chats with the best Rugby League Referee in the World, Bill Harrigan. The challenges you face in your journey to reach a certain goal are inevitable and the power to overcome these obstacles is in your hands. Bill’s ambition and passion to achieve his goals has driven him to becoming the best version of himself and in this episode, he is to share with you that you can do it too.

Don’t miss:

• Bill’s life defining moments to becoming the best referee

• Testing your patience

• Getting all get all your grievances out of the way early

• Building a certain skill set that you can use later in life

• Understanding that the power to overcome obstacles is in your hands

• Gathering all your energy and become the best that you can be

• Going through all the different elements in order to succeed

• Not letting your problems stay inside and talking about it with someone

• Changing your destiny and having the faith that you can be the best version of yourself

About the Guest:

Bill Harrigan

Love him or hate him he was the best Rugby League Referee in the World and if you don’t believe that just ask him, he’ll tell you.

Hailing from the Western Suburbs Bill’s positive attitude and motivation qualities have steered him to the top. As a young kid, Bill’s ambition was to pursue a career as a professional, important, respected man with letters after his name so Bill became a member of the Police Special Weapons and Operations Unit (SWOS) then a top International referee, thus realising his ambitions as a professional, important, respected man and according to some fans “letters after his name”.

But love him or hate him he has refereed 393 games and 17 years as a first grade referee, even the most hardened rugby league fanatic would have to give whistle blower Bill Harrigan his due recognition.

Being in the Police Force Harrigan was offered the more challenging role with the Tactical Response Group. He then worked for the Special Weapons and Operations Section and finally as a police negotiator. It was here he learned important lessons in arbitration and conflict resolution, attributes that have proved to be vital skills in life and on the rugby league field.

With the background and training with the TRG, Bill is still dedicated to a very strict training routine. Regular runs through the National Park at Sutherland and grueling beach side and gym workouts still has Bill just as fit as he was when refereeing. Who could forget watching Harrigan arrive at the in-goal area with run away try scorers, whistle in mouth waiting for the ball to be put down.

Becoming a referee all came by default when his Fairvale High School football coach volunteered him for the N.S.W. Rugby League Referees course, as no one from the school wanted to volunteer. After gaining his official referees ticket he got his chance to mediate in a local pub competition. He earned attention of refereeing officials and was asked to join the Parramatta District Referees Association and his career blossomed from here. He was officially graded in 1983 and on the 19th May 1986 he made his first grade debut.

Bill retired after the 2003 Grand Final completing a legendary record breaking career. 393 first grade games, 10 grand finals, 21 State of Origins, 2 Super League Tri Series NSW v QLD. He refereed 22 Test matches including the blockbuster deciding test in 1994 between Great Britian and Australia. His international credits include going to England and refereeing the English Super League in 1996 finishing with the European Cup Final and the 2005-09 Papua New Guinea NRL grand finals.

Today Bill is one of the most prominent and successful speakers on the speaking circuit. Bill Harrigan will keep you totally entertained with his amazing and spellbinding police and refereeing stories from all over the world, or use him for his highly motivational and leadership qualities as a keynote speaker. One thing for sure he will guarantee you a damn good laugh with his larrikin wit.

He is also currently the General Manager of Australian Oztag, and has been in this role from 2003 to 2008 and again 2013 to now.

About the Host:

Ian Hawkins is the Founder and Host of The Grief Code. Dealing with grief firsthand with the passing of his father back in 2005 planted the seed in Ian to discover what personal freedom and legacy truly is. This experience was the start of his journey to heal the unresolved and unknown grief that were negatively impacting every area of his life. Leaning into his own intuition led him to leave corporate and follow his purpose of creating connection for himself and others. The Grief Code is a divinely guided process that enables every living person to uncover their unresolved and unknown grief and dramatically change their life and the lives of those they love. Thousands of people have now moved from loss to light following this exact process.

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