Draft:Gavin Morris (rugby league)

Gavin Morris is an Australian former rugby league referee in the National Rugby League series (NRL). Morris refereed from 2008 to his final match in 2015, a semi-final between the St George Illawarra Dragons and the Canterbury Bulldogs.... . Morris completed his Master in Education at University of Sydney in 2015. Morris completed his doctorate in Philosophy which investigated the impacts of colonisation in remote Aboriginal communities at Charles Darwin University in 2019. Morris is currently employed as a lecturer for the College of Indigenous Futures, Education and Arts at the Charles Darwin University in Darwin, Northern Territory. Morris now resides in Alice Springs, Northern Territory as the school principal at Yipirinya School

Rugby league career
Morris made his first grade debut as a touch judge in the North Queensland Cowboys v West Tigers match in Townsville, Queensland in 2003. He made a return in 2006 to referee games in the Queensland Cup series. Morris refereed 45 games in the Queensland Cup competition until 2008.

Morris made his debut on the line on May 13, 2009 in a New Zealand Warriors v North Queensland Cowboys match at Mt Smart Stadium Auckland, New Zealand.

Morris was awarded the ‘Rookie of the Year Award’ at 2013 Col Pearce Medal Presentation lunch by the NSW Rugby Referees Association.

On 29th September 2013, Morris officiated the Prime Ministers XIII vs Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby.

Morris’ last match as a line referee for the NRL was the 2015 NRL semi-final, St George Illawarra Dragons v Canterbury Bulldogs.

Throughout his career he refereed 164 premiership games including multiple games at a representative level and first grade finals series.

After leaving the NRL, Morris continued his refereeing career in the Northern Territory, refereeing Rugby League matches in Darwin and Alice Springs.

The North Queensland Rugby League Referees have named a medal after Morris which is presented at their annual awards night to the highest performing referee in North Queensland

Morris is a board member of the Professional Rugby League Match Officials (2022 – current).

Awards

 * 2019: Mace Bearer, Charles Darwin University, Darwin
 * 2024: Australian of the Year Nominee, The Australian
 * 2024: Top 120 Most Powerful People in the Northern Territory, Northern Territory News