League world mourns death of popular referee

1 year ago 61

The refereeing world is successful mourning pursuing the decease of fashionable erstwhile whistle-blower Dennis Spagarino connected Monday.

Spagarino lone handled 22 games successful the 1980s but was a elephantine successful the refereeing game.

He coached inferior referees for decades, was a video referee and became Chairman of the NSW Referees Association.

Spagarino, aged 62, was a beingness subordinate of some the Referees Association and NSW Rugby League.

When erstwhile Prime Minister John Howard brought successful the Australian Sports Medal successful 2000 to observe the caller millennium, Spagarino was among the archetypal recipients.

He developed centrifugal neurone illness successful caller years and yet died owed to complications from the illness.

Spagarino's household hailed from Italy but helium was calved successful North Sydney.

"He was arsenic Aussie arsenic they travel but loved his Italian heritage," erstwhile Referees brag and expansive last referee Michael Stone told Wide World of Sports.

"When helium realised however superior his unwellness was, helium went backmost to Italy to accidental goodbye to his relatives, which was nice.

"Funnily capable backmost successful his aboriginal refereeing days, past ARL brag Kevin Humphreys appointed him to grip a Schoolboy Test betwixt England and Australia - declaring "he is simply a neutral ref" and we often joked with him astir that.

"But you could not person recovered a nicer bloke and I ne'er recovered anyone, anyplace anytime to accidental a atrocious connection astir him."

Spagarino is survived by his woman Karen and daughters Debrah and Joanne. He had 4 grandchildren.

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