The NRG Alumni highlights those referees who started their refereeing journey at a grass-roots level with Nepean Referees Group and have gone on to officiate at the highest domestic-level men’s and/or women’s competitions, or have been selected at International level as a member of a FIFA Referees Panel.
A-League Women’s Assistant Referee
Alexis started refereeing with the Nepean Referees Group in June 2015. Since then, she has progressed through state and national referee pathways, including the NSW Referee Academy (2019–2020) and the inaugural intake of Football Australia’s Referee Academy (FARA) in 2023.
Her experience includes officiating the NPL NSW Women’s First Grade Grand Finals in 2022, 2023, and 2024 and NPL NSW Men’s Finals series in 2024.
Alexis was named NSW NPL Women’s Assistant Referee of the Year in 2023 and 2024. In 2023 she was awarded the Penrith Valley Sports Foundation Official of the Year.
In February 2024, she made her A-League Women’s debut and was selected for the A-League Women’s panel for the first time for the 2024/25 season.
A-League Men’s Assistant Referee
FIFA Panel Referee 2024 – current
Emma began refereeing with Nepean Referees Group in its inaugural year in 2014. She then joined the Football NSW Referee Development Panel (RDP) and progressed through the Football NSW Referees Academy before her selection to the A-League Women’s Panel for the 2018/19 season.
Selected as an assistant referee for the 2021 and 2022 NPL Men’s NSW Grand Finals, Emma was appointed to the A-League Women’s grand final in both 2022/23 (Fifth Official) and 2023/24 (Assistant Referee). In November 2024, Emma debuted on the A-League Men’s competition and on January 1st, 2025, she was part of a historic moment in Australian football when she was part of the first all-female match official team to officiate an A-League Men’s competition match.
In her debut season, Emma became the first ever female on-field match official appointed to the A-League Men’s Grand Final, a sold-out Melbourne derby on May 31st 2025. On October 4th, 2025, Emma made history again when she officiated the Australia Cup Final between Heidelberg United FC and Newcastle Jets FC. Her appointment, alongside fellow Assistant Referee Paula Orlandi (Football SA), was the first time a female has been appointed to the fixture. Emma is also the first on-field assistant referee to be appointed to both the A-League Men’s Grand Final and Australia Cup Final in the same year.
Internationally, Emma represents Australia as a FIFA Assistant Referee. She is a part of the AFC Elite Match Official Panel which has seen her appointed to major competitions including the AFC’s Women’s Asian Cup, AFC’s Women’s U20 Asian Cup Qualifiers and the AFC Women’s Asian Champions League. In 2025, she attended the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
A-League Women’s Referee
Molly began refereeing with Nepean Referees Group when she was 13. She progressed through the Football NSW Referee Development Program (RDP) from 2018 before graduating from the NSW Referee Academy in 2023 and joining the inaugural intake of Football Australia’s Referee Academy (FARA) in the same year.
Molly has officiated at major state and national tournaments across Australia. She was recognised as Referee of the Tournament at the National Youth Championships in 2022 (Under 14 Girls) and again at UniSport Nationals in September 2023.
In January 2024, Molly made her A-League Women’s debut as a fourth official before taking charge of her first centre appointment just two weeks later in Wellington Phoenix’s clash with Canberra United in New Zealand.
Molly was subsequently appointed to the National Referee Panel for the 2024/25 A-League Women’s season and served as fourth official for the 2024/25 A-League Women’s Grand Final.
FIFA World Cup 2007, 2011, 2015
A-League Men’s Assistant Referee
A-League Women’s Assistant Referee
Originally starting as a referee in the Nepean area, Sarah Ho spent 21 years at the peak of domestic football in Australia across the following competitions and roles:
Sarah became the first woman to be selected for appointment to the A-League Men’s competition in 2007. In the women’s game, she was appointed as an assistant referee for eight W-League/A-League Women’s grand finals and, on December 8, 2023, made history by becoming the first match official (referee or assistant referee) to officiate 100 A-League Women’s matches.
Sarah’s achievements also extend to the international stage; she was the longest serving female on the FIFA Panel of International Referees and has officiated at three FIFA Women’s World Cups – 2007, 2011 and 2015 before her international retirement at the conclusion of 2023.
Alongside her three World Cup appearances during her 22 years on the FIFA Panel of International Referees, Sarah has also officiated six U20 World Cups, two Olympic Games (2008 & 2012), two Asian Games and three Asian Cups. She was one of two females appointed to the AFC Men’s Elite Assistant Referees Panel in 2014, officiating two AFC Cup matches during the 2014 AFC Cup competition.
