Kaitaia's new lawman ain't whistling Dixie

It's a rare enough thing for football in the Far North to see someone take up the whistle, and even more so when that person is a halfway decent player such as in the case of Kaitaia's Grant Morland.

The 20-year-old who is also a talented golfer, grew up playing the round ball game in Kaitaia. Having played and coached 1st XI football for Kaitaia College and 1st division football with the Kaitaia United seniors, Morland is fast becoming regarded as one of Northland's best young up and coming refereeing talent.

Based in Whangarei last year, Morland said other commitments meant he was unable to commit to regular trainings with any club so decided a career in reffing would allow him to remain involved with the round ball game. He's now one of nine full-time referees with the NFF, and currently holds a Level 2 certificate (which means he can ref up to senior men's 1st division level).

In the immediate future, however, Morland is preparing to leave his day job at Bunnings to attend Police College in Porirua. Once passed, he will be police on Auckland's North Shore from where he will continue to ref NFF fixtures.

He was also hoping his career choice will give him time to increase his current ranking and noted Peter O'Leary - Northland's top referee and who is often appointed to officiate in international Fifa fixtures - once remarked it was good to have a job which allows leave at short notice, e.g. in case an international fixture appointment becomes suddenly available.

Morland's progress had certainly impressed Graham Dennie, the referees' appointments officer for the Northland Football Federation.

"We don't get many young people from Northland coming through. He works really hard, doesn't take criticism personally, he's quite resilient in that, one of the attributes you need - if you can't take a bit of poke. He attends all the courses, keen on feedback, and the assessors [like players] can be quite nitpicking bunch," said Dennie, adding Morland had the potential to go far.

"To be honest, if he wants to do more with his reffing, he's going to have the opportunity. If you start young, young enough, and you put the effort in, there's no reason you can't get to the right places. He's the right age, he's physically fit ... From a reffing point of view, it's quite exciting. As players, we all can't be the next David Beckham. Reffing can take you to a much higher level than your playing will take you."

Perhaps the only disappointing aspect of Morland's trajectory is that it will prevent him from reffing matches in the Far North, denying the local players a chance to hear him blowing a sweet tune through both barrels of his Fox 40 Classic.

Of his recent path, Morland admitted in his younger playing days, he was probably one of those 'competitive' spirits who like to take the ref to task at every call: "Now, I'm on the other side of the whistle, you realise how difficult a job it is!"

Rest assured, Morland is shaping up quite nicely and becoming a players' referee, evident in the diplomacy and tact he employed to officiate the final of the NAKFA Cup 7-aside final in Kaitaia earlier this month. Traditionally an intense, sometimes spiteful affair, players from both teams were barely aware of his presence on the field...

"I like a game that flows, a lot of play-ons," he said. His final advice to local footballers, particularly the notoriously whiney breed the 'Beautiful Game' constantly seems to churn out was, "Play to the whistle!"