The drain of talent from Super League to the NRL has spread to match officials with news that referee Tim Roby is to move down under . The 25-year-old Roby , one of six regular Super League referees , has quit the English game with immediate effect and will fly out to Sydney in the next fortnight after accepting an offer to become a match official with the NRL . 'It 's always been my ambition to officiate in Australia and my partner and I are hugely excited that this opportunity has arisen , ' said Roby . Tim Roby , one of six regular Super League referees , has quit the English game with immediate effect . ' I expressed an interest with the NRL some time ago and I am fortunate enough to have been offered a contract on the back of that . ' I would like to thank the RFL for the last five years . It 's been a great privilege to be part of the senior match officials team and I am going to miss working with some terrific people . I wish everyone here in the British game the very best for 2015 . ' Roby , who has refereed over 75 Super League matches over the last five seasons and acted as a touch-judge in some of the sport 's biggest games , including two Challenge Cup finals , the 2014 Super League Grand Final and the Rugby League World Cup , is following in the footsteps of Russell Smith and Ashley Klein , who made their name in Super League before moving to the NRL . Rugby Football League match officials coaching and technical director Jon Sharp said : 'This is a fantastic opportunity for Tim . I have no doubts that he will do extremely well in Australia and we wish him all the best in his new career . 'Tim is a product of our development programme and his move to Australia is an indication of the high regard in which our match officials are held around the world . 'There are some outstanding young officials emerging through that same development programme and Tim 's departure gives them a chance to realise their ambitions of refereeing at the highest level . '
Tim ##ley is one of the regular Super League players . The 25-year - old referee has abandoned the English game with immediate effect . he will fly to Sydney in the next season after accepting an offer .