Mothers and daughters together on the field are equally uncommon, but on Saturday, August 15 at Orange's Wade Park a circumstance occurred with a mother and daughter on the field for the Midwest game between Orange Barbarians and Kandos Waratahs - referee Amy Draper and her sideline official - her touch judge Mum, Amanda.

Not from a footballing family, Amy, originally from Parkes, played touch football as a teenager with her siblings for three years before a decision to try her hand with the whistle.

Her prowess when refereeing touch football was noted and it was suggested she should test her skills at a higher level.

Now in her second season in the senior refereeing ranks, her exposure to higher grades has been slowed by community restrictions surrounding COVID and the consequent lack of games.

However, the last three weeks has seen her centrefield in Midwest games, thrown in at the deep end with her first assignment controlling the difficult night game at Bathurst early in August between reigning premiers CSU and new team Orange United Warriors.

Her control of that ferocious game was impressive, being put under pressure from the kickoff by the physical intensity and feeling between the two sides.

When needed to make the difficult calls she was on the spot, appearing from the darkness to take firm control when called on.

And some of the decisions were heatedly disputed but she showed her knowledge of the rules and strength of her convictions enforcing those decisions and standing firmly in the face of some occasional antagonism.

She was afterward commended on her performance by both clubs involved, which was a heartening endorsement of the quality of the decisions she was forced to make, including the dismissal of one player to the sin bin.

The trust of the referees' association allocating Amy to a match of this importance was vindicated and she came through a baptism of fire with the aplomb of a mature referee.

Confident in her competency to keep firm control in the heat of games, she will not allow intimidation to impede her aspirations, and the teams (of men) she has already refereed are now fully aware of her capabilities.

Only 22, enigmatic Group 10 referee Amy Draper shows maturity on the field beyond her years, a young woman making her way through the refereeing ranks intent on furthering her career when opportunity presents.

She does allow a moment of humour though, and when asked what onfield title she would be addressed as, she responded "You can call me 'Sir'."