Belinda Sharpe

NRL appoints first female referee for Broncos v Bulldogs clash

Belinda Sharpe will on Tuesday be confirmed as the first woman to take control of an NRL match, assigned as the assistant referee for Thursday night's Broncos and Bulldogs clash at Suncorp Stadium.

The Queensland-raised Sharpe and Kasey Badger were earlier this year elevated to the NRL's full-time referees squad, paving the way for the former to take the whistle in round 18.

She has been a constant as an NRL touch judge in recent times, as has Badger, but it won't be until this week that one of the pair has been given the task of refereeing an NRL fixture.