Football Queensland has today confirmed Paul ‘Blocker’ Wilson, an internationally renowned cricket player and match official, as the first speaker for the upcoming Referee Convention to be held on Saturday, 2 November and Sunday, 3 November as part of the inaugural Queensland Football Convention.
“Football Queensland is thrilled to introduce Paul Wilson as a keynote speaker and panellist for the Referee Convention, with his distinguished career in cricket, both as a player and an umpire, epitomising excellence in high-performance sport,” Football Queensland CEO Robert Cavallucci said.
“As a member of Cricket Australia’s Umpire Leadership Group and the Australian Cricket Council, Paul’s achievements and extensive knowledge present a unique opportunity for Queensland referees to learn from someone who has excelled at the highest tiers of professional sport.
“We are confident that Paul’s contributions will provide invaluable insights and a once-in-a-lifetime learning opportunity for all attendees.”
Paul Wilson’s career in professional cricket spans over a decade, having represented Australia in Test and One Day International (ODI) cricket and played domestically for South Australia and Western Australia. Following his playing career, Wilson transitioned to umpiring, dedicating 18 years to Cricket Australia (CA) and serving 11 years on the ICC International Panel of Umpires.
During his umpiring career, Wilson officiated domestically in four Sheffield Shield Finals, five Big Bash League Finals, and three One Day Cup Finals. Internationally, Wilson stood in 13 Tests, 61 ODIs, and 40 T20 Internationals, including six ICC Cricket World Cups, making him one of only six Australians to have played and umpired international cricket.
Wilson’s accolades include three CA Umpire of the Year Awards and three CA Umpires’ MVP awards, recognising his exceptional contributions to the sport. His leadership roles have included membership in CA’s Umpire Leadership Group and the Australian Cricket Council.
In addition to his on-field accomplishments, Wilson is a Level 3 High Performance Coach and Level 3 High Performance Umpire certifications—the only individual in Australia to hold both qualifications.
Paul Wilson’s world-class expertise and experiences will provide significant value to attendees as he delivers insights that are both practical and transferrable for Queensland referees striving to achieve excellence.
Further announcements of additional speakers for the Queensland Football Convention will be released soon.
In addition to the convention sessions, the Queensland Football Convention will also include a cocktail networking event at the Sunset Lounge at Suncorp Stadium for Brisbane Roar Men’s home opener against Sydney FC, and the Football in Queensland Awards Night at Brisbane City Hall.
Tickets are now on sale and selling fast with only a limited amount of early bird discounted tickets available until this Sunday, 22 September for the 2024 Queensland Football Convention.
