Gavin Badger: Horror for top footy referee as his daughter goes missing and police hold ‘serious concerns for her wellbeing’
- NSW Police are trying to locate Shante Badger, 32
- Her father Gavin is known as a top NRL match official
Police are asking for the public’s help to find the missing daughter of ex-NRL referee Gavin Badger, admitting they hold ‘serious concerns for her wellbeing’ after being notified of her disappearance.
Shante Badger, 32, was last seen in the western Sydney suburb of Wentworth Point at about 8.15am on February 21, according to a NSW Police statement appealing for assistance in locating her.
The statement has been shared on social media by Gavin Badger’s wife Kasey, who works as a referee in the NRLW but is not Shante’s mother and has appealed to her followers to send on any information.
‘When she [Badger] could not be located or contacted, police were notified yesterday(Tuesday 25 February 2025), where officers from Auburn Police Area Command have commenced inquiries into her whereabouts,’ NSW Police said.
‘Police and family hold serious concerns for her wellbeing.
‘Shante is described as Caucasian appearance, solid build, 155cm and has long red hair.
Shante Badger (pictured) is being sought by police, friends and family after she was last seen in Sydney’s south-west on February 21
The 32-year-old mother of two is the daughter of ex-NRL referee Gavin Badger (pictured together)
Gavin Badger’s wife and fellow NRL referee Kasey Badger shared the NSW Police appeal for help in finding Shante (pictured)
‘It is not known what she may be wearing.
‘Shante is known to frequent the Wentworth Point and Botany areas.
‘Anyone with information into Shante’s whereabouts is urged to contact Auburn Police Station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.’
Kasey Badger shared the post on X and on Instagram accompanied by the caption, ‘If anyone has any information can you please get in touch,’ accompanied by a praying hands emoji.
Gavin Badger, who controlled more than 300 NRL matches in a first-grade career that lasted from 2003 to 2020, previously credited Shante with playing a huge role in changing his life after he turned to drugs to deal with being sexually abused as a child.
‘My daughter was born when I was 20. A lot of stuff that I looked at and read about was that cycle of people recreating things, and building a continuous cycle around what happened, and I didn’t want that to happen with my kids,’ he said.
Badger revealed it was the combination of becoming a father and finding something he loved – and was good at – that turned his life around.
‘Rugby league and particularly refereeing probably saved my life because it gave me some structure and that was people I looked up to that I didn’t want to let down, so from 18-20 was when I started to clean myself up a bit’.
Kasey Badger (pictured with Gavin) became just the second woman to control an NRL game in 2023 – with Shante praising the moment as ‘something I’ll never forget’
Shante is pictured with her mother Stacey van der Putten and father Gavin
He met Kasey in 2007, and they were married in 2010.
They made history in 2012 when they became the first married couple to referee a rugby league international match together as Thailand played the Philippines.
Kasey Badger joined Belinda Sharpe in becoming the first women to become a full-time NRL match official in 2019.
She became the second woman to take control of an NRL match in August 2023 when the Gold Coast played Canterbury.
Shante marked that feat with a social media post reading: ‘On the weekend we got to watch history being made. Getting to see Kasey run out as one of the first female referees in the NRL is something I’ll never forget. Thank you for letting us be a part of something so special.’
