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RFL match officials

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The RFL Match Officials are a select group of professional Rugby League match officials who officiate the top divisions of Rugby League in Britain.[1]

Officials are required to take part in a Fitness Test to maintain and or gain their status.

Match Official Department Staff

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Phil Bentham was re-appointed as the RFL's Head of Match Officials in February 2024,[2] he previously held this post on an interim basis between Jan-March 2021 while Steve Ganson was on leave.

Dave Elliot served as interim Head of Match Officials for between Jan-Dec 2023 while an internal investigation took place into the department, ran by Steve Ganson from 2016. This concluded with Ganson leaving the RFL by mutual consent in December 2023.[3]

Name Position
Phil Bentham Head of Match Officials
Dave Elliott Match Officials Coach
Julian King Match Officials Coach
Anthony Atherton Match Officials Coach
Chris Kendall Select Referee Group Manager
Steve Williams Select Touch Judge Group Manager
Tom Grant Entry & Emerging Referee Groups Manager
Marcus Griffiths Women's Super League Squad Manager
Ryan Cox Appointments and Development Officer
Mike Smaill Match Officials Business Manager
Matty Lynn Match Officials Administrator

Graded Match Officials[4]

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To become an Elite match official, Grade 1 officials must have an interview with the Head of Match Officials.

Grading Referee Touch Judge
Elite Super League Super League
1 (Select) Championship & League 1 Championship & League 1
2 (Emerging) Academy/Reserves & Women's Super League Reserves & Women's Super League
3 (Entry) National Conference League & Scholarship Academy & Scholarship

Elite Referees (RFL Full Time Match Officials)[5]

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Since the 2007 season, the Rugby Football League have employed a panel of full-time officials. That panel currently has nine members.

Current Full Time Match Officials Squad

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Managed by Phil Bentham.

Name Society Age Year Appointed
England Aaron Moore Wigan 26 years, 337 days 2023
England Chris Kendall Huddersfield 32 years, 135 days 2015
England Jack Smith Wigan 35 years, 243 days 2022
England Liam Moore Wigan 29 years, 110 days 2017
England Tara Jones Warrington 28 years, 98 days 2025
England Tom Grant Leeds 30 years, 100 days 2018
England Marcus Griffiths Widnes 30 years, 153 days 2019
England Liam Rush Dewsbury & Batley 24 years, 120 days 2022
Australia James Vella St George Referees (Sydney, Australia) 35 years, 132 days 2022

Previous Full Time Match Officials

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Name Society Start End Total
England Ben Thaler Wakefield 2005 2024 19 years
England James Child Dewsbury & Batley 2010 2022 12 years
England Cameron Worsley Mid Yorkshire
England Robert Hicks Oldham
England Scott Mikalauskas Leigh 2021
England Greg Dolan
England Phil Bentham Warrington
France Thierry Alibert
England Joe Cobb Widnes
England Chris Campbell Widnes
England Steve Ganson St Helens
England George Stokes St Helens
England Ian Smith Oldham
England Richard Silverwood Dewsbury & Batley
Australia Ashley Klein Leeds

Elite Touch Judges (Super League)

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Managed by Dave Elliot. By default the RFL Full Time Match Officials are graded as Elite Touch Judges.

Name Society Name Society
Denton Arnold St Helens Tom Grant Leeds
Nick Bennett Wakefield Marcus Griffiths Widnes
Dean Bowmer Wakefield Chris Kendall Huddersfield
Peter Brooke Manchester Aaron Moore Wigan
Ryan Cox St Helens Liam Moore Wigan
Mark Craven Leeds Liam Rush Dewsbury & Batley
Simon Ellis Dewsbury & Batley Jack Smith Wigan
Neil Horton Wakefield Tara Jones Warrington
Gareth Jones Warrington James Vella St George Referees (Sydney, Australia)
Paul Marklove Warrington
Ellis McCarthy Castleford & Featherstone
Scott Mikalauskas Leigh
Jonathon Roberts Leeds
Richard Thompson Hull
Warren Turley Leigh
Cameron Worsley Castleford & Featherstone
Total Count = 25. Part Time = 16. Full Time = 9.

Grade 1 Match Officials

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Select Referees

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Managed by Julian King & Chris Kendall.

Name Society Name Society
Denton Arnold St Helens Sam Jenkinson
Aaryn Belafonte Huddersfield Freddie Lincoln Huddersfield
Nick Bennett Mid Yorkshire Matty Lynn
Alan Billington Widnes Scott Mikalauskas Leigh
Luke Bland Leeds Bradley Milligan Cumbria
Elliot Burrow Cumbria Kevin Moore Mid Yorkshire
Matty Clayton Michael Smaill Leigh
Ryan Cox St Helens Andy Sweet Mid Yorkshire
Will Gilder Adam Williams Wigan
Sam Houghton Manchester Cameron Worsley Mid Yorkshire
Carl Hughes Mid Yorkshire Kristoff Young Wales
Jordan Hughes Cumbria
Total Count = 23.

Select Touch Judges

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Managed by Steve Williams.

Name Society Name Society
Aaryn Belafonte Huddersfield Matty Lynn
Alan Billington Widnes Ollie Maddock Warrington
Luke Bland Leeds Milo McKelvey
Ben Brocklehurst Mid Yorkshire Bradley Milligan Cumbria
Elliot Burrow Cumbria Kevin Moore Mid Yorkshire
Jamie Callaghan St Helens Lewis Obrien Wigan
Alex Cameron Josh Pemberton Warrington
Matty Clayton Oliver Salmon
James Collier Lucas Seal Cumbria
J Collins Gary Shaw Wigan
Luke Flavell Wigan Joe Sterne Mid Yorkshire
Tommy Gibbs Mid Yorkshire Andy Sweet Mid Yorkshire
Will Gilder A Tallon
A Giles Jordan Unsworth
Sam Houghton Manchester Adam Williams Wigan
Carl Hughes Mid Yorkshire G Winnard
Jordan Hughes Cumbria H Winnard
Sam Jenkinson P Wroe
Tara Jones Warrington Kristoff Young Wales
Freddie Lincoln Huddersfield
Total Count = 39.

Grade 2 Match Officials

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Emerging Referees

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Managed by Tom Grant.

Name Society Name Society Name Society Name Society
Tolver Arnold St Helens C Curren A McDonald Pete Smith
M Apsee C Davies Milo McKelvey Joe Sterne Castleford & Featherstone
J Bacon Simon Ellis R Mitchell A Tallon
Dylan Barlow Wigan Luke Flavell Wigan Lewis Obrien Wigan Warren Turley Leigh
O Bowie Tommy Gibbs G Pallet G Winnard London
Dean Bowmer Wakefield A Giles Neil Pascall H Winnard London
Ben Brocklehurst Castleford Connor Griffiths Warrington Josh Pemberton Warrington Brandon Worsley Castleford & Featherstone
F Brown Neil Horton Craig Regan Cumbria
Jamie Callaghan St Helens Owen Ireland A Rhodes
Alex Cameron J Kinsley Oliver Salmon
James Collier D Krout Reece Schofield Manchester
J Collins Phil Loeb Warrington Lucas Seal Cumbria
M Cowan Ollie Maddock Warrington Gary Shaw Wigan
A Creasey Paul Marklove Warrington Kristian Silcock St Helens
Total Count = 49

Emerging Touch Judges

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Managed by Ryan Cox.

Name Society Name Society Name Society
M Apsee D Frederick K O'Shea
R Apsee D Geddes G Pallet
Innes Arnold St Helens Jordan Greenhalgh Widnes Neil Pascall
Tolver Arnold St Helens Connor Griffiths Warrington Shaun Pickering St Helens
Jack Bacon Wigan Lee Haggerty St Helens S Quarmby
Dylan Barlow Wigan S Harrison Craig Regan Cumbria
Ronan Bird Widnes R Holmes R Rhodes
O Bowie Jamie Hooper Castleford & Featherstone Reece Schofield Manchester
L Breheny Wigan Rhiannon Horsman Leeds S Shea
F Brown Owen Ireland Kristian Silcock St Helens
P Clayton Liam Jones St Helens Adam Smith
L Corcoran J Kinsley Pete Smith
Andrew Coupar St Helens D Krout B Thomas
M Cown K Lewis C Topping
G Cox Phil Loeb Warrington T Topping
I Curzon Andy Marsh Wigan Rebecca Whiteley Huddersfield/Wigan
C Davies M Mills A Woods
Rebecca Floyd St Helens R Mithchell Jack Woolass Hull
H Forster Mia Murphy Leigh Brandon Worsley Castleford & Featherstone
Stuart Fraser Midlands B Neilson Esmai Wright Warrington
Total Count = 60.

Grade 3 Match Officials

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Entry Referees

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Managed by Tom Grant.

Name Society Name Society Name Society
Anthony Atherton Wigan Harry Forster Logan Miles
T Bell Jordan Greenhalgh Widnes M Mills
J Berry Liam Grundy Andrew Mulligan St Helens
Ronan Bird Widnes Lee Haggerty St Helens Mia Murphy Leigh
M Bolton S Harrison R Nevinson
N Bragg Andy Hawley Warrington Tom Prescott St Helens
L Breheny Wigan Johnatan Hewitt Mid Yorkshire Shaun Pickering St Helens
M Brighton Ryan Holmes Dewsbury & Batley Sam Price Wigan
D Brown Jamie Hooper Castleford & Featherstone S Quarmby
I Carson Leigh Rhiannon Horsman Leeds R Rhodes
Steve Cockram St Helens S Powell Matt Roberts Bradford
L Corcoran Liam Jones St Helens Dan Saunders Leeds
Andrew Coupar St Helens Naz Khan Warrington A Smith
G Cox D Kindelan Dave Swindlehurst Wigan
Lucas Dabbs Leigh Alex Leaf Leeds T Topping
J Davey C MacDonald E Watson
F Evans Andy Marsh Wigan A Woods
J Evans M Martin Jack Woolass Hull
O Filer Ross McCarthy St Helens Esmai Wright Warrington
Rebecca Floyd St Helens Callum Murphy Wigan


Total Count = 59.

Entry Touch Judges

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Managed by Ryan Cox.

Name Society Name Society Name Society
Anthony Atherton Wigan J Hewitt A Tallon
T Bell Naz Khan Warrington B Thomas
J Berry D Kindelan E Watson
M Bolton C Lawson A Woods
K Bonsor A Leaf
N Bragg C MacDonald
D Brown M Martin
I Carson Leigh Ross McCarthy St Helens
Steve Cockram St Helens L Miles
L Collins Callum Murphy Wigan
Lucas Dabbs Leigh R Nevinson
J Davey S Powell
F Evans Tom Prescott
O Filer Sam Price Wigan
O Foulkes J Raddings
J Foxon M Roberts
Cameron Gray London D Saunders
L Grundy P Strafford
Andy Hawley Warrington Dave Swindlehurst Wigan

R Nevinson

Total Count = 44.

Kit suppliers and sponsors

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Period Manufacturers Sponsors
2003-2006 Patrick Powergen
2007 Engage
2008-2009 Puma
2010-2012 ISC
2013 none
2014 Specsavers
2015-2017 BLK
2018 Hummel
2019-2020 Ronseal
2021-2026 Oxen

See also

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References

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  1. ^ RFL. "RFL Match Officials". The RFL.
  2. ^ "Phil Bentham returns to Rugby League as RFL Head of Match Officials". RFL.
  3. ^ "Steve Ganson to quit as RFL Head of Match Officials". RFL.
  4. ^ "Rugby-League.com". www.rugby-league.com. Retrieved 2020-03-21.
  5. ^ "Full Time Match Officials | RFL". www.rugby-league.com. Retrieved 2022-08-18.