RFL match officials

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "RFL match officials" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (October 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

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

[edit]

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]

[edit]

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]

[edit]

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

[edit]

Managed by Phil Bentham.

Name | Society | Age | Year Appointed

|
|
|

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

### Previous Full Time Match Officials

[edit]

Name  | Society  | Start  | End  | Total

|
|
|
|

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

## Elite Touch Judges (Super League)

[edit]

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

[edit]

### Select Referees

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

### Emerging Referees

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

### Entry Referees

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

* NRL match officials
* Super League
* Rugby Football League

## References

[edit]

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.