RFL match officials
{{more sources needed|date=October 2023}}
The RFL Match Officials are a select group of professional Rugby League match officials who officiate the top divisions of Rugby League in Britain.{{Cite web |last=RFL |title=RFL Match Officials |url=https://www.rugby-league.com/get-involved/match-officials |website=The RFL}}
Officials are required to take part in a Fitness Test to maintain and or gain their status.
Match Official Department Staff
Phil Bentham was re-appointed as the RFL's Head of Match Officials in February 2024.{{Cite web |title=Phil Bentham returns to Rugby League as RFL Head of Match Officials |url=https://www.rugby-league.com/article/62467/phil-bentham-returns-to-rugby-league-as-rfl-head-of-match-officials |website=RFL}} He previously held this post on an interim basis between Jan-March 2021 while Steve Ganson was on leave.
Dave Elliot served as the interim Head of Match Officials 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.{{Cite web |title=Steve Ganson to quit as RFL Head of Match Officials |url=https://www.rugby-league.com/article/62375/steve-ganson-to-quit-as-rfl-head-of-match-officials |website=RFL}}
| class="wikitable" | |
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Phil Bentham | Head of Match Officials |
| Julian King | Grade 1 Referee Group Manager |
| Chris Kendall | Grade 2 Referee Group Manager |
| Andy Smith | Grade 1 and 2 Touch Judge Manager |
| Tom Grant | Grade 2 Referee Coach |
| Ben Thaler
|Grade 3 Referee Group Manager | |
| Marcus Griffiths | Women's Super League Squad Manager |
| Ryan Cox | Appointments and Development Officer |
| Matty Lynn | Match Officials Administrator |
Graded Match Officials<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rugby-League.com |url=https://www.rugby-league.com/the_rfl/rules_and_regulations/referee_appointments |access-date=2020-03-21 |website=www.rugby-league.com}}</ref>
To become an Elite match official, Grade 1 officials must have an interview with the Head of Match Officials.
| class="wikitable"
!Grading !Referee !Touch Judge |
| Grade 1
|Super League, Championship and League 1 |Super League |
| Grade 2
|Academy and Reserves |Championship & League 1 |
| Grade 3
|National Conference League & Scholarship |Academy & Reserves |
Elite Referees (RFL Full Time Match Officials)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Full Time Match Officials {{!}} RFL |url=https://www.rugby-league.com/get-involved/match-officials/full-time-match-officials |access-date=2022-08-18 |website=www.rugby-league.com}}</ref>
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 =
Managed by Phil Bentham.
| class="wikitable sortable" border="1" |
| Name
! Society ! Age ! Year Appointed |
|---|
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Aaron Moore
|Wigan | {{ayd|1997|11|14|df=y}} | align="center" |2023 |
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Chris Kendall
|Huddersfield |{{ayd|1992|06|03|df=y}} | align="center" |2015 |
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Jack Smith
|Wigan | {{ayd|1989|02|16|df=y}} | align="center" |2022 |
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Liam Moore
|Wigan | {{ayd|1995|06|28|df=y}} | align="center" |2017 |
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Tara Jones
| Warrington | {{ayd|1996|07|10|df=y}} | align="center" |2025 |
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Tom Grant
|Leeds |{{ayd|1994|07|08|df=y}} | align="center" |2018 |
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Marcus Griffiths
|Widnes |{{ayd|1994|05|16|df=y}} | align="center" |2019 |
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Liam Rush
|Dewsbury & Batley |{{ayd|2000|06|18|df=y}} | align="center" |2022 |
| {{flagicon|AUS}} James Vella
|St George Referees (Sydney, Australia) |{{ayd|1989|6|6|df=y}} | align="center" |2022 |
= Previous Full Time Match Officials =
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Name !Society !Start !End !Total |
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Ben Thaler
|Wakefield |2005 |2024 |19 years |
| {{flagicon|ENG}} James Child
|Dewsbury & Batley |2010 |2022 |12 years |
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Cameron Worsley
|Mid Yorkshire | | | |
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Robert Hicks
|Oldham | | | |
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Scott Mikalauskas
|Leigh | |2021 | |
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Greg Dolan
| | | | |
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Phil Bentham
|Warrington | | |
| {{flagicon|FRA}} Thierry Alibert
| | | | |
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Joe Cobb
|Widnes | | | |
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Chris Campbell
|Widnes | | | |
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Steve Ganson
|St Helens | | | |
| {{flagicon|ENG}} George Stokes
|St Helens | | | |
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Ian Smith
|Oldham | | | |
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Richard Silverwood
|Dewsbury & Batley | | | |
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Ashley Klein
|Leeds | | | |
Elite Touch Judges (Super League)
Managed by Dave Elliot. By default the RFL Full Time Match Officials are graded as Elite Touch Judges.
| class="wikitable"
!Name !Society !Name !Society |
| Denton Arnold
|St Helens |Tom Grant |Leeds |
| Nick Bennett
|Dewsbury & Batley |Marcus Griffiths |Widnes |
| Dean Bowmer
|Mid Yorkshire |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
|Mid Yorkshire |Warrington |
| Gareth Jones
|Warrington |James Vella |St George Referees (Sydney, Australia) |
| Paul Marklove
|Warrington | | |
| Ellis McCarthy
|St Helens | | |
| Scott Mikalauskas
|Leigh | | |
| Jonathon Roberts
|Leeds | | |
| Richard Thompson
|Hull | | |
| Warren Turley
|Leigh | | |
| Cameron Worsley
|Mid Yorkshire | | |
| colspan="2" |Total Count = 25. Part Time = 16.
| colspan="2" |Full Time = 9. |
Grade 1 Match Officials
= Select Referees =
Managed by Julian King & Chris Kendall.
| class="wikitable"
!Name !Society !Name !Society |
| Denton Arnold
|St Helens |Sam Jenkinson |Mid Yorkshire |
| Aaryn Belafonte
|Huddersfield |Freddie Lincoln |Huddersfield |
| Nick Bennett
|Dewsbury & Batley |Matty Lynn |North East |
| Alan Billington
|Widnes |Scott Mikalauskas |Leigh |
| Luke Bland
|Leeds |Bradley Milligan |Cumberland |
| Elliot Burrow
|Barrow |Kevin Moore |Mid Yorkshire |
| Matty Clayton
|Huddersfield |Michael Smaill |Leigh |
| Ryan Cox
|St Helens |Andy Sweet |Mid Yorkshire |
| Will Gilder
|Midlands & South West |Adam Williams |Wigan |
| Sam Houghton
|Manchester |Cameron Worsley |Mid Yorkshire |
| Carl Hughes
|Mid Yorkshire |Kristoff Young |Wales |
| Jordan Hughes
|Barrow | | |
| colspan="4" |Total Count = 23. |
= Select Touch Judges =
Managed by Steve Williams.
| class="wikitable"
!Name !Society !Name !Society |
| Aaryn Belafonte
|Huddersfield |Matty Lynn |North East |
| Alan Billington
|Widnes |Ollie Maddock |Warrington |
| Luke Bland
|Leeds |Milo McKelvey |Huddersfield |
| Ben Brocklehurst
|Mid Yorkshire |Bradley Milligan |Cumberland |
| Elliot Burrow
|Barrow |Kevin Moore |Mid Yorkshire |
| Jamie Callaghan
|St Helens |Lewis O'brien |Wigan |
| Alex Cameron
|Huddersfield |Josh Pemberton |Warrington |
| Matty Clayton
|Huddersfield |Oliver Salmon |Huddersfield |
| James Collier
|Manchester |Lucas Seal |Barrow |
| James Collins
|Midlands & South West |Gary Shaw |Wigan |
| Luke Flavell
|Wigan |Joe Stearne |Mid Yorkshire |
| Tommy Gibbs
|Mid Yorkshire |Andy Sweet |Mid Yorkshire |
| Will Gilder
|Midlands & South West |Adrian Tallon |Hull |
| Aaron Giles
|Barrow |Jordan Unsworth |Leigh |
| Sam Houghton
|Manchester |Adam Williams |Wigan |
| Carl Hughes
|Mid Yorkshire |Gareth Winnard |London & The South |
| Jordan Hughes
|Barrow |Henry Winnard |London & The South |
| Sam Jenkinson
|Mid Yorkshire |Peter Wroe | Midlands & South West |
| Tara Jones
|Warrington |Kristoff Young |Wales |
| Freddie Lincoln
|Huddersfield | | |
| colspan="4" |Total Count = 39. |
Grade 2 Match Officials
= Emerging Referees =
Managed by Tom Grant.
| class="wikitable"
!Name !Society !Name !Society !Name !Society !Name !Society |
| Tolver Arnold
|St Helens |C Curren | |Alex McDonald |Midlands & South West |Pete Smith |Armed Forces |
| Mason Apsee
|Wales |Craig Davies |Wales |Milo McKelvey |Huddersfield |Joe Stearne |Mid Yorkshire |
| J Bacon
| |Simon Ellis |Dewsbury & Batley |Ryan Mitchell |Dewsbury & Batley |Adrian Tallon |Hull |
| Dylan Barlow
|Wigan |Luke Flavell |Wigan |Lewis O'brien |Wigan |Warren Turley |Leigh |
| Oliver Bowie
|Mid Yorkshire |Tommy Gibbs |Mid Yorkshire |G Pallet | |Gareth Winnard |London & The South |
| Dean Bowmer
|Mid Yorkshire |A Giles | |Neil Pascall |Leeds |Henry Winnard |London & The South |
| Ben Brocklehurst
|Mid Yorkshire |Connor Griffiths |Warrington |Josh Pemberton |Warrington |Brandon Worsley |Mid Yorkshire |
| Feargus Brown
|York |Neil Horton |Mid Yorkshire |Craig Regan |Barrow | | |
| Jamie Callaghan
|St Helens |Owen Ireland |Warrington |Aidan Rhodes |Leeds | | |
| Alex Cameron
|Huddersfield |Josh Kinsley |Hull |Oliver Salmon |Huddersfield | | |
| James Collier
|Manchester |Danny Krout |London & The South |Reece Schofield |Manchester | | |
| James Collins
|Midlands & South West |Phil Loeb |Warrington |Lucas Seal |Barrow | | |
| Matt Cowan
|London & The South |Ollie Maddock |Warrington |Gary Shaw |Wigan | | |
| Anthony Creasey
|London & The South |Paul Marklove |Warrington |Kristian Silcock |St Helens | | |
| colspan="8" |Total Count = 49 |
= Emerging Touch Judges =
Managed by Ryan Cox.
| class="wikitable"
!Name !Society !Name !Society !Name !Society |
| Mason Apsee
|Wales |Danny Frederick |Hull |Kieran O'Shea |London & South |
| Rob Apsee
|Wales |Dan Geddes |Mid Yorkshire |G Pallet | |
| Innes Arnold
|St Helens |Jordan Greenhalgh |Widnes |Neil Pascall |Leeds |
| Tolver Arnold
|St Helens |Connor Griffiths |Warrington |Shaun Pickering |St Helens |
| Jack Bacon
|Wigan |Lee Haggerty |St Helens |Simeon Quarmby |Huddersfield |
| Dylan Barlow
|Wigan |S Harrison | |Craig Regan |Barrow |
| Ronan Bird
|Widnes |R Holmes | |R Rhodes | |
| O Bowie
| |Jamie Hooper |Mid Yorkshire |Reece Schofield |Manchester |
| L Breheny
|Wigan |Rhiannon Horsman |Leeds |S Shea | |
| F Brown
| |Owen Ireland | |Kristian Silcock |St Helens |
| Paul Clayton
|Mid Yorkshire |Liam Jones |St Helens |Adam Smith | |
| L Corcoran
| |J Kinsley | |Pete Smith |Armed Forces |
| Andrew Coupar
|St Helens |Danny Krout |London & South |B Thomas | |
| Matt Cowan
|London & South |K Lewis | |C Topping | |
| G Cox
| |Phil Loeb |Warrington |T Topping | |
| Ian Curzon
|Wales |Andy Marsh |Wigan |Rebecca Whiteley |Huddersfield |
| C Davies
| |M Mills | |A Woods | |
| Rebecca Floyd
|St Helens |R Mithchell | |Jack Woolass |Mid Yorkshire |
| H Forster
| |Mia Murphy |Leigh |Brandon Worsley |Mid Yorkshire |
| Stuart Fraser
|St Helens |Beth Neilson |Huddersfield |Esmai Wright |Warrington |
| colspan="6" |Total Count = 60. |
Grade 3 Match Officials
= Entry Referees =
Managed by Tom Grant.
| class="wikitable"
!Name !Society !Name !Society !Name !Society |
| Anthony Atherton
|Wigan |Harry Forster | |Logan Miles |Dewsbury & Batley |
| T Bell
| |Jordan Greenhalgh |Widnes |M Mills | |
| J Berry
| |Liam Grundy |Dewsbury & Batley |Andrew Mulligan |St Helens |
| Ronan Bird
|Widnes |Lee Haggerty |St Helens |Mia Murphy |Leigh |
| Matty Bolton
|Barrow |S Harrison | |Robbie Nevinson |Barrow |
| N Bragg
| |Andy Hawley |Warrington |Tom Prescott |St Helens |
| Liam Breheny
|Wigan |Joby Hewitt |Mid Yorkshire |Shaun Pickering |St Helens |
| Micky Brighton
|London & The South |Ryan Holmes |Dewsbury & Batley |Sam Price |Wigan |
| Dan Brown
|Mid-Yorkshire |Jamie Hooper |Mid Yorkshire |Simeon Quarmby |Huddersfield |
| I Carson
|Leigh |Rhiannon Horsman |Leeds |R Rhodes | |
| Steve Cockram
|St Helens |S Powell | |Matt Roberts |Bradford & Halifax |
| L Corcoran
| |Liam Jones |St Helens |Dan Saunders |Leeds |
| Andrew Coupar
|St Helens |Naz Khan |Warrington |A Smith | |
| George Cox
|Hull |Dylan Kindelan |Dewsbury & Batley |Dave Swindlehurst |Wigan |
| Lucas Dabbs
|Leigh |Alex Leaf |Leeds |Tyler Topping-Higson |Wigan |
| J Davey
| |C MacDonald | |Erin Watson |Huddersfield |
| F Evans
| |Andy Marsh |Wigan |A Woods | |
| J Evans
| |M Martin | |Jack Woolass |Mid Yorkshire |
| O Filer
| |Ross McCarthy |St Helens |Esmai Wright |Warrington |
| Rebecca Floyd
|St Helens |Callum Murphy |Wigan | |
| colspan="6" |Total Count = 59. |
= Entry Touch Judges =
Managed by Ryan Cox.
| class="wikitable"
!Name !Society !Name !Society !Name !Society |
| Anthony Atherton
|Wigan |Jonathan Hewitt |Mid Yorkshire |Adrian Tallon |Hull |
| T Bell
| |Naz Khan |Warrington |B Thomas | |
| J Berry
| |D Kindelan | |E Watson | |
| M Bolton
| |Chris Lawson |London & The South |A Woods | |
| Kyle Bonsor
|Midlands & South West |A Leaf | | | |
| N Bragg
| |C MacDonald | | | |
| Dan Brown
|Mid Yorkshire |M Martin | | | |
| I Carson
|Leigh |Ross McCarthy |St Helens | | |
| Steve Cockram
|St Helens |L Miles | | | |
| Lewis Collins
|Midlands & South West |Callum Murphy |Wigan | | |
| Lucas Dabbs
|Leigh |R Nevinson | | | |
| J Davey
| |S Powell | | | |
| F Evans
| |Tom Prescott | | | |
| O Filer
| |Sam Price |Wigan | | |
| O Foulkes
| |Joe Raddings |Midlands & South West | | |
| J Foxon
| |Matt Roberts |Bradford & Halifax | | |
| Cameron Gray
|London & The South |D Saunders | | | |
| Liam Grundy
|Dewsbury & Batley |Paul Strafford |Mid Yorkshire | | |
| Andy Hawley
|Warrington |Dave Swindlehurst |Wigan | | |
| colspan="6" |Total Count = 44. |
Kit suppliers and sponsors
| class="wikitable" | |
| Period
!Manufacturers !Sponsors | |
|---|---|
| 2003-2006 | rowspan="2" |Patrick
|Powergen |
| 2007
| rowspan="3" |Engage | |
| 2008-2009
| Puma | |
| 2010-2012
| rowspan="3" |ISC | |
| 2013
| none | |
| 2014
| rowspan="3" |Specsavers | |
| 2015-2017
| BLK | |
| 2018
| rowspan="2" |Hummel | |
| 2019-2020
| rowspan="2" |Ronseal | |
| 2021-2026
| Oxen |
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
Category:Rugby league in England
Category:Rugby league referees
{{DEFAULTSORT:RFL_Match_Officials}}