RFL match officials Last updated July 12, 2025 Professional officials in British rugby league
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 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 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. [ 3]
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 Source: [ 4]
To become an Elite match official, Grade 1 officials must have an interview with the Head of Match Officials.
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
Source: [ 5]
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.
Name Society Age Year Appointed Wigan 27 years, 239 days 2023 Chris Kendall Huddersfield 33 years, 38 days 2015 Wigan 36 years, 145 days 2022 Wigan 30 years, 13 days 2017 Tara Jones Warrington 29 years, 1 day 2025 Leeds 31 years, 3 days 2018 Widnes 31 years, 56 days 2019 Dewsbury & Batley 25 years, 23 days 2022 St George Referees (Sydney, Australia) 36 years, 35 days 2022
Previous Full Time Match Officials 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 Dewsbury & Batley Marcus Griffiths Widnes Dean Bowmer Mid Yorkshire 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 Mid Yorkshire Tara Jones Warrington Gareth Jones Warrington James Vella St George Referees (Sydney, Australia) Paul Marklove Warrington Matty Lynn Warrington Ellis McCarthy St Helens Scott Mikalauskas Leigh Jonathon Roberts Leeds Richard Thompson Hull Warren Turley Leigh Cameron Worsley Mid Yorkshire Alex Cameron Huddersfield Total Count = 25. Part Time = 16.Full Time = 9.
Grade 1 Match Officials Select Referees Managed by Julian King & Chris Kendall .
Name Society Name Society Denton Arnold St Helens Sam Jenkinson Mid Yorkshire Aaryn Belafonte Huddersfield Freddie Lincoln Huddersfield Nick Bennett Dewsbury & Batley Matty Lynn Warrington 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 Total Count = 23.
Select Touch Judges Managed by Steve Williams.
Name Society Name Society Aaryn Belafonte Huddersfield Matty Lynn Warrington 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 Total Count = 39.
Grade 2 Match Officials Emerging Referees Managed by Tom Grant.
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 Jack Bacon Wigan 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 Guy Pallet Armed Forces Gareth Winnard London & The South Dean Bowmer Mid Yorkshire Aaron Giles Barrow 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 Total Count = 49
Emerging Touch Judges Managed by Ryan Cox.
Name Society Name Society Name Society Mason Apsee Wales Danny Frederick Hull Kieran O'Shea London & South Rob Apsee Wales Dan Geddes Mid Yorkshire Guy Pallet Armed Forces 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 Shea Harrison Wigan Craig Regan Barrow Ronan Bird Widnes Ryan Holmes Dewsbury & Batley Rhiece Rhodes Huddersfield Oliver Bowie Mid-Yorkshire Jamie Hooper Mid-Yorkshire Reece Schofield Manchester Liam Breheny Wigan Rhiannon Horsman Leeds S Shea F Brown Owen Ireland Warrington Kristian Silcock St Helens Paul Clayton Mid Yorkshire Liam Jones St Helens Adam Smith Huddersfield Lewis Corcoran Wigan Josh Kinsley Hull Pete Smith Armed Forces Andrew Coupar St Helens Danny Krout London & South B Thomas Matt Cowan London & South K Lewis C Topping George Cox Hull Phil Loeb Warrington Tyler Topping-Higson Wigan Ian Curzon Wales Andy Marsh Wigan Rebecca Whiteley Huddersfield C Davies Megan Mills Hull A Woods Rebecca Floyd St Helens R Mithchell Jack Woolass Hull Harry Forster Mia Murphy Leigh Brandon Worsley Mid Yorkshire Stuart Fraser St Helens Beth Neilson Huddersfield Esmai Wright Warrington Total Count = 60.
Grade 3 Match Officials Entry Referees Managed by Tom Grant.
Name Society Name Society Name Society Anthony Atherton Wigan Harry Forster Logan Miles Dewsbury & Batley T Bell Jordan Greenhalgh Widnes M Mills Jake Berry Widnes Liam Grundy Dewsbury & Batley Andrew Mulligan St Helens Ronan Bird Leigh 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 Adam Smith Huddersfield 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 Matthew Martin Mid-Yorkshire 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 Managed by Ryan Cox.
Name Society Name Society Name Society Anthony Atherton Wigan Joby Hewitt Mid Yorkshire Adrian Tallon Hull T Bell Naz Khan Warrington B Thomas J Berry Dylan Kindelan Dewsbury & Batley Erin Watson Huddersfield 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 Logan Miles Dewsbury & Batley 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 Leeds Andy Hawley Warrington Dave Swindlehurst Wigan Total Count = 44.
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