# RFL match officials

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

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 |

## Elite Referees (RFL Full Time Match Officials)

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 |
| Aaron Moore | Wigan | 27 years, 120 days | 2023 |
| Chris Kendall | Huddersfield | 32 years, 284 days | 2015 |
| Jack Smith | Wigan | 36 years, 26 days | 2022 |
| Liam Moore | Wigan | 29 years, 259 days | 2017 |
| Tara Jones | Warrington | 28 years, 247 days | 2025 |
| Tom Grant | Leeds | 30 years, 249 days | 2018 |
| Marcus Griffiths | Widnes | 30 years, 302 days | 2019 |
| Liam Rush | Dewsbury & Batley | 24 years, 269 days | 2022 |
| James Vella | St George Referees (Sydney, Australia) | 35 years, 281 days | 2022 |

### Previous Full Time Match Officials

| 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)

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 | | |
| Ellis McCarthy | St Helens | | |
| Scott Mikalauskas | Leigh | | |
| Jonathon Roberts | Leeds | | |
| Richard Thompson | Hull | | |
| Warren Turley | Leigh | | |
| Cameron Worsley | Mid Yorkshire | | |
| Total Count = 25. Part Time = 16. | Total Count = 25. Part Time = 16. | Full Time = 9. | 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 | 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 | | |
| Total Count = 23. ||||

### Select Touch Judges

Managed by Steve Williams.
| Name | Society | Name | Society |
| Aaryn Belafonte | Huddersfield | Matty Lynn | North East |
| Alan Billington | Widnes | Ollie Maddock | Warrington |
| Luke Bland | Leeds | Milo McKelvey | |
| Ben Brocklehurst | Mid Yorkshire | Bradley Milligan | Cumberland |
| Elliot Burrow | Barrow | Kevin Moore | Mid Yorkshire |
| Jamie Callaghan | St Helens | Lewis O'brien | Wigan |
| Alex Cameron | Bradford, Halifax & Huddersfield | Josh Pemberton | Warrington |
| Matty Clayton | | Oliver Salmon | |
| James Collier | | 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 |
| A Giles | | Jordan Unsworth | |
| 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 | P Wroe | |
| 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 | | A McDonald | | Pete Smith | Armed Forces |
| Mason Apsee | Wales | C Davies | | Milo McKelvey | | Joe Stearne | Mid Yorkshire |
| J Bacon | | Simon Ellis | Dewsbury & Batley | R Mitchell | | Adrian Tallon | Hull |
| Dylan Barlow | Wigan | Luke Flavell | Wigan | Lewis O'brien | Wigan | Warren Turley | Leigh |
| O Bowie | | 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 |
| F Brown | | Neil Horton | Mid Yorkshire | Craig Regan | Barrow | | |
| Jamie Callaghan | St Helens | Owen Ireland | | A Rhodes | | | |
| Alex Cameron | Bradford, Halifax & Huddersfield | J Kinsley | | Oliver Salmon | | | |
| James Collier | | 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 | 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 |
| 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 | |
| J Berry | | Liam Grundy | Dewsbury & Batley | 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 |
| Micky Brighton | London & The South | Ryan Holmes | Dewsbury & Batley | Sam Price | Wigan |
| D Brown | | Jamie Hooper | Mid Yorkshire | 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 | Mid Yorkshire |
| 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 | 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 | R Nevinson | |
| Total Count = 44. ||||||

## Kit suppliers and sponsors

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