The RFL have announced that Chris Kendall is the latest referee to be appointed as a full-time match official.
Kendall, who has taken charge of games in the Kingstone Press National Conference through to the Championship, is a product of the RFL’s cadet programme.
In recent seasons he has been a regular touch-judge at First Utility Super League matches, making his debut at Harlequins v St Helens in 2012.
The 23-year-old, a former Huddersfield Giants Academy player, wanted to be involved in Rugby League after playing and would encourage others to do the same.
“This next step of my career feels special,” he said. “This is something I’ve wanted to do since being a young boy and getting involved at community level.
“I really enjoyed playing the game but I knew the right choice for me was in refereeing. It’s a great environment to be in with the other full-time officials. I’ve learnt a lot from guys like Ben Thaler and Steve Ganson.
“It’s the perfect opportunity for players and others to stay in Rugby League and experience the big moments like finals and Magic Weekend again.”
RFL Match Officials Director Steve Ganson is delighted to see Kendall progress through the RFL’s cadet programme producing another full-time official.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for Chris,” he said. “It’s a big step up to full-time refereeing but we feel he is on the right path and improving all the time.
“He has produced some consist performances in League 1 and the Championship. We can see a lot of potential in Chris and he is really dedicated to this position.
“There are opportunities for high quality officials to follow a career pathway in refereeing.”
