Chris James (referee)
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Chris James is an Australian former rugby league referee who controlled 228 first-grade games.
Career
[edit]James started his career controlling matches in the Group Six Rugby League competition.[2] He was graded into the NSWRLRA in 2004, becoming referee number 900.[3] In 2009 he made his National Rugby League debut, controlling a match between the Gold Coast Titans and the Newcastle Knights. That year, he also controlled the Jim Beam Cup grand final and matches at the Pacific Cup.[1]
He became a regular first grade referee and controlled the 2013 City vs Country Origin match. His 100th NRL game was on 5 April 2014, between the Penrith Panthers and the Canberra Raiders.[3] In 2016, Tyson Frizell was suspended for a match for making contact with James, during a match between the St George Illawarra Dragons and the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.[4]
He was sacked by the National Rugby League in 2017 and took legal action, backed by the Professional Rugby League Match Officials and Unions NSW.[5] The parties reached a confidential settlement in 2018.[6]
James was appointed Football Operations Manager of the Sydney Roosters in 2020.
References
[edit]- ^ a b Ferguson, Shawn Dollin and Andrew. "- Chris James (referee) - Rugby League Project". www.rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
- ^ "NRL referee Chris James returns to where it all started". 6 May 2017. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
- ^ a b "NRL ref returns to Group 6". 3 May 2017. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
- ^ "Judiciary finds Frizell guilty of referee contact". 2 August 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
- ^ Proszenko, Adrian (20 November 2017). "Leading referee Chris James takes unfair dismissal action against NRL". Retrieved 22 November 2017 – via The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ Proszenko, Adrian (10 February 2018). "NRL settles unfair dismissal case with referee Chris James". The Sydney Morning Herald.