Chris James (referee)

Chris James is an Australian former rugby league referee who controlled 228 first-grade games. He is now General Manager of Football Operations at the Newcastle Knights.

Chris James

Refereeing information
Years Competition Apps 2009–17 National Rugby League 228 2009 Pacific Cup 2 2013 City vs Country Origin 1
Source: [1]

Career

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 after a total of 228 games 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 and in 2025 moved to the Newcastle Knights as General Manager of Football Operations