.. except this time it's a referee. Former Welsh rugby union referee James Jones has Super League ambition Full story below. www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk ... story.html

.. except this time it's a referee. Former Welsh rugby union referee James Jones has Super League ambition Full story below. www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk ... story.html

Quote Anthony Jones="Anthony Jones".. except this time it's a referee. Former Welsh rugby union referee James Jones has Super League ambition Full story below. www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk ... story.html'" Is he your Dad? Good luck to him. Provided he can garner sufficient knowledge of the game then good, we do need additional stock of referees. Three or four of the current crop need work, so this may enable them to take one of them out of the firing line for some development.

Quote Anthony Jones="Anthony Jones".. except this time it's a referee. Former Welsh rugby union referee James Jones has Super League ambition Full story below. www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk ... story.html'" Is he your Dad? Good luck to him. Provided he can garner sufficient knowledge of the game then good, we do need additional stock of referees. Three or four of the current crop need work, so this may enable them to take one of them out of the firing line for some development.

No, he's not my dad.

I've no idea who many games of RL he's played in his life, but rest assured, he never played a game of RU in his life either, apparently, so I was told.
It sounds like he's learning his trade in the South Wales game.

Long way to go in his development yet, but the deeper a pool of match officials the game has to pick from the more chance it will bring the good ones to the fore.

Much like football, I'm disappointed at the lack of former pro players who take up officiating after retirement. Even if they quit at say 35, they've still got a good ten years or more, and their knowledge of the game and empathy with the players gives them a head start on someone who has never played the game to any kind of decent standard IMO.

That's a good idea, and maybe we could put forward suggestions of players in their twilight years who are familiar with the rules and procedures.

I nominate Gareth Hock.

Lee Briers too, who every week demonstrated his knowledge of the laws of the game and ability to communicate them to match officials.

Well, Kevin Sinfield has shown you don't need to wear a referees shirt to referee games

Sir Kevin , please.

There was a Blackpool Borough player who became a touch judge after he retired from playing, can't remember his name offhand.

Was it Jim Molyneux ???

Also Jamie Bloem.

the only recent ref who played at a higher level I can remember was Jamie Bloem