Chris James

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.

Career James started his career controlling matches in the Group Six Rugby League competition. He was graded into the NSWRLRA in 2004, becoming referee number 900. 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.

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. The parties reached a confidential settlement in 2018.

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