Former Huddersfield Giants Academy player Chris Kendall has been appointed a full-time match official.

The 23-year-old referee, who has taken charge of games in the Kingstone Press National Conference through to the Championship, is a product of the Rugby Football League’s cadet programme.

In recent seasons he has been a regular touchjudge in First Utility Super League matches, making his debut in the Harlequins v St Helens clash at The Stoop in 2012.

Kendall had always planned to remain in the game once his playing days were over and would encourage others to do the same.

“This next step in my career feels special,” said the former Newsome Panthers product. “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 and become a 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.”