Rising NRL whistleblower Gerard Sutton has been preferred over his grand final co-referee Shayne Hayne for the Four Nations tournament.

Sutton, who is yet to referee at international level and controlled his first NRL decider earlier this month, has been appointed as the Australian referee for the four-week tournament which starts on October 25.

There had been speculation before the grand final that it would be Hayne’s last game, but it is understood he will referee again in 2015.

NRL referees boss and Four Nations Match Officials Convenor Tony Archer said Sutton deserved his appointment, after announcing the appointments on Friday.

“It’s obviously a great opportunity for these match officials, who are from different competitions and different nations, to come together and officiate in a very important tournament,” Archer said.

“It was a difficult decision. Shayne is a very experienced referee. It simply came down to who was best for the Four Nations.

“Gerard deserves the opportunity to referee in this tournament. He’s the right man for the job.”

Fellow NRL referee Henry Perenara will also officiate in the tournament as New Zealand’s appointed official.

The match officials for the tournament which starts with the double-header between Samoa and England and then Australia v New Zealand on Saturday week is:

Grant Atkins (touch judge – Australia), Phil Bentham (referee – England), Anthony Elliott (touch judge – New Zealand), Robert Hicks (touch judge – England), Henry Perenara (referee and video referee – NZ), Ian Smith (video referee – England), Bernard Sutton (video referee – Aust), Gerard Sutton (referee – Aust), Jason Walsh (touch judge – Aust), Ben Cummins (replacement referee – Aust).