changes in component class member not available in other phases?

[svande]

Hello,

I have a commandButton in a richfaces modalPanel.
After an update of a row I want to refresh and then rerender the table.

<a4j:commandButton value="Store"
        action="#{contractHome.update}" 
        actionListener="#{bspCodesTable.refresh}"
        reRender="bspCodeListTable" 
        oncomplete="#{rich:component('modalPanel')}.hide();">
</a4j:commandButton>

I put the table in SESSION scope to be sure I get the right one.
With breakpoints I checked the list is indeed set to null with the refresh:

public void refresh(ActionEvent event) {
        list = null;
}

But surprisingly the list is not anymore null when it is called to reRender the table.

It seems to be that the component class member 'list' is not outjected and available for subsequent uses in other phases or other actions or something of the kind...

Any help very welcome.