Same thing happened last time. James Child took no action at all on the field yet come the guilty verdict apparently he heard it and felt it was aimed at him. This was the same weekend a HKR player was sent off by a referee who thought he swore at him, yet Child did nothing. In that HKR incident the word of the ref was enough and player banned on the Tuesday as normal.....yet the Hardaker incident wasn't settled until the following Wednesday. Why in that other case was the referee's report enough for a straight forward decision yet it took a week longer for the Hardaker verdict even though both refs allegedly heard their accused.

Again if Silverwood has truly heard him then why wasn't it dealt with and him charged on Monday and banned on Tuesday? The HKR player (Weyman I believe) followed that timeline......no reason for this not to be the same.

I found it fishy then that the ref took no on-field action and find it fishy again.

And a getting a lip reader in? Seriously? Does lip reading really hold any legal weight?

The RFL seem to have put themselves in a very tight situation which makes me think that either they are chancing their arm and will try to wriggle out of this or they have some concrete evidence that they have yet to disclose.

Either way they're not going to come out of this whole episode looking anything but petty or corrupt.

Surely they're tripping over their own feet.

I mean riddle me this....

IF the referee says he heard it, then why is a lip reader needed at all?

FB I honestly don't buy this "corrupt" stuff simply because there are too many idiots not fit for purpose involved at Red Hall to even attempt to be "Corrupt"!
For years many of their structures & procedures have been questioned especially around their officials & Disciplinary structures and routines.
I do however think they are inept and whatever the outcome I'd like to see a full review of their operation from top to bottom in the off season.

Have to agree with you there mate, the RFL seem to come under constant criticism from all sectors of the game yet they never seem to improve. Top to bottom shake down seems to be the only solution, either that or the top 6 teams break away (which would in turn force the rest of the league to follow suit).

Thought it was the the RFL disciplinary not a legal case.

As for the lip reading well it got Suarez banned so it is used. If he did it then he needs to be banned again.

Leeds Rhinos highlighting the obvious holes and generally throwing question marks everywhere.

Over to you RFL.

Well played Gary.

RFL will be $hitting it! the press officer needs sacking.

Exacally lots of questions if he is found guilty cannot see us accepting it.

After the game there was no mention in the refs report, then a social media witch hunt begins and it suddenly appears in his report.

If he did hear it why no action on field he didn't even speak to hardaker about it

If he heard it why do they need a lip reader to be employed.

I wonder what the criteria is to "charge"
On the balance of probability or beyond all resonable doubt?

I thought the whole uproar about this subject was upsetting people who are offended by the comment. If NOBODY but the ref (and they interviewed Saints player who said he heard nothing), heard anything, and even the ref is saying he doesn't know exactly, hence the appointment of a lip reader. Who exactly is offended by these comments to warrant any action by the RFL?

No problem with the statement being "24 hours late". Perhaps Leeds wanted to carefully work out the facts of things before issuing a media release, unlike the RFL.

Gary Hetherington is now having trial by social media too

Its easy to think they are corrupt of have an agenda For the most part its simply rank incompetence at Red Hall. They hold back our sport to an astonishing degree, I really think its time for the SL clubs for the good of the game to think about a break away organisation like the top football clubs did. Darts suffered form rank incompetence holding their game back and was run by old farts in suits, The player took matters in their own hands and formed the PDC. Rugby league has reached that tipping point. Will anyone be surprised if Hardaker announces at the end of the season that hes had enough and is off to a professional competition like the NRL or even the RFU. He probably wouldnt be the last either.

Silverwoods position is untenable. He has either neglected to report the most important indiscretion during the course of the match to the match commisioner (and failed to act at the time) or he has made something up after the report was completed. The original referees report must be released to the public. He has also suggested he heard the offending remark. If thats the case why are the RFL bringing in a lip reader? Dont they believe or trust the integrity of their own match official or is the reality that he didnt hear anything, has altered and added to his report and has been called out on this lie by Leeds? If this proves to be the case be must be sacked any authority or integrity will be gone, Period.

I'm loving the Wigan RL Fans account that's @ing the Met Police in all of their tweets about Hardaker. There's going to be some confused coppers in London.

Can anyone remember what Richard Silverwood did off the field at a Huddersfield/Leeds game a couple of years back? Don't think anyone needed lip readers for that.

Just seen he is the appointed video ref for Friday. He really should be stood down to elsewhere, that is not right at all.

@SilversRef - I'd love to comment but I can't.

They are also doing it on totalrlfansforum all these people would be all lining up to sign him and Gary has now got them all in a quandary

This is a shambles and it could get very messy, I'm fairly sure Hetherington wouldn't have issued that statement without seeking some advice from legal bods!

These situations can rapidly escalate , this has the potential to do so. High court here we come.

I've just said the same thing on Twitter and got hounded for it...

5 minutes ago @SilversRef couldn't comment...

"2 sides to every story. Shouldn't always believe everything that's written !! "

A formal complaint should be made about silverwood and his integrity, he should not be ref at all until the issues clearly highlighted by GH are addressed let alone a ref in a Leeds game. Typical RFL though

A Rhinos Fan has just told me to shut up for saying he shouldn't be anywhere near our game on Friday.

Apparently if what I said is true Zak should also be banned while it's all sorted...

Thoughts?!

It's a disgrace. The RFL and the opposition fans can go f*ck themselves.