Nice to see that Child is referee on Friday
I'm off to the bookies to back Wigan

I'd probably wait and see if Tomkins plays first.

Don't think even Child can referee us to a win if he doesn't play.

How many of you spotted the Hull KR player drop the ball for their last try then?

Was it handed to the Video Ref who clearly made the wrong call?

Not sure what that second screen shows, ball isnt down for mine? But appears to be touching the post (which in my opinion was the only reason the ball doesnt go fully on the sideline). Top one is the only one that can be used to give the try. Cant say it was 50-50 as there is more debate. Just another notch in the old bedpost. Move on now.

As a Rovers fan the officials have done us few favours this year so I may be a bit blinkered. You expect poor decisions from the ref in the middle. They get things wrong, thing are open to interpretation, players decieve them etc. The imcompetence of them when they get to see multiple angles on slow mo video and still get it wrong is breath taking however.

This bunch of officials don't improve. They let the game down. I've not seen the NRL to see if a second ref overseeing the ruck helps and may be a solution. The fact that they aren't improving points to their management and for me Jon sharp has done nothing to improve them.

Can anyone explain the role of the linesman. Other than most of them look like they have just finished a paper round, need a good meal, look like they are about to burst into tears and can't measure ten metres I'm lost.

Coaches are continually expressing their disbelief at the officials performances and you can see their fustration.

I can't think of one official who is getting better (in fact most get worse). Most of them give the home team the majority of penalties as they appear intmidated by the crowd. There appears no sanctions for appaling performances (Mr. Ganson was allegedly I repeat allegedly drunk at millenium magic gave an incredible video decision and misses one game!).

The RFL have to review Sharp's position he has to go.

The entire issue of quality officiating comes back - IMO - to the way match officials are treated in the amateur game.

You wonder how many potentially excellent candidates are put off by the abuse, both verbal and physical, that is commonplace within the grass roots where officials learn their trade.

The smaller the pool you have to pick from, the less likely you are to get the best people. If there were excellent referees running around at Championship and National Conference levels you could argue that it's the selection process or training that is to blame, but I genuinely believe those operating in SL are the best that rugby league officiating in this country has to offer.

I have to add my view.... not often prompted to actually write on here but here goes.

Instead of the stupid effing headcam that Sky seem so taken with, why can't we have the video ref audio that we get with CC games on the BBC. This is a real benefit because even if we disagree with (or know and screaming at the telly about when they are wrong.....Mr Ganson) the video ref, we can at least understand what he is looking at, his deliberations about benefit of the doubt or whatever and hear his justification for the decision.

Transparency is a wonderful thing (in our game that is)

Surely you are not limiting this to Rugby League? or are you saying officials of all sports are poor?

No matter what sport it is, fans at any level complain about officials, players complain about officials. In football there is stories of much worse episodes of abuse at amateur level.

The critisisms at amateur level in our game is nowhere near as bad as it was 20 years ago and before. A lot, a very lot, has been done at the grass roots through the respect campaign to change that.

Our problem became worse, the moment we switched to full time officials, but having only a small pool working that way. It should have been all or nothing. The fact that officials can have a stinker yet still have a game the week after, due to no competition, is the reason they are so poor.

Complete agree, it would be an actual worthwhile addition - unlike Stuart Cummings and the head cam.

All fair points AG/Gotcha but its clear that our current crop make some awful mistakes even with technology available which imo points to lack of training/coaching and zero repurcussions and thats nowt to do with how amateur officials are treated imo.

Slightly OT but Catalans officials are not at all happy about Zeb Taia getting a 3 game ban, they even made a video called 'double standards' - en.catalansdragons.com/index.php ... 08-07_2928

Slightly OT but Catalans officials are not at all happy about Zeb Taia getting a 3 game ban, they even made a video called 'double standards' - en.catalansdragons.com/index.php ... 08-07_2928

Quote ="MattyLeeds"Slightly OT but Catalans officials are not at all happy about Zeb Taia getting a 3 game ban, they even made a video called 'double standards' - en.catalansdragons.com/index.php ... 08-07_2928'" In all fairness, as petty as it is, watching that video really does highlight how incompetent the RFL disciplinary must be, to have such inconsistency.

Quote ="MattyLeeds"Slightly OT but Catalans officials are not at all happy about Zeb Taia getting a 3 game ban, they even made a video called 'double standards' - en.catalansdragons.com/index.php ... 08-07_2928'" In all fairness, as petty as it is, watching that video really does highlight how incompetent the RFL disciplinary must be, to have such inconsistency.

Quote ="MattyLeeds"Slightly OT but Catalans officials are not at all happy about Zeb Taia getting a 3 game ban, they even made a video called 'double standards' - en.catalansdragons.com/index.php ... 08-07_2928'" I've a soft spot for Catalans, but they really need to shut up and sit down in this instance. Taia nearly decapitated the Saints player.

Quote ="MattyLeeds"Slightly OT but Catalans officials are not at all happy about Zeb Taia getting a 3 game ban, they even made a video called 'double standards' - en.catalansdragons.com/index.php ... 08-07_2928'" I've a soft spot for Catalans, but they really need to shut up and sit down in this instance. Taia nearly decapitated the Saints player.

But watch the video. Is there really that much difference between the challenges?

Yeh they do have a valid point to be fair.

There is on some, less so on others.

What were the disciplinary records of the other players/early please etc?

Just showing the videos with a gallic whinge tells us about 30% of what we need to know.

I thought the the disciplinary records of players only came into account in relation to the ban not the charging?

Maybe I misunderstood on that whinge from Catalans, but I thought their complaint was on the grading as much as anything else, and the grading is determined before looking at previous records.

For their video they picked a camera angle which concealed the impact in real-time. I watched this game on TV and seen from the camera on the other side of the pitch it was horrendous. At the time I honestly didn't think we'd see this player again this season.

The majority of the other tackles are more clumsy than malicious in my opinion - the exact reverse of Taia's.

That's the point though isn't it, it's opinion rather than taking the facts as they're presented. Any shoulder charge that is both late and on someone who isn't looking should be dealt with by a ban IMO, there's no excuse for it.

I think that video shows up the huge inconsistencies in 'after the fact' disciplinary (the notable exception being Ellis' which was a legitimate tackle according to the laws of the game). I think they're right to ban Taia, and the non-banning of the other players is difficult to comprehend - the no charge on Pie chops beggars belief - I don't think they're saying Taia shouldn't be banned for any other reason than the RFL have shown that he shouldn't.

Regarding the Catalan video's compilation

All you have to hope for from the referees and the judiciary is that there is consistency shown when the penalties or when the bans are handed out throughout the season irrespective of who made the tackle or which player was injured as a result

I agree that some of the challenges were slightly worse than others but by how much?
Where do they draw the line as to what is deemed a fair late shot when the player has released the ball whilst attacking the line?

I don't want to sound cynical here but hypothetically speaking:
IF ALL of those challenges had occurred in challenges against a well known superstar of our competition then how many of those challenges would have received a not guilty verdict?

I think the video raises a valid point. They'll probably get a slap for it, but the biggest issue with refereeing is consistency.

Ref are inconsistent within a game
Video refs are inconsistent with each other and the disiplinary are inconsistent week to week. I accept that all events are different, but there is certainly not enough difference between those incidents to result in such different grades and punishments

There is no culture of abuse in RU at any level towards officials yet all they get at the top are random decision making machines with little or no understanding of half of what goes on in front of them.

Taia's challenge is late, deliberate and targets O'Brien's head with his shoulder.

Much the same as the one from Bousquets on Theo Fages earlier in the year which knocked the Salford half back unconscious.

The other challenges they have chosen to focus on to show "inconsistency" are all marginal. Some are front on challenges with the chest/shoulder (Ellis, Scruton), others are shoulders but not to the head (Taylor).

This is the second time in twelve months they've thrown their toys out of the pram about refereeing conspiracies. If any other coach or CEO did it (or as much as looked in the direction of the directors box to indicate the reason why a team wins the penalty count) they would be looking at a sizeable fine and reprimand from the RFL.

We're all thinking it, so I'll say it.

Garlic Eating Surrender Monkeys.

There.