RFL "we can't be seen to investigate based on a ridiculous Twitter storm can we"

Silversref "do you need it in the report? I heard something but not sure what"

Interesting development.

I think both Hardaker and Silverwood should be respected and treated properly. I don't want to see a witch hunt of a ref and I don't want to see a witch hunt of a player.

I think Leeds have raised a lot of good points, but maybe those points should have been made in conversation directly with the RFL and not in a virtual declaration of war.

IMHO the Leeds Statement is valid and is necessary, given their assertions, and again I think Silverwood should not be put in charge on Friday.

Like the lad's next move is going to be within British RL after this .

Probably but equally I am glad they have the RFL came out first in the media, to be honest I don't and never have trusted red hall, at least it's out in the media now they have to respond, couldn't see us getting much joy speaking to them behind closed doors.
I still don't think silverwood should be anywhere near a Leeds game till this is sorted out

The only thing that matters is the player. He is the one persecuted due to the RFL's actions when there was no need for them to make anything public, and the questionable actions of the referee.

The declaration of war had no choice, due to the actions of the other parties. They put the club in that position.

But where one party is innocent until proven otherwise, there is serious questions now about the other party. Therefore there should be a clear investigation. His position is untenable.

If something comes out of this later that clearly makes Hardaker guilty then he will be dealt with then. But until then he is innocent, yet is the only party who has being victimised and persecuted.

Cracking post!!

When deploring witch hunts, there's nothing more imaginative than countering with a retaliatory witch hunt of one's own.

Quote ="Ferdy"Probably but equally I am glad they have the RFL came out first in the media, to be honest I don't and never have trusted red hall, at least it's out in the media now they have to respond, couldn't see us getting much joy speaking to them behind closed doors. I still don't think silverwood should be anywhere near a Leeds game till this is sorted out'" Richard Silverwood has been suspended more often than Zak Hardaker, fact fans. news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 895011.stm www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/14995646

Quote ="Ferdy"Probably but equally I am glad they have the RFL came out first in the media, to be honest I don't and never have trusted red hall, at least it's out in the media now they have to respond, couldn't see us getting much joy speaking to them behind closed doors. I still don't think silverwood should be anywhere near a Leeds game till this is sorted out'" Richard Silverwood has been suspended more often than Zak Hardaker, fact fans. news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 895011.stm www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/14995646

It is possible that Zak did say it and Silverwood heard it.

If that emerges and Silverwood has received a huge amount of stick over this then I think the refs would be well within their rights to withdraw their services for a few weeks to show how well we get on without refs.



It was already public to everyone anyway. I think the RFL have made an error, it probably didn't need a war over it.



It's a huge 5hitstorm now and there's the potential for everyone to be covered. An angry meeting between GH and the RFL Head could have cleared the air a little but now it's almost impossible there won't be casualties.



The RFL have IMO made statements they shouldn't have made. But Leeds have done the same thing with Silverwood. We shouldn't be looking to kick people out of our game unless they truly deserve it.



Silverwood is innocent until proved guilty too.

The Rfl have to publish both the referees and match commissioners original reports then

I think you have a few facts at confusion there.

The public only knew about this because the RFL press officer released it to the press. Despite no charges being made. It is from this that the persecution of the player has took off.

There is every chance Hardaker could have said it, but until that is proven he is innocent. What is clear however, is that the ref acted outside the way he should act, did not follow the rules properly, and has now created this situation.

Nobody is saying kick people out of the game. They are saying there should be an investigation also on the way the referee has acted here, and as we have an ongoing investigation on the player surely the key witness to that should not be involved in games involving him. He should be stood down for Friday.

What do you mean when you say Silverwood is innocent until proved guilty? He is guilty of not following the guidelines laid down and performing a cover up after the event, that is clear. If it is subsequently proven he also made comments that were untrue also, then he should also be charged on that score, but until that investigation (if it happens), then yes we can not presume guilt on that one.

It would appear this has been deleted now... hmm...

It was public to everyone getting in a lather on forums. It wasn't public (in the press) to those with a passing or no interest in RL. Because of the RFL's ill-timed release it now is, so what you've got is RL in the news with homophobia headlines.

The alternative way of dealing with this was to wait until they'd actually investigated the incident, then either 1) There is no story, because Hardaker hasn't been proved to have said anything, or 2) The story is a positive about the result of the RL dealing with a homophobic incident. Instead you have a massive mess. This is the same RFL media department that announced Sinfield's international retirement in the middle of transfer deadline day.

Their level of incompetence knows no bounds.

Oh dear. I appear to agree with Billy Eve.

Hardaker and Silverwood's roles in all this remain unclear. They are both innocent until proven guilty. If I were the RFL I might have thought about this and quietly moved him to another match.

The RFL handling of this has been a massive clusterf**k.

Isn't there a case for the RFL charging themselves with bringing the game into disrepute?

Also where does that smug Mr Cummings stand in all this

That evil genius orchestrated the whole thing.

This is what happens when you let pu ffs run the show

Maybe the South Stand's chants at the end of the game gave him flashbacks to his time on the pitch.

Just been on FB and one silly so and so has just said 'why shouldn't they release his name ? And names get released when they've been charged' then he called Hardaker some kind of an obscenity .i can see Hardaker taking this further too with the clubs support.

The people who are slating Silverwood have you ever thought that during the match he heard something and thought that's not important and hence why he did not report anything.

He is getting backed into a corner now as well. If he heard anything then a lip reader would not be needed.

The video ref decisions are now going to have four people making the call. Two refs, one lip reader in case naughty words are spoken by the defense and a psychic in case the lip reader misses something.

Some of the obscenities that are now being used on various social media forums FB in particular describing Hardaker is absolutely vile.

And now the RFL have responded to the Leeds statement by "declining to comment on an active investigation".

Precisely the opposite of what they did yesterday.

Can see it now.....

Square in the air, "I wanna check onside/offside, the grounding of the ball.....and if the FB called the try scorer a puff"

T'is the future I tell thee.