turned season around but always likely to finish out of top 2 without 4 big fast men , 2 props , centre 2nd row,

That was undoubtedly the worst refereeing performance of the season , and we have seen some s--t ones this season .
The Catalan forwards made no attempt to play the ball with their feet all game - this gives the attacking team a massive advantage. The lack of cards shown to Kasiano on two blatent illegal hits just shows how dire the standard of refereeing has sunk to . Our players are carded and suspended for the same hits , but Catalan keep 13 on the field . A yellow card when we were on a roll would have put the sh__ts up them , and it would have been anybodys game .
The RFL need to sort out the refereeing standards , before they ruin , what is the best game in the world.

I wonder what some people are watching sometimes. I thought Hicks was fine.
Rohan Smith, for the first time I can recall, singled the referee out in his presser for praise (it was "a well refereed game I thought, where he let the game be played").

Smith also said the biggest problem was not holding them in the forwards early. So he's clearly aware that we are going to struggle against bigger sides if we don't sort out the front row.

People say the FA are corrupt but the RFL are too, if not worse, a delberate ploy to make Saturday's game A must win one in this screw job of a game. RFL are a set of cu@÷s just like the ref's this year. Absolutely bent.

He was barring those 2 incidents which were so Inconsistent to the rest of the year and even last Wednesday night in how they were refereed, which is infuriating.

And what is the role of the Linesman in the game these days they seem to be anonymous

To walk over to the ref after these incidents and just nod along with what the refs saying, that's as far as I can tell anyway.

On the reffing, I think Hicks is pretty good, and I wish all games were reffed like that, it’s a tough sport and there shouldn’t be loads of penalties and cards. The one I thought he got badly wrong was not giving a penalty at the play the ball on their line.

Thought we did well in a game we were always going to struggle in. Gannon was immense, and I thought Zane continued his good run of form.

Few players were quite poor for us though. Hardaker showed why he won’t be the starting fullback with all fit. Out of position for a few kicks behind conceding goal line drop outs. Also got taken back over the line trying to run across. Tindall was shocking running out of D, always started our sets poorly. Prior looks physically finished, and offers nothing.

Few back next week though and we should beat Cas. Still amazed we’re in this position following our start to the season.

Second half was very good considering the total battering we got in the first half.
If a couple of decisions had gone our way (handover on their line, yellow cards for Kasiano and Whare), we could have given them a proper scare.
But we can't give teams a 30 point start and hope our 'conserved energy' will get us back in it.
I'm really not sure about this tactic (if it is a tactic) of holding back the defensive line.
It gives the opposition momentum. Cats rolled us up the full length of the field time and again.
Clearly we need a couple of big hitters in D to counter this.
In the forwards, thought Bentley and Tetevano showed up the best.
Prior is clearly finished and it's becoming a big problem.
Walters did OK going forward, but has a lot of development to do in D and needs to bulk up.
The second choice 3/4's got exposed and gave us very little go forward.
I can't see Tindall making it, he puts the brakes on every time he's going into collision.
We really did miss Handley and Fusitua.

Anyway, on to Saturday and winner takes all.
Hopefully no more injuries (Dwyer?) or suspensions (?).
Get some of the starting backs in and we should have enough.

I’m convinced being passive in D is how RS is trying to mitigate our lack of props. To be aggressive in D and get up fast, you have to have good prop rotation, which we don’t! The tactic worked against hudds, but won’t against saints.