How can he get both CC and GF?
Not only has he made as many f##k ups as Thaler he's also served suspension for his off field antics the same with Child he only gets involved IF he can be bothered or its Bailey.
Expect a penalty to us then 4/5 on the bounce to them as a reply!!

You can't be serious about Thaler after his displays throughout the playoffs, or maybe (using just one example) you are happy to have a referee that allows a Leeds player to stand next to the play the ball when defending his own line. This was as crucial, if not more so, in your win in France as the Warrington penalty mentioned earlier on Saturday night. I think Thaler was very poor (both ways) in both our games with Saints, and he was truly horrendous (again both ways) in your game last week.

You have to make your own luck with referee calls, if you play strong and not stupid you will get the calls. Poor calls even out and the bad ones from last week might go our way this week.

I Thought and hoped that Silverwood had blown his chance after his poor showing last Friday. A bit like Thaler lost out on Wembley (IMHO) after his 'errors' in our CC Semi v Wigan.

I was hoping for Thaler for Saturday but expecting Ganson who I still feel would be better for us than Silverwood.

I know all refs get abuse and all make mistakes but it just seems over recent seasons (possibly since the WCC v Melbourne) that his 'style' doesnt fit well with us or at least certain players?

He absolutely did his best to give Wigan that game last friday. And failed.

Guess we have to play against 14 again this saturday - bring it on

While we're on the subject of refs and reffing decisions can anyone explain whether I have the following right or not

Friday's game about 54 minutes:

Wigan kick to corner
Charnley palms ball back to Goulding
Goulding kicks ahead
Hall knocks on attempting to pick ball up, scrum Wigan.....but

Charnley was in front of Goulding and within 10m of Hall so surely it shold have been offside, penalty Leeds

None of the commentary team picked it up, but I've watched the replay and I'm sure it should have been our ball

Are you talking about the one where he was downtown at the PTB tvoc? If so Thaler got that right. If you are downtown at the PTB you can't be brought back on-side from a kick or by the kicker. If not that one then I am lost at which one you mean, but I was watching and working at the same time.

I'm not that concerned as to which referee takes charge of the GF as i have witnessed plenty of GF's which have been allowed to be refereed and under completely different rules when compared to what gets penalised in the weekly rounds

Sides standing Off-side, players holding down in the tackle, players not standing square at the PTB and other minor indiscretions are clearly ignored on this day by the referee, I just hope that both sides get the same leeway

The Video referee clearly has a sole objective each week of delivering the correct decision on what he sees in each individual incident based on his interpretations

However their interpretations clearly vary on a weekly basis and all SL sides have been robbed of games throughout the season

I hope that Saturday's game isn't one that will be decided by either of the officiating party in control

Cast your mind back 12 months to an offside decision given against Richie Myler which gave you the lead with seconds to go. Would you say that Myler had every right to pressure Sinfield seeing as he was going for the match winning drop goal? Both very marginal decisions, but 12 months ago, considering the Myler decision was handing the match to Leeds, pedantic beyond belief.

Other than it being an offside decision nothing else that occurred in the 'downtown' incident fitted my description so probably not.

As you say the downtown decision was correct. It appeared to be touch judge Robert Hicks who made the call indeed you can pick him up communicating with Thaler - 'Makinson downtown' on the Sky broadcast.



If you have access to the SL Fulltime program - not sure if it's available online - it was covered quite well on there.

According to the studio guests the score was 14 - 18 at the time. St Helens were cramming Warrington into a corner restricting yardage. St Helens line speed was very good and they were a fair ten metres from the Warrington play the ball although Thaler was stood more than ten when he penalised for offside.

It was a perfect example of what McDermott was bemoaning the previous night.

After the penalty Warrington kicked to touch took one hit-up through Ben Harrison and then shifted the ball left through Myler to Atkins who stepped clear and got an offload away inside to Waterhouse who finished strongly. Game over - St Helens never got another look in until the contest was over, IMO.

This is the best summary of the situation - the Leeds players and Silverwood just can't get a decent relationship going, certainly a referee like Thaler has a much better on field rapport with players of all teams which is important to get them to do what you want with least bother. At best, like on Friday, the players control themselves and just ignore him. But that can be remarkably difficult. At worst, Sinfield and other players start having a word and then that just makes it worse.

Whose fault is that? I don't know - but as referee your player management and game management is crucial and the ongoing difficulties Leeds have had with this referee since that Keith Senior incident makes it a concern.