we see incidents where defending players are stood(or walking through the attacking line sometimes getting in the way of fluant play, there are involved but are sly about it, this is let go all the time. I have seen Fozzard set off for the kick chase before the ball was played, he didn't get behind the play the ball infact he was past the defensive line. I've also seen him come on as a sub and not get on side but come on behind the defensive line moving towards the receiver and was put on side by a man passing him. Isn't that the same principle?

I think what happend to Webb happens more than we think! I will keep an eye out for it and get back to you.

And if a player from his own team advances with the ball and then passes it to him he'll be offside. If it's hoofed over his head then he's offside if he encroaches within ten metres of the catcher. The only thing that puts him onside and in a position to play at the ball is if it is touched in flight by an opposition player.

Please do. I'd like to see and discuss some specific examples that show the Webb/Burrow call was not an isolated case and where although the ruling was correct Leeds were singled out and punished.

On a similar note I can't help noticing that since the NRL controversially removed the corner flag from having a relevance in try scoring decisions there hasn't been a single try awarded with a player coming in to contact with one.

Mr Smith isn't doing much to help this cause. I've been scratching my head for large parts of this match!!

He was abysmal and this is the standard set by the Refs chief!

Well, we saw the best and worst of Ian Smith tonight and the reason why he will probably never get the top games. He made 3 clear errors for me but one really crucial and very clear error that did seemingly turn the game against HKR.

The ball steal that was not a ball steal and then of course that led almost straight to the sin-binning of Newton and Warrington Try. I have argued before that ref's (video in particular) should stick to making decisions on the basis of exactly what he sees (or can see), or does not see (can't see), and not assume anything. In the case of ref'ing our game, assuming can lead to the old saying of it making an ass(of)U(&icon_wink.gifme. Ian Smith clearly assumed that Hull KR had stolen the ball because it just looked like they had to him, but he clearly did not actual see that happen as the Sky reply shows a very clear attempted off-load and not even a hint of a ball steal!

We did however see a good video ref decision that used good judgement of the real speed of the game and not just blindly looking at and following the slow-motion frame by frame reply to make a call.

Still, not a good start by Mr Smith to the respect the ref weekend!

All great points IA and i agree but what really got me was that he was prepared (rightly imo) to clamp down on the grapple tackle and high shots against HKR but Wire went virtually unpunished which again highlights the inconsistency when this buffoon is the whistle blower.

Ian Smith and Ben Thaler both took control of two SL games last weekend. According to this: www.therfl.co.uk/about/page.php?id=183&areaid=54 Ian Smith was supposed to be doing the Hull V Salford game not Warrington V Hull KR, do the referees not have sat navs? In addition Ian Smith is scheduled to do the Wakefield - Wigan game at Belle Vue on Sunday. Should referees be expected to double up now that they are full-time or is it asking too much? And why is it the oldest of our referees in Ian Smith who has been given the heaviest SL workload?

Ian Smith and Ben Thaler both took control of two SL games last weekend. According to this: www.therfl.co.uk/about/page.php?id=183&areaid=54 Ian Smith was supposed to be doing the Hull V Salford game not Warrington V Hull KR, do the referees not have sat navs? In addition Ian Smith is scheduled to do the Wakefield - Wigan game at Belle Vue on Sunday. Should referees be expected to double up now that they are full-time or is it asking too much? And why is it the oldest of our referees in Ian Smith who has been given the heaviest SL workload?

I like Ian Smith, unfortunately he's about as much use as an Emile Heskey goal scoring masterclass.

How can you respect that referee performance today? he is so out of his depth it is untrue as people were saying should of stuck to been a linesman.

Mr Ganson is still injured

That's as maybe, my point (that you quote) refers to the RFL's solution these past two weeks which appears to include doubling the SL workload of it's most senior official.

Where are the young, eager referees sat outside the elite group? Shouldn't they be the ones taking up the slack created by 'old man' Ganson's present difficulties?

In the NRL they have two referees per game, in SL at times we have one referee for two games.

Some NRL refs double up over a weekend as well.