Unfortunately ( as we found) the further down the pecking order you go the worse the ref you are allocated. That isn't meant as a blame the ref comment it is just a fact. As you have said you seem to get this one an inordinate number of times, whilst Saints or Wigan will probably sick of seeing the likes of Thaler week in week out.

The problem is though, what you are suggesting isn't the case. We get this idiot a lot because we are on sky a lot. For some reason the RFL see this idiot as the number one ref, hence the face of sky all the time. If it was what you are suggesting, then we would be getting one of the more none noticeable refs.

Just like to say, and might just be first half, but think Thaler has been excellent tonight. Just to keep it balanced.

And then he spoils it all . How do you miss a forward pass like that.

How can Cummings defend the officials there

Cummings what a idiot, even on TV he cannot spot a forward pass , the other commentators could believe what he was saying. No wonder the refs in this sport are shocking

Time to bin Cummings off.

Seriously will bend over backwards to defend an obvious muck-up from the refs and adds nothing to the commentary of any value.

Kendall is very poor but not the worst both child's and if you can remember Kirkpatrick were much worse as they thought the cameras were there to watch them. Childs is utterly useless

Kirkpatrick was a brilliant ref. His first year might have been poor, but after that he was the best ref around.

Interesting. I did a number of matches as a touch judge with Kirkpatrick and he was an absolute mare with us and the players absolutely despised him due to his arrogance. His maxim was “my pitch, my game, my moment”
He was part of the reason I gave up.
Best ref I ran touch for was Bill Harragan closely followed by Steve Presley and Nick Oddy neither of whom were popular with HQ because they refused to “do as they were told”

Also interesting that you make this point and have been in the position. When I moved house six years back, the survey was done by a super league touch judge. He was absolutely adamant that everyone hated working with Ganson, for the exact reasons you just gave for Kirkpatrick. Don’t know if you came across him the same? But it is dissapointing that Ganson is now in charge of officials.

I never did a match with Ganson as he usually got top matches and I was not good enough or was not prepared to do the bummlicking to get to the top but he was quite arrogant in training. Cummings was another that was preferred to better refs.
For my sins I mainly ran lines for Silverwood when he was on the way up. I know this will be unpopular but I rated silverwood but he liked the amber stuff too much