I am but I don't.

In general refereeing in Union at the highest level is hilariously bad. There are two or three refs who actually do a decent job. The constant interference of the TMO is now just ridiculous. The powers that run the game seem obsessed with making the game look "safe" for the WC. Well, it isn't. At my son's school in the last two weeks two kids in his year have been hospitalised. That's what the game is, and that's why all us nutters love it.

Where is this petition I need to get it downloaded and I will take it to every ground and get thousands to sign it cos they will. James child as taken over Richard silver wood as the most hated referee super league as ever had. I never thought anyone would take that from silverwood

Even if he hadn't.....you would still expect a score from the next play from a completely scattered Wigan defence. Of course there's a chance not, but compared to a definite 'not' (from a what was a very bad decision) it could have been a real travesty to the match's outcome.

We have the pleasure of a Mr Robert Hicks with the whistle on Friday night

You should ask for Mike Dean. Apparently around 100,00 mockneys have signed a petition demanding he never refs another Arsenal game. Takes faux outrage to a whole new level.

Numerically, maybe. Didn't a smaller group of wakey fans attempt something similar a few years back?

They do one after every defeat apparently.

Wasn't that after he awarded nearly 40 penalties in a Magic Weekend game that wasn't even a dirty game.

Could be. I was trying (and failing) to recall the ref involved. Wouldn't surprise me.

they had a long standing one against Ashley Klein, Who was of course only promoted to super league because of his tanned complexion.

There was even huge complaints and widespread teeth gnashing in Wakefield at Steve Ganson needing to give noted fanny magnet Tim Roby a bollocking at half time. Roby, if you remember was constantly held back by his fair skin and status as RFL poon-slayer-in-chief.

Lovely stuff

Perhaps Roby's sexual exploits did play a part in how he was booked.....certainly was the case with Child



What's ironic is that more people have praised him in the last two weeks since I threw that opinion out there than they did in the 5 previous years combined that he's officiated.

It's funny that I've done more in one thread to see him get more praise than he's managed to get in 5 years on the pitch.

Only praised by people who don't seem to understand the rules. Across the game however is a totally different matter.

Certainly was the case now? After all the effort you went to to argue it was just a suggestion, simply a possibility, once you even argued it wasn't even an opinion you agreed with. Now it's a certainty.


Who would have thought bigots were morons lashing out because of their own failings, idiots for whom congency was as alien a concept as the privilege they benefit from? Oh everyone.

Thanks for the bite

Is that your peccaddillo? Is that why you expect people to ignore whatever it is that is wrong with you?

Ahem.... James Child(NO S!) IIRC

I think Child has refereed the game tonight pretty well. However, the inconstancy of the video referee comes to the fore again. The obstruction lottery, and a push given against Atkins which wasn't given in the Leeds-Wigan game.

doesn't hicks take some stick in earlier pages of this.

I wouldn't say child is biased just poor and for the first time this week noticed the league weekly ref markings . for 2 games he got 45 and 50 out of 100 lower than other refs

has that been the case most weeks

Yep, pretty much.

Of the games I've seen him ref He's had 1 or 2 good games over the last few seasons, but if you put it into context that most referee's only have 1 or 2 bad games in the same period it says a lot about the man.

He appears to try too hard to take the mantle of Gansen/Silverwood, where the game is all about the ref!

I recall St Helens coach Daniel Anderson telling the RFL that he didn't want the inept Ian Smith to referee his team ever again....and I'm sure he didn't until after Anderson had gone back home.

How about that for influence ?

Hicks has improved exponentially since the end of last/start of this season. He has simply got better and better while Child seems to have found his (substandard) level and stuck to it.

I cringe every time I see Child's name next to "Referee" on the team sheet and continue to wonder how and why he referee's in the top flight.

If it is because that there's no-one better then it's a very sad state of affairs indeed.

That's the answer and it is indeed.

I think Millward complained as well, we had about an 80% failure rate under Ian Smith for some reason.