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.

Thanks for the bite

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.