I agree with the posts suggesting more referees, but who'd want to be a referee.. I'm not sure how players are in Australia, but in our English game.. players are constantly ruining our game finding ways to cheat.

Trapping the arm, dropping the ball when an opposition hand is near by, diving to the floor instead of playing the ball to insinuate they've been slowed down.
We've had players time wasting, booting the ball away, and at the start of last season, delibratly throwing the ball at the opposition player standing in the ruck.
Too many 50/50 calls to use to a players advantage for a ref to get correct, so they are the people the fans usually blame.

I’ve no doubt that any ref will have the honest intention of refereeing objectively and fairly. I don’t see how it is possible not to be biased albeit unintentionally.

An Australian RL ref as a child will have been and still will be an RL fan. He will be a supporter of an NRL club and will be a fan of Australia. It’s inconceivable that those facts will not influence his decision making.

That said we need refs of other nations to be refereeing in SL and the NRL before they can be appointed to international games. That’s up to the administrators of those leagues to increase the diversity of the refs in their respective competitions. Until that happens there’s no chance of neutral refs.

IIRC a few years ago in one of the 4 Nations games, England vs Australia, the proposal was put forward that Thierry Alibert was to be the referee, but the ARL complained that he wasn't experienced enough, and they got Steve Ganson instead.

Hence, even if there is someone "neutral" it doesn't necessarily mean that everyone sees the as most suitable.

Ganson was one of the referees 'coaches', is that why the ref in the final was blinkered for some stuff but open eyed for others?
He did okay but made too many mistakes for supposedly the best ref in the comp and too many calls went their way, forward pass for their try (though marginal others in the competition were being called that were close), high shots ignored all round but the early one on widdop was noticeable by its absence of a penalty considering he then penalised us for a high shot not long after. oh the charge down, I still haven't seen/read an explanation as to why that didn't clear the tackle count. It was far from a shocker but just enough leaning toward them to have an effect IMHO.

The most ridiculous thing about that is the suggestion of England football playing in a World Cup final.

Is it not also conceivable that a non-neutral referee, for the sake of his reputation on a 50/50 or close) call, could err in favour of the team that he is least perceived to have allegiance to?

That aside, think that Phil B is right out of the top drawer and can't recall too many favours being doled out to Leigh, nor should they be expected But we're speaking of an Aussie reffing Oz.

Anyone recall the story of Athers declining to "walk" in a Test Match down under? Accused of being a f***ing cheatin' ****, his reply (in that nasal Manc accent of his) was said to be "When in Rome, dear boy, when in Rome......"

What's happened to the Welsh referee James Jones?
Is he still on the scene?
Not that he's very high up, but if he's still about, he should be encouraged to set his sights as high as he can.

Gave up on it after this season.

I think this year's competition proved that "home" referees are very competent and capable of officiating regardless of who's playing (as do cricket umpires).