Are you blind?
The man is quite clearly ginger.

Please, we have touch judges in our game, we don't have linesmen, never have and never will.

But your argument I have always agreed with. Since the advent of full-time officials we see ever increasing use of those officials in whatever capacity they can be utilised, be that as touch judges or video refs. I can only assume that it's down to saving a few bob, working on the priciple of "well we're paying them anyway, so we might as well use them".

Finals were always the place to appoint senior touch judges, not to recycle existing referees. The two jobs are completely different, albeit complementary.

I'd like to see a referee and two particular touch judges appointed, as a team, to all fixtures. That way they can build something of a rapport and any inconsistencies should be easier to highlight and to deal with.

I was once asked by a friend of mine who was a match commisioner at the time, to accompany him into the referee's changeing room. Just as we opened the door, one of the touch judges was heard to ask the ref. what do you want us to watch out for today ? The ref. abruptley replied, I'm in charge you do nowt.

It really wasn't.

Leeds fans really cannot complain about the Briers 'knock on'. Remember the semi-final...

Lets be fair here. There appear to be next to no complaints from Leeds fans about the outcome of the match. I am not a Leeds lover but full marks to them for accepting that, today, they were outplayed by a better team.

I hope the MC reported him then.

I had a similar experience running the line in a televised game. The ref told us "right, the game's on telly, so all I want you to do is mark touch and flag goals". I basically replied "bollox, you can get someone from the crowd to do that" and started to get dressed again. Lindop came into the dressing room and asked what was going on, so I told him to ask the ref. The other touchie and I were asked to wait outside and when we were called back in, we received completely different instructions. Fred pulled me to one side after that game and asked if I really would have walked out. When I said yes, he told me I was a 2@ but he'd probably have done the same thing in the circumstances.

So I know from experience that referee instructions determine the input of touchies but with the technology used today, there's absolutely no excuse for any referee going on an ego trip.

Yes it really is that simple.

Especially when clueless-numpty speccies do more to prevent anyone becoming a referee than anything.

i ran the line in the premier league reserves and the conference ,football obviously, and the referees talk is always in depth and we really try to help each other out.
i helped a ref last monday by pointing out a bad tackle and yellow card he missed. he thanked me after.
today i was amazed silverwood missed the briers foul on hall. he was looking straight at it. the TJ called him back 80m to,rightfully,give a penalty.
i wondered at the time if silverwood would thank or bollock him at half time

What a set of miserable s.

We've all had bad decisions go against us but the sad fact is the reason Leeds lost was not because of a phantom notion of losing "momentum" by decisions that the BBC commentators were trying to put across. It's because their second half performance was gutless and because of players like Ryan Bailey killing any momentum they managed to gather by giving away stupid penalties.

They showed no drive and were bossed around the field by a superior team and even when they woke up late on when it was too late who was there to give away a stupid penalty to kill any idea of a fight back? Bailey. The man's a liability and if Leeds are feeling frustrated it should be with their own players not the referee, who I felt didn't get too much wrong on the day. Completely agreed with the disallowed try, and as for Briers, it happens. You don't have to give away soft tries when it does.

Obsessed.

Obsessed with what or whom?

You're certainly a "Loyal Leeds Fan" but you might want to dial back your ultra loyalty and do less knee jerking. I am a Widnes fan with absolutely no axe to grind with Leeds.

Oh dear oh dear.