Many times, and I also had the benefit of living over the road from one. (A ref that is, not an RLFannie). In fact, chatting to him really did give you a different perspective on it. This is when Widnes were in SL and I'd often spend 80 mins shouting abuse at him and then spending a nice 30 mins in the week chatting to him about the game and it really did help you see things from the other side. (And get some top RL gossip that I was often so tempted to post on here but never did!!) I still slag off the ref at the match, but that's just my bias showing through, not his.

Ref's are human, they have bad games and good games but I firmly believe they never intentionally favour one team over the other. James Child has just stepped up from the lower leagues and will need time to adjust (as a player would). Yes, I'd say there are better refs in the championship than him (Hewer and Leahy for example) but I guess there are reasons they didn't want to go full time.

All the people that come on here slagging of the Ref's should go out and find one and sit down and have a beer with them. I think you would change your views a little.

As some one who does know the rules very well and would go toe to toe with anyone on them, I feel that arrogance is the root cause of the problem with referees, particularly in the pro game.

We here all the time you cant have a game without the ref, very true, but you cant have one without players either! All are mutually important. Far too many referees have the attitude of "I saw something you dont understand," and seem to want to be the only ones who saw it.

I also feel that too many refs are intimidated by international players who they are in awe of. I know this cos I have heard some refs talk of players as though they are gods!

I often feel you can tell everything you need to know about how the ref conducts himself before the game, and after it. Some chat, have a laugh and are relaxed and seem to enjoy the environment they are in. Some develop an aura around themselves that says, "im in charge here." They are always the worst.

One last thing, wonder if you are the "ladyref" that once sin binned me for a facial expression???? If so, what page is that rule on!?!?!?!?!?

How he was Championship ref I'll never know.

Oh and while Im at it, where is common sense in the rules? A player being treated for concussion at a TV game. What stops the rules allowing the video ref and the ref to confer to decide if foul play has taken place?

On saturday Carvell would have gone, Cas would have benefitted, not Wigan and Warrington would have had a player miss 60mins not 80. If the same happened with the Morley incident they could have said "not sure, lets put it on report." The right decisions could have been made but the rules dont allow it.

Nonsense which cannot be justified. But IMO video refs at all games in SL or none.

You might sense refereeing is a big issue with me, your right. From SL to the amateur regional leagues.

I've always said that I would love Stuart Cummings to be my boss at work.

You could get away with murder, **** around all day, cost the company money and you'd still be defended to the hilt.

The French guy is terrible and is the worst marginally in front of Bentham, Ganson is the best ref on the days he leaves his ego at home.

we should be glad that young refs like Childs/Thaler are coming into the game so at least there may be some competition for refereeing at the top level, because there isn't much competition at the moment.

ganson and alibert the worst for me

So, the voting is
Ian Smith 1
James Childs 1
Steve Ganson x 0.5
Thierry Alibert x 8.5

Though Ganson is several times mentioned as also being the best.

FWIW I agree that Alibert is the worst, and that would be because if he was an English ref, he wouldn't be reffing at this level yet though might in the future, but he's been dropped in at the deep end as some sort of "let's develop French officials" policy. So it's not really his fault, and I do reckon he is improving.

The rest are all, with the exception of the relative newcomer Childs in whose case it is too early to make a fair judgment, pretty decent referees and that is confirmed when across the boards throughout the season each will get pretty much an equal amount of stick. Which, from biased fans, is exactly what you'd expect.

FWIW I reckon Childs does OK.

Your all just jelous that leeds are the beat!!!!!

Can someone please translate?

Did you mean to type "the easy beat"?