What a joke, the worst thing of all though is that this isn't remotely surprising.

It just cant be right-

Totally invalidates the result if Australia win.

There is absolutely no justification for this whatsoever!

Forget Archers very poor showings in the Eng Vs NZ & Aus Vs Eng games for a minute, there is no way that a credible international sport would ever consider a non neutral ref in a major final.

Even RU would have a ref from anywhere but the two competing nations, it doesn't happen in football, cricket or even netball FFS.

The Ausies are superb at many things but when it comes to making big, crucial decisions that affect the direction or the credibility of the game they're crap.

Why, what happened?

They lost hehehehhe

JOKE.

Shocking decision. Silverwood has proved himself to be the best ref in the tournament, and he's neutral... unbelievable!!

In appointing him for the biggest international game of the year, the RLIF think he did no wrong in the England/Aus game.

Ganson ref'ed the game and his decisions were not to the Aussies liking because he called it like a SL game, not and NRL game... and they lost!

This doesn't make RL a joke, lets get that right. It makes the sport look silly to outsiders, but lets not discredit all involved with the sport and ourselves when we know better.

This makes the ARL a joke and once again highlights their bully-boy tactics in the board room.

When you have one RFL rep, one NZRL rep and two ARL reps on the board of the RLIF Australia are always going to win aren't they? I think its now time to remove one of the ARL reps and give Wales, France and PNG full board member status. A chairman should be elected from the board members, but it should not mean that another rep from their national governing body should be brought in 'to fill their place' as is the case with the ARL in the RLIF at this moment in time. Six member board, comprising of six national governing bodies, three from Northern Hemisphere, three from Southern, end of.

Spot on!