Ok. How do you come too that conclusion wirefanatic… Referees are not allowed too referee two corresponding fixtures. Ian Smith the saints/HUDDERSFIELD match and Ben Thaler the WARRINGTON/Wakefield match.

If you go on previous encounters where we have had the referee for a match in 2 consecutive games. (which has only happened once too my knowledge.) was a re-arranged league season game at home against Bradford on a very wet Tuesday Night. (22-22 if memory serves) And the response from Stuart Cummings on this issue was as follows

As WireFanatic II stated, Ganson reffed last year's final, so I can't see him being given the honour two years' running.

Bentham or Ganson, hopefully.

i must say that i think ganson is the best ref in the league at the moment, and i think and hope he get the nod

I only meant that in terms of wire2004's comment that ref's can't referee their hometown team. Ganson reffed last years cup final involving Saints.

It should go to the referee that has been the most consistent over the course of the season. That referee, in my opinion, is Ganson.

Ref: S Ganson
TJ: J Child
TJ: C Sharrad
RR: R Silverwood
VR: P Bentham

That was 5 years ago.

Anyway, if you want to throw evidence at me, I'll chuck some your way just to show what you have showed me is incorrect. Take this season for example:

When we played Wigan in Round 14 at home, that game was refereed by Ben Thaler. In our Round 15 game, we played away at Castleford. Guess who the referee was then................yep, Ben Thaler.

Thaler also did it again with Celtic. He refereed their Round 5 game away at Hull KR, then refereed them a week later in their Round 6 fixture at home to Wakefield.

Phil Bentham reffed Saford in Round 16 when they played at home against Catalans. A week later, he refereed them again in Round 17 when Salford played away at Hull.

I thank you.

i'll back down on that then. My only response is that they may of got rid of the rule when the refs went full time. I don't remember a time in the league though when a ref took charge of their home town club. Maybe it is different in the challenge cup final.

We have had Bentham quite a few times, and Saints have had Ganson.

Also, I believe Thaler is down as Wakefield isn't he?

He is indeed, fella. Thaler has reffed Wakey 5 times this year, Ganson has reffed Saints 3 times and Bentham has reffed Wire twice.

The referee's have always been able to referee their hometown team, they have just not done it because they feel they will be scrutiniseda lot more. When the referees went full time then there was no way of getting around it because there were only 12 teams at the time; 6 fixtures with 6 referees.

If it's Silverwood the game will finish 30 minutes late, he refers virtually every try, 'check obstruction and grounding.'

I've been informed that Thierry Alibert will Referee the Final.

wtf it's Ganson i'm sure i heard it on radio t'other day!