The penalty was actually against Atkins I think who came in 2nd man, but seeing as Dikky didn't have a clue what he was doing he called the wrong man over (the tj gave the pen as well btw)

Aside to all the very strange decisions Silverpud made this evening, he also turned a blind eye to the Wigan players constantly talking to him. I don't remember many tackles where at least one Wigan player immediately threw his arms in the air asking for a penalty.

He had called held and so told him to play the ball. Happened with Westwood at the start of the half too when he offloaded after the call.

There was some discussion on the VT the other day about having two referees like in Aus, some people said it's unnecessary and wouldn't really change much, but surely it would change the percentage of correct calls on the illegal strip? I don't think I've watched a game this season where the ref has got more of them right than wrong. Pretty much every tackle now involves somebody trying to dislodge the ball, yet it seems to be a toss of the coin on whether he'll give it as a strip or a knock on. We should either go to the video ref to make the call or bring in another so they can get closer to the play and make the correct call.

he had a shocker tonight IMO...how a Wigan player wasn't sent off I'll never know!..very poor.

Still....turned out nice again!

When the ref is equally as bad for both teams you maybe have to look beyond him for your failings when you lose.

Alibert would have had a better game than Silverwood tonight if her wasn't dropped.

Wonder if Silverwood will be dropped for his poor performance tonight. I doubt it as he has a big game to referee next week; Warrington v St Helens.

But if Morley stripped the ball, then it's a penalty, if Finch dropped it, it's a turnover to us. Just because he shouted held doesn't mean that a loose ball should be put back to the play the ball, otherwise every knock on/interference at the play the ball will be called back. I understood the Westwood one because he didn't think he was held and he didn't hear the ref, the ref called it back and used a little common sense; however, when the ball is loose, i.e. a knock on or potential illegal strip, I've never seen it called back to the ptb, usually the ref will decide on one of the two above happened.

It's the new ruling though. You know what they're like with them at the start of the season.

Fairymuff. I haven't looked too much into the new rulings. Does that mean, if the ref calls held and a player then interferes with the play the ball, he'll just call it back to play it?

I remember a couple of years ago when i was on holiday watching, i think, Wakey & Hudds on tv...Big Eorl was held for what seemed a lifetime by several defenders & eventually got a pass out only to get a penalty because the ref had called held a split second before, although Crabtree may not have heard him.It would be good for players & spectators if the RFL stopped messing about with the rules. There was certainly no second chance to play the ball on that occasion.

Probably. Not too sure what the guidelines are but it seems to be their new toy telling them to just play the ball. I agree that the Finch incident should have been one or the other.

Ball carrying arm was on the floor whilst in contact with a defending player, tackle complete.

I'm getting sick of seeing hands on the ball in the ruck. It's getting tiresome. At almost every single tackle there are hands on the ball and I'd guess at about half of all "loose carries" or "knock-ons" it's a strip that's gone unnoticed by the ref who's ten metres away.

The second ref would at least clean that up a little.

There's nowhere near as much hands on the ball in the NRL.