There are various comments about , 'watched it again', 'had another look', 'watched it a few times', etc. The ref can't do any of those!! When someone is hit late on most occasions the referee won't see it. That is where his minders come into it, watching his back; the ref will be watching the ball not where it has been but where it is, he can assume something has happened when the crowd shouts but he can't act on it. His TJs, who are supposed to be looking where the ball has been, should see things like the late hit on Barlow because that is what they are there for (watching the ref's back), if they see it and don't report it they should be taken off the list. Leatherbarrow had a poor game but was left totally isolated by his TJs who should be ashamed of their performances.

None of the above happens in most amateur games the ref is on his own and expects to be shot at.

In this instance the touch judge seemed unwilling to come on to the field despite the fact that he must have clearly seen what had happened. The Leigh players were looking at him waiting for him to do something. When he seemed not to be doing so they, understandably took matters into their own hands. Decisive action from the TJ would probably have prevented the brawl.

What puzzled me was that the ref gave the whole Halifax team the "circular arm" warning before that (first time I've seen it given for a while) but then failed to act upon it.

He told them it was a team warning

Brian, what makes you think that the touch judge must have "clearly seen what had happened"?

It happened right in front of me, I was virtually as near to the incident as he was and I did not see it, I was following the ball.

That's the point Pat, you along with most in the crowd and the ref were watching the ball; the TJ is paid not to watch the ball in that situation.

I have to say also that I didn't see the actual incident.

It's funny that when Sam Barlow punched Potts at the shay you all stuck up for Sam say he did nothing wrong but know he got owned by manning it's different. Manning was stupid to going running in again but nobody knows what got said.

Whilst not condoning any of Sam Barlow's alleged misdemeanours, I would suggest that 'owned' is not the correct verb to apply to the Manning incident. How about 'hospitalised'?

What a pathetic comment 'owned'.... I know which player I'd prefer to have in my side and we have.

Sam was sporting a massive shiner today

Hi Pat

You are right of course (and I didn't see it either: I just saw Haggerty waiting/pleading with him to do something) but surely that's what TJ's are there for. I should have thought that they and the refs work together (or are supposed to) so if the ref watches the ball the TJ's job is to watch something else.

Any coward can "own" someone with a cheap shot off the ball. Hell, I could own Mike Tyson if I was a pillock with a pick-axe handle. (and more importantly, he wasn't expecting it). I spoke to Sam today and he's fine ..................and happy to be playing in the better team. ;

Owned hey ?
Let's be frank here. If ever Leigh were gonna get beat so far this season it was this game. Then Sam Barlow steps up, sets up two tries and tackles everything that moves, for a MOM performance. He did this knowing that it would mean he would be the target of more late hits and niggle because of that. A lesser man would have stepped back to save himself some pain but not Sam. He was so good that instead of playing the expansive running rugby that would have beaten Leigh, fax lost there focus and started to target him. They only managed to stop him by straight up cowardly assault.
Sam was so good that your whole team forgot to play rugby, meaning you lost a season defining game.
I'd say the only "owning" (hate that phrase by the way) here was done by Big Sam. He owned the game, and the whole Halifax team

well shall we see what the discipline panel have to say about this 'owning' as we all know what happen re the incident at the shay