I see the owner/chairman of Leigh has stated that referees are not fit for purpose and owners and coach's are frighten to speak out about them as they will be disciplined by the RFL I would tend to agree with him especially when watching games on TV as you are always close to the action. The referee of the Leigh game yesterday is a prime example as I do not rate him at all.

A lot of people have been saying this for a long time. Professional ref is a joke. Listen to the comments on SKy and then tell me everyone has faith in the ref. They are far too inconsistent.

Get 2 on the pitch like the NRL maybe that will work.

Yet most commentators in Australia love Internationals where there is only one ref! They have also taken the video ref WAY beyond even the debacles we have here, destroying the magic of scoring a try with their safety first attitude and "process" - as if that's better than the human right there amongst the action. For me curtail or scrap the video ref - the on field ref would then at least have to be in the right position to make a decision rather than knowing they can just refer it.

2 refs on the pitch still get if wrong in BRL, they also rely on the "bunker" probably much more than we use the VR here so can't see how that would improve things.
So let's get 3 or 4 refs on the pitch, or mayve we should just watch American football.
The human element in the game is what makes our game what it is, funny how the Leigh chairman made the complaint after they got nilled in a game, not sure how that's the officials fault.
I find it quite interesting that no one ever complains about the players behaviour when they are blatantly cheating! A player knocks on when he scores a try, they know they have knocked on but will always try to claim the try! Player passes forward do they ever admit it? Nope. It's the players that break the laws of the game not the referees, maybe look at that before slating the refs every game, just z thought.

We won today so my comments cannot be because we lost but I thought the ref was a disgrace today.

Standing with folk who are far more qualified than me to condone or condemn the ref and they all went for the latter option...Personally I thought he stunk the place out....

So what's the answer? You can't play the game without em.

Be interesting to hear why you say the ref was so bad though. I was not at the game so can't really comment on calls but what makes you say the officials were so bad?

Micky of course you can't play without them but that doesn't mean that we have to accept under performance. No one, or group is above the game.

Your response is typical of the current referees stance in that you are untouchable as a group.

The governing controllers (QA/QC in normal business) need to undertake an independent review.

I watched two thirds of the under 19 game yesterday and I thought the referee was pretty good I did not hear supporters shouting at him because he was making bad decisions. The referee for the main game very inconsistent for both sides on laying on, missed loads of high tackles from Halifax, penalised a Broncos player for a high tackle when it was clearly across the shoulders and missed numerous forward passes, one when Halifax scored a try.

PS I wonder if the Fax player will get a two match ban for lifting our player above the horizontal the same as Harrison. No sin bin and not put on report.

Referees, like players, coaches and chairman make mistakes. Regularly you hear commentators and pundits with polar views on incidents / decisions made in games. The NRL with it's two referees and bunker arguably get as many decisions wrong as the officials in non televised British games.

For British televised games, I would like to see a trial where the video referee is dropped, I believe that the concentration level of officials will be sharper and the resultant decisions better as a consequence.

Can I suggest you make notes on the officials at the forthcoming Dewsbury game and ask to compare it with that of the attending RFL official? Then if brave enough post it on here?

Re the Harrison incident and an incident on Sunday, no two are ever the same.
Talking of referees, I ask again, what do you propose? Unless you take the human out of the decision making process totally you will always get different decisions and differing standards.
I will ask the question though, what do you think the refs do after a game and the week between games? Route full time refs spend the week training analysing previous performance and prepping for next games.
Part time refs get to review all there games and are constantly assessed, they don't just go home and forget enough the game they do on the weekend you know.

You're always going to get a human element no one is questioning that, but there is a rule book that is the constant and one they should apply. There is a huge indifference in performance between the refs when in reality its a relatively simple game to manage. Union has more rules for the line out than we have for the whole game but Nigel Owens the union ref seems to command respect of both fans and players unlike our refs. You explain that.

Explain to me why this year the focus is on moving of the mark? Every year there is an initial focus area where they go over the top then pull back. Do you remember a few years back when they set about purging the game and we were seeing 30+ penalties a match until the coaches said, NO MORE.

focus on moving off the mark
Sometimes picked up by the ref sometimes not

not playing the ball correctly
when did we last see this happen - players frequently just step over the ball

dissent
how often do you see a team marched back 10 yards as we were. I am not saying the ref was wrong to march us back if the player gave him dissent but my lord compare us to Wigan - enough said.

high tackles / taken in the air
some refs penalise others dont

kicking the ball away - this is a sin binning but when did we last see it happen

professional fouls - again some sin bin others dont - a professional foul is a professional foul and its in the rule book to be followed

Off side on the opposition try line. The only team I have ever seen penalised for being off side (a couple of players having their foot the wrong side of the line) has been Leeds and that is twice. Leeds are not the only team in the last two seasons to do this - again this is inconsistent.

How can you comment on an illegal tackle when you weren't at the games. I was at both and believe me there was no difference between number 11's tackle on sunday and Harrisons the week before. Re-iterate Harrison sin bin, 2 match ban and fine, Halifax not even on report.

If you want Mickeyb1234 I will watch all SL games on the box and record the minutes the fouls were committed and the penalty / non penalty for them and will also issue with the comments from the commentators. Im brave enough to do it.