He was so useless on Sunday I feared he'd be sent down here. Sadly my worst fears have been realised.

I've never known either Big Mac or John Kear to Morgan away about the ref. I wonder if Thaler will create a first for either of them on Sunday?

Thaler is better than Bentham.

Thaler is from Wakefield and ... www.slstats.org/Referees/16/Ben% ... Games.html

Thaler is from Wakefield and ... www.slstats.org/Referees/16/Ben% ... Games.html

Didn't he ref us verses Saints last year when we got zero penalties. Probably never heard of before.

Yes, but he also only gave one or two against us. Saints were awesome that day and incredibly disciplined too. I'm sure he's been far worse on plenty of other occasions!

[i[curtism mode][/idoesn't matter who is reffing, we will smash them[i[/curtism mode][/i
The way we are playing and importantly, our dicipline (are we still on for the bathroom fittings again this year?) if he hammers us with penalties, then questions will have to be asked.

He gave them 4 penalties that day. Granted a low penalty count overall but whoever heard of a home side not getting even one??? Pretty sure it will never happen at any other ground.

aspouea-Agreed

This is why BM wants our attendances to increase. We arent putting enough pressure on the refs when teams are offside/messing at the PTB or where theres a forward pass so they dont give us the pens we should be getting.

Saints were on fire that day, it didn't matter who was reffing, Saints battered a very depleted QRL team.




As said, Thaler was insignificant that day due to the sheer quality of a rampant Saints team.

Apart from Rikki Sheriffe, who was doing a bit of battering himself, particularly when it came to Maurie Fa'asavalu.

Not exactly our lucky ref.

Ben has seen our team succumb to some right old shallackings (Leeds 48-0, Saints 58-12, 0-54 Saints and 12-66 Cas).

But we love Ben Thaler, coz he's just a lad...

Not arguing with that one jot. Just making the point that not giving any penalties to one side (especially the home side) is I think a unique occurence. Didn't cost us anything in that game but if it had happened in other games last season - especially those where the ref was unquestionably the difference between the two sides (Catalans (H&A), Wakey (A), Leeds (CC) etc)- it would have been another justified case for complaint on our part. I would hope and imagine that the Wakey game this weekend will be closer than the Saints demolition last season so I'm concerned that yet again the ref will be the key difference.

As it's top v joint bottom of Sky's Fairplay league, the penalty count should be interesting!