Perhaps we should all use this controversy as a means of cutting our referees some slack.It is a fact that most of us are typically one eyed when we think decisions go against us .Usually it’s offside ,forward passes or high tackles that we feel have gone against our team but on average the referee is usually correct and we are wrong.
Brian Carney has given some support to Robert Hicks but he could help more by getting his Sky colleagues to spend less time harping on about refereeing decisions during the course of a game and do what they are paid to do which is to describe the action takIng place on the pitch.If they are not faffing on about a previous incident they are engaging in infantile topics that have nothing to do with the game being televised.There is no comparison between the current Sky presentation and how the NRL coverage is presented .Hemmings has gone and the sooner a couple of his mates follow him out the door the better it will be for Sky viewers and also our under pressure referees.

A good summing up imo Phuzzy.

Thank you JJ. Your £5 is in the post.

I respect you as a poster, on this one though myself and most of the RL world hold a contrary opinion.

If this went to court I’ve no doubt EM would win for the reasons you are arguing however in my mind, and the minds of most we know what he meant and implied.

I’m sorry, his program notes were nothing more than a childish dummy spit (well worded & likely with the help of a lawyer) because a couple of decisions went against his team.

Did EM air his concerns about the appointment of Hicks for the final before the game?

What McManus doesn't seem to know is that after Hicks reported the tweet to the police, the police interviewed him and became aware he had some learning difficulties..so it was the police who went back to Hicks and explained the situation and they were sure he was of no threat...but they will prosecute him if Hicks wanted so....Hicks on learning of his learning issues told the police he didn't want to prosecute but did want to meet the lad to put to him what he thought.
The police were satisfied with this and Karl F was asked to set up the meeting by Hicks.
That is how the events panned out...
The outcome was the lad had his lifetime ban suspended for 12 months...however the lad was so beside himself and in grief with guilt, he hasn't been to another game, even though he can.

McManus is completely wrong and out of order.
If he'd have just took 5 mind to ask KF this...he'd have been much wiser with his'sewer'post.