On the back of the commentator thread, it had me thinking, what else is devaluing Super League currently? I made the short leap to referees. Whether it be sky high penalty counts, inconsistency, or the fact our referees often leap to decisions based on emotion (Gildart getting his penalty reversed for ironically tapping a player on the head comes to mind).

For me it’s not that 2020 referees lack the game control that some their predecessors had, but it almost seems they are trained to reembody Steve Ganson in his hay day, but I feel more often than not it comes across as cocky lil lads on a power trip, rather than someone not be messed with.

Who’s the best and worst refs SL has seen? Where would 2020 line up rank?

Best - Russell Smith
Worst - Colin Morris

Best: Russell Smith
Worst: Thierry Alibert

I did kind of like Alibert though, he was so useless you knew he couldn't possibly be biased

I struggle to think of any who I'd classify as half-decent. Few score as low as Silverwood did after he famously was the only person in the stadium who didn't hear the hooter until Hull KR had got over the whitewash for what proved to be the winning points. But every one of the current crop have been guilty of inconsistent and arbitrary judgements that have unfairly loaded the dice in one team's favour.

They weren't much better in the past. Cummings was notoriously terrible, as were the likes of Lindop and Billy Thompson before him.

Ironically, I don't think Ganson was as bad as others have said. He was certainly a poser, but the players reportedly liked him for his banter and his clarity on the field, plus, as he was known to be a Saints fan, he tended to be as even-handed as possible during Wigan v Saints derbies.

For me, the best one by far was the Aussie, Greg McCallum. I never remember him being anything other than scrupulously fair when he controlled matches. As Shaun Edwards said when he was chosen to ref a GB v Aus test, "I've no probelm with that. He's the best referee in the world." Unfortunately, Greg wasn't over here for very long.

Suprised at Russel Smith , most Leeds fans thought he was one of the worst .

I used to like John Holdsworth, if only for all his facial expressions that he used to use.
Best refs for me though, Karl Kirkpatrick & Robin Whitfield

If we get Thaler or Hicks then there's a good chance we're on the wrong side of a hefty penalty count.

Child is just inept.

I can only assume that this is intended to be humorous.

As for John Holdsworth. In the days when refs weren't allowed to control games in which their home town team was playing, I always loved the way Wigan v Leeds was regularly reffed by John Holdsworth 'from Kippax' (which is in Leeds).

You sussed me I cried the day we sold Colin as it mean’t Robin was then allowed to ref our games.
What was the French ref in the early 80s Rascagneres or something, he was comical to watch as he didn’t seem to have a clue.

my mate always said that we only signed colin whitfield to stop robin from reffing us

A few years ago I sat behind Holdsworth at one of our academy games at Orrell on a Saturday afternoon. The academy game was against Leeds and he was the referee assessor for the game. At half time he was quite happy to chat. Leeds had lost to Catalan on the Friday night on Sky. It was a famous victory for Catalan and a real blow to Leeds. When I brought up the subject of the game he said he was made up with the Leeds defeat and had loved the game. He said that everyone states that he is from Kippax but he is actually from Bramley. We all know Bramley is a district of Leeds and Holdsworth said that everyone from Bramley hates Leeds and he was no different. It was quite funny as I said he had better speak a bit quieter as the unplaying members of the Leeds academy squad were sat about two rows behind us and could possibly overhear his comments, but he didn't seem overly concerned. It was an amusing and enjoyable conversation.

No that ref was Saballyes or summat like that. I’m sure Rascagneres reffed the Aussie test matches in 1982

John Holdsworth was a great and fair Referee and it was always a pleasure to watch him in charge of a game.

I dont mind Thaler, but Hicks is a pedant.