Agreed he has helped us to win games, but not singlehanded in the way he has singlehandedly lost us two games. That's the most galling thing, I can accept players making playing errors that might cost us games, but his indiscipline has cost us two games.

In the tight play-off games the team that loses their discipline is more than likely going to lose the game and two loose cannons in McIlorum and Hock is an accident I'm hoping isn't going to happen.

Then allow me to correct that glaring oversight.

Can someone clarify when a video ref can intervene in general play.
I suspect that referee Childs got a call from upstairs when MM committed the foul on Lafranchie. Play had moved on two or three tackles when Mr Childs was heard to say "got it". Was he responding to a VR call. At the time of the incident I don't think any of the touch judges ran on for foul play.
If the VR can give advice to the referee why was the knock on try allowed in the CC semifinal against Leeds.

I'd love to know the answer to this. Child appeared to be listening to something on his earpiece prior to brandishing the red card and the assumption must be that it was the ref in the stands. Is the other referee an advisor to the ref on the field or is the ref on the field bound to follow what the ref in the stands says? Why do we need a video ref referral system if we have this procedure? Can the ref in the stands call forward passes? Are the rules for this written down anywhere - they don't seem to be in the Laws on the RFL website, but perhaps they are somewhere else?

I've been saying for some time that referees appear to penalise one side repeatedly in a game, only to then even up the penalty count and that this is probably because they are being told to by the ref in the stands. I've been assured by people on these boards that this is not the case but after Friday it does appear that the referee on the field is at least being given guidance by another official.

We really need some clarity on what is going on. Only RL, with its track record of inept governance, could allow such a ridiculous state of affairs.

Just seen the reply.

It was a red - no argument.

Fair play to the ref - far too many refs take the easy route and put the incident on report. It's just a shame that there is no consistency in these type of decisions - some players are marked men and are judged on reputation.

He is not the 1st person to have hit someone late and high this season but he's one of the few who have been sent off for it.

Just one recent example of blatant inconsistency - Paul Woods punched a player square on the jaw in the CC final early in the game - penalty.

MM punched a player after lots of niggle a month ago - straight red.

3 players sent off for punching in the previous Wigan - Saints game - 1 for a single punch.


Just because MM gets sent off he's highlighted as stupid and reckless - Woods does exactly the same thing in a far bigger game - hardly a mention of it.

Last weeks TV game of Hull v Bradford - there was the clearest case of a spear tackle i've seen - only a penalty awarded. I'm pretty certain if MM had done that it would have been red - and he would be slagged off on the forums.

It is the ref's inconsistency and pre-judged opinions about certain players that is frustrating.

I'm not defending MM's tackle or disciplinary record - but there are a number of very lucky players where if the same rules were applied then would be missing games too.

He is the worst ref in the league - Fact. Id rather have Alibert. Only thing he has got right all season is that red card - Although you can guarantee if the the EXACT same thing happens next week the player will NOT see red, I would bet my house/wife/kids/money on it. The biggest problem with the reffing in Super League is consistency.

If you get a minute look for a match report from the Hudds v Leeds game and read about the fiasco of the red card in that game.

Other examples?



Not late & high. It was handbags.



I didn't see it so cannot comment. Perhaps it was stamp down on the niggles you identify? Plenty call for ref's to do that.



It was a mass brawl at a showpiece event, the ref's would have been under direction to act firm. Personally i miss that aspect of the game, but when you've got a pair of illterate muppets in the Sky box ranting about it being a disgrace what do you expect?



Maybe his reputation does go before him. His whole game is around aggression, IMO there's nowt much else there, O'Loughlin sails very close to the wind every week but has the class to be able to get away with it.



Except it wasn't. It was a dangerous throw onto his back/shoulder.



Of the thousands of incidents that occur hardly any are identical, hence the different interpretation. There is far less consistency on these boards than from referees.

The McIlorum decision was spot on, it was a definite red card and was very foolish by McIlorum. I hope he will now learn is lesson because it is nigh on impossible these days to beat the other top teams with a man less for 65mins.

Couple of things:

1) I haven't got a list of late high challenges - there have been lots - some with leading elbows - if you think this is one of less than a handful in the season then you're probably not watching very closely.

2) The Paul Woods punch was in the CC Final - if that isn't a showpiece I don't know what is!

I too think the game is getting too sanitised - there's room for a punch or a flare up - but the rules should be consistently applied:

Tuson hit the Saints player with a single punch - that's what he was sent off for. MM hit a player with a single punch - that's what he was sent off for. Woods hit the leeds player with a single clean punch -only a penalty? Clear as day - no interpretation needed, everyone saw it, some tackles have lots of room for interpretation, was it intended, was it shoulder first, etc - there's no room for interpretation when someone smacks you in the jaw with a clenched fist.

3) So does a 'dangerous throw' which may easily have broken a players neck not warrant a sending off? Lifting a players legs high above the horizontal, dumping them onto their shoulders - it was only luck he didn't land on his head - and therefore a spear tackle. No attempt to pull out of the tackle once the legs had gone in the air. No other players involved in the tackle to alter the players momentum.
Entirely down to the tackling technique of the defender - potential for far more damage to a player than a punch.

I suggest you watch that incident again.