Could well be that...but the conspiracy theorists inside me likes to think it's to take some heat off him. It was said he was fit to have played the week before Wembley?... but the RL brain in me says 'why play him when they don't need too'.

See McManus has well and truly spat his dummy in the programme ahead of Saints game tonight.

You can just see the pressure building bit by bit.

Embarrassing dummy spit of the highest order...

Anyone know what's been said?

Glad to see Brian Carney call him out on it at the end of the game tonight saying how out of order it was. It’s crazy that they’re still hanging their hat on a call in the 5th minute of a game not going to the video ref having cost them a game. It only adds to the feeling they’re under pressure and their performance tonight didn’t do anything to ease that feeling.

Something about Hicks and Warringtons CEO running a publicity stunt in the build up to the final that Saints feared would end up with Hicks showing Wire favouritism. McManus went on to say that’s exactly what transpired in the game, berating the Knowles no try call in addition to a number of other dodgy calls during the game.

That "publicity stunt" as he called it was the club apologizing for an online Wire fan sending death threats.

If Hicks was to favour anyone in the CC final off the back of that, it'd be Saints.

Who does he think he is calling the professionalism of a referee into question he and the saints club should be brought to book over this

Yeah, dammit, that's our job!

I see on your other site you lot are are still crying about a dodgy tackle that happened 49 ,years ago , hepworth on tyrer, and you accuse us of living in the past

I don’t remember our chairman coming out with utter tripe about it being a conspiracy theory though.

Fair play to you for showing the stones to come on here. It’s a shame that the more vocal Saints fans like LeBron Rebellion and Ass108 haven’t managed to pluck up the courage yet.

Where's yellow giraffe these days?

The Saints Chairman has exhibited a complete lack of class over this issue.

Agree. I can understand them feeling aggrieved. I think I would. Hicks was nowhere near as bad as they make out with not referring the Knowles effort upstairs. The offside and markers not square they are complaining about is normal for any SL game particularly finals as for years ref’s appear to have had a policy of not giving as many penalties is show piece games. St Helens did their fair share too. An obvious coached tactic was to create and American Football style wall to protect the receiver after the ball was kicked.

The RFL should charge McManus for those comments, there is no doubt he is implying bias.