For years now as fans we have blamed the poor referees for our poor performances and under achieving team.
It is a known fact among all RL fans that today's officials are well below par of required standards. However they are the best available.
IMO it gets embarrassing when we cough up possession on our own line then have to listen to our own fans scream abuse at the referee. The problem is closer to home. We are are own worst enemy not the officials.

And before you ask I am not Stuart Cummings, Ian Smith, Ashley the clown or any other incompetent buffoon in disguise.

I'm sorry but Robert Hicks made James Childs look like Steve Ganson!

I think your generalising too much here.

Majority of people accept the referee does not fully dictate the teams performance or influence results.

Referees are not beyond criticism for poor decisions which can change momentum for teams. Ultimately though, the teams performance and response to these decisions are the commanding factors in conceeding to or surviving pressure.

I don't think anyone directly blames the ref for a loss but rather gets annoyed at the inconsistencies and redding standards on display most weeks. Unfortunately, we have had a raw deal with some decisions of late (or lack of) at vital times in the matches. But, ultimately it's the attitude test that fails as the ref doesn't put the ball down in the ingoal for a try.

Sometimes I think we get a little bit too misty eyed about the standard of refereeing in the past. I can well remember such as Mick Naughton, Billy Thompson, Fred Lindop, Ronnie Campbell, Gerry Kershaw, John Holdsworth and Robin Whitfield attracting as much criticism as todays crop of refs.
Thing is in those days all the grumbling was done at the game or in the pub afterwards, no such thing as social networking sites, or forums then. You might get the odd letter in the old Rugby Leaguer but that was about it.

Love em or loath em, we don't have a game without them.

See Leeds game for prime example

Game pulled back and scrum given to Leeds for a forward pass that was about 3 yards backwards. Leeds then go on from that scrum to score what turns out to be the winning try.
Ref (and touch judge?) to blame for poor decision, but not to blame for the fact that SIX of our players couldn't tackle Carl Ablett. It's just annoying that they shouldn't have had to try as Leeds should not have got that scrum.

Ref was poor sunday but it wasn't his fault our players were braindead when we should of won easily on sunday !

As a counter-argument to the 'ref doesn't influence the outcome of the game' argument, I give you Mr T Alibert, who singlehandedley cost us 2 points against Wire, through his inability to count to six.

Sometimes, complaints about the officials are entirely justified.

I agree. I was watching an old game last night with Robin Whitfield reffing.
He was good to be honest, but I can remember him being absolutely slaughtered for being rubbish.

Holdsworth I thought was good. Kershaw I'll never forgive for sending Wally off.
The game was slower in those days though, but no less skill.

It was Peter Massey that sent Wally off (King Wally. Page 155).

If there was a brawl, it always seemed as if Whitfield was in amongst them throwing punches as well. In those days the ref used to get in amongst them rather than stand at the side blowing his whistle.
I reckon Ganson has modelled his reffing on Holdsworth. " They've come to watch me not the teams".

Skill levels were probably higher because we had the five yard rule, so you needed a bit of guile ( a la Toppo) to open up a defence.

Nostalgia aint what it used to be.

Agreed, its not the same, look at Wagon wheels, they used to be a whole meal in one and you needed both hands to hold them.

How things have changed.

And Cadbury's Creme Eggs used to be as big as your fist.

The world has become a sad and sorry place.

Muffins were called buns in them days, as well

That's right. How dare I get that name wrong. I am shamed
I wonder why I don't like Kershaw? Didn't he do something down at Belle Vue that got a lot of people upset? I remember the old twins that used to watch getting banned for something that day.

Ironically Whitfield did exactly that in the game I was watching. I kinda liked him for that.