18 replies to this topic

[marshy1]

This man should be removed from the referee panel immediately. How can one man be so inconsistently poor at his job, ignoring off side, forward passes and penalties dreamt up. He was in grave danger today is spoiling what was a reasonably good game today. I for one don't want to watch him at any other Lions games.

[Bryce]

I'm not sure how long it will take the RFL to realise that he's incapable of refereeing. It's not that he's biased, it's that he's consistently bad for both teams. A good game of rugby, almost ruined by the ref. Both sets of fans booed him off at the end of a drawn game, that tells you everything.

[Phil Stone]

Ask fans of every club and they will say the same. Rhino on Radio Leeds has said that all coaches are complaining about the quality (or lack of it) of referees and frustration by our coach has led him to receive a suspended fine for speaking out and saying in public what was on his mind. How the RFL can expect people to respect referees when they put in performances they have been doing is beyond me.Ronnie is not biased towards any team he is just not good enough to referee at this level.

[marshy1]

Ask fans of every club and they will say the same. Rhino on Radio Leeds has said that all coaches are complaining about the quality (or lack of it) of referees and frustration by our coach has led him to receive a suspended fine for speaking out and saying in public what was on his mind. How the RFL can expect people to respect referees when they put in performances they have been doing is beyond me.Ronnie is not biased towards any team he is just not good enough to referee at this level.

Totally agree. In the case of our match today he was poor for both sides and often looking lost and clueless in his decision making.

[PaulT]

Every match he's refereed for us this season he's been boo'd off by both sets of supporters. It's not like he's inexperienced, he's been doing it years! (Hard to believe he won the National League referee of the year in 2004!)

He needs to be dropped ASAP, he ruins very good games with his mind boggling decisions, surely the RFL are aware of him!

[Blue Monkey]

This man should be removed from the referee panel immediately. How can one man be so inconsistently poor at his job, ignoring off side, forward passes and penalties dreamt up. He was in grave danger today is spoiling what was a reasonably good game today. I for one don't want to watch him at any other Lions games.

Totally agree with your views on Laughton's abysmal refereeing style. When he did his absolute utmost to gift Doncaster a win at the Keepmoat a year or two ago I suggested that the club should make an official complaint to the powers-that-be together with the video evidence to back it up, but plainly nothing happened. Seems like nobody wants to rock the boat where the RFL is concerned. But then again, the RFL live in a totally different world of their own making, their own ivory tower, as it were.

[Barnie]

Well perhaps the fans need to complain too. if a petition was drawn up with signatures from all lower league clubs then perhaps the rfl might listen.....hahah only joking those morons didnt listen about promotion and relegation they wont listen about some incapable muppet reffing lol

[steve wild]

Compared to his performances in both matches against Doncaster last season, I thought Ronnie was outstanding yesterday! Ha ha.

[Blue Monkey]

Well perhaps the fans need to complain too. if a petition was drawn up with signatures from all lower league clubs then perhaps the rfl might listen.....hahah only joking those morons didnt listen about promotion and relegation they wont listen about some incapable muppet reffing lol

I'll sign your petition for what it's worth

[steve wild]

...but joking apart, I assume he must be getting satisfactory marks off the assessors otherwise he would have been taken off the list wouldn't he??


Reminds me of a story I came across a while back (which is meant to be true). Back in the old days (early 1920s I think), one of the top flight referees suddenly died and all the clubs were asked if they would like to organise a "shilling fund" to help out the family. At this time there was a total of 20 referees on the first grade panel.

When one certain Swinton director was asked politely if he would like to contribute a shilling, he replied, "Tell you what, here's a pound, go and bury the other 19 while you're at it!"

[Bryce]

Going through Riggy's match reports, it seems we've been on the right side of the penalty count for four competitive games this season. It's not all bad refereeing, and being the 3rd/4th worst team in the league doesn't help either, but come on RFL! Give us a break!

[parky]

The referees assessor was sitting a few yards to my right. What he reports is unknown. At the end of the day Mr Cummings will probably just have a few words with him. Anybody know when he might retire. We appear to have a ready made replacment in waiting who is equally as bad in Warren Turley.

[marshy1]

I think the assessor yesterday was Robin Whitfield.

[duffymoon]

It was John Holdsworth Alan not Robin Whitfield.

[mark richardson]

It was John Holdsworth Alan not Robin Whitfield.

So no hope then two other clueless clowns..

[marshy1]

Thought it didn't look like him when you told me Dave.

[Blue Monkey]

...but joking apart, I assume he must be getting satisfactory marks off the assessors otherwise he would have been taken off the list wouldn't he??


Reminds me of a story I came across a while back (which is meant to be true). Back in the old days (early 1920s I think), one of the top flight referees suddenly died and all the clubs were asked if they would like to organise a "shilling fund" to help out the family. At this time there was a total of 20 referees on the first grade panel.

When one certain Swinton director was asked politely if he would like to contribute a shilling, he replied, "Tell you what, here's a pound, go and bury the other 19 while you're at it!"

You don't get real characters like this nowadays. Good old fashioned Lancashire humour.

[Matt J]

You don't get real characters like this nowadays. Good old fashioned Lancashire humour.

There are disciplinary committees to ensure that they don't exist!

Laughton is a mixed bag, some decisions he'll get right, the others he'll give handball.

[DaveButt]

Promote him to the Super League, then, and only then, will the RFL do something about him.