AFTER a total of 441 Super League fixtures since his debut in 2005, and an overall tally of more than 700 senior matches, Ben Thaler hung up his whistle at the end of the 2024 season.
Along the way, Thaler has taken charge of Super League Grand Finals, World Club Challenges and Challenge Cup showpiece events.
During that time, the 43-year-old has had to deal with a number of characters on the field – and now he has named one of his most challenging.
That man is former Huddersfield Giants and Wakefield Trinity halfback Danny Brough, who spent over a decade in the top flight.
“Danny Brough was a great player and I think I sinbinned him three times throughout my career,” Thaler said on the League Express podcast.
“Every time, not once did he give me dissent, he was giving Robert Hicks it who was the touch judge! He told him he was rubbisht he week before which is why he was running the line.
“So when Rob came on the field to complain, I sinbinned him. The week after it happened again, Danny walked past me and I was like ‘what’s going on?’
“Rob came on in my earpiece, but Danny tapped me and said ‘don’t worry I’m already going off!’
“If you can manage those types of players well, they respect you for that and when you manage those players you get a better game and more buy in from everyone.
“I enjoyed refereeing those sorts of characters.”
Thaler will now take up a new role with the RFL in the recruitment and development of match officials.
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