Refs

[Weeman88]

Just thought i'd start a thread for a bit of fun.

Who is your favourite ref??

I thought Hewer had a decent game the other day and leatherbarrow (if thats what hes called!) had a good game other week, but i am not a big fan of Hicks (the only game he did well in was Toulouse away last year)

any thoughts?

[Stratobill]

Favourite REF ?

We are scraping the barrel of threads now

Cant honestly think of any

We ll be discussin our favourite touch judge/lines person next or our favourite C*s player

Still tryin to think of one....... NOPE :D

I admit they are very important part of the game but never had a favourite EVER

[Matt J]

Maybe it should be called 'refs that dont make you cringe when you read the appointments'.

Leatherbarrow looked good the other week, Hewer has always been good down here, Ashley Kline was the best ref in this country before he left.

[Robin Evans]

Ashley Klein?? He loved Warrington fans didn't he!!

Refs?? I suppose anyone up from Jamie Leahy is a start!!! he's just the worst ref!

But the best?? I always liked Russel Smith. I though he was fair, acknowledged if he made a mis-call but always played it straight! I never liked Cummins and never forgave him for the ####-up he made against St Helen's that gifted them the game! and Ben Thaler is thouroughly unprofessional with his comments, particularly about rovers when 'not on duty' - as my little round mate will attest!!!

Currently the best at our level??? Lord knows. Perhaps Hewer. The lad Leatherbarrow let the game go well the other week and I hope he gets a few more games.

Edited April 24, 2010 by Robin Evans

[Bob Fowler]

In my role at the club I met most of the referees and for differing reasons I enjoyed their company. Not commenting on their skills as referees, I liked Robert Hicks as a person always willing to chat and discuss the game, Ben Thaler always had good conversations, Ashley Klein we had some good chats, but on one occassion David Hobbs asked me why I was speaking to him ? I asked " Why, because he's a ref ?" he said "no, because he's an Aussie!" Steve Presley is always a gentleman and Match Commissoner Ian Muir is now a good friend and works hard for RL charities.

[Weeman88]

I agree that Russell Smith was probably one of the best refs.

Some refs old and present listed below.

Old refs

J.connely

R.connely

J. Holdsworth

S.pressley

R. smith

R. Tennent

F. Lindock

S. cummins

C. Morris

Refs present

Hewer, Silverwood, Dolan, Turley, Bentham, Alibert, Child, Brooke, Halloran, Smith, Ganson, Merrick, Thomason, Hicks, Thaler etc.

Can anybody remember that Aussie ref who always did test matches between Great Britain and Aussies going back a few years, Had longish black hair, very annoying.

[Sportbilly]

Can anybody remember that Aussie ref who always did test matches between Great Britain and Aussies going back a few years, Had longish black hair, very annoying.

Bill Harrogan I think..............Russ Smith was as fair as I've seen in the modern game........Robin Whitfield was ok too.......Karl Kirkpatrick came over very well as a speaker at the ex-players do last night

[snake1985]

I did like robert hicks, but now i dont like them all

[ROVERS83]

robin whitfield for me i often went on to pitch at game end to tell him the error of is ways -he took it in good sted and always ad a laff with me

[DMS]

My favourite ref by far was Colin Morris, not because he was any good, cos he wasnt. But i once spent several happy hours after a FEV match that he'd just reffed getting roaring drunk with him n he's a right laugh. And contrary to popular belief, he loves FEV.

[LOWFIELD]

Fred Lindop is the best ref and nicest bloke ever, doesnt take no ###### doesnt Fred, after he retired from the pro game he refed and still does amateur games, i would love to see him ref a premier league football match, he would pull cards out left right and centre. Once sent my m8 off for saying the word fukc, he never said it to Fred just said it in frustration but he pulled the card out all the same, "off you go son" he said, "im not having that" I pleaded with him to change his mind he said "i wont tolerate language like that" "now go away or youl walk"

The country would be a better place with more people like fred

[Phil Loxton]

"seargent Major" Eric Clay took no nonsense. He was perhaps the most rotund referee I ever saw but my all time favourite was Holdsworth I always found him to be fair.

[stuart56]

Always liked John Holdsworth. Remember being in Bullock Shed when someone shouted 'Your Dad would be ashamed of you for a decision like that' John turned to the crowd and came back 'According to you lot I haven't got one'.

[ROVERS83]

mr / sir leatherbarrow is may top merry whistle blower then too

[Bob Fowler]

My favourite ref by far was Colin Morris, not because he was any good, cos he wasnt. But i once spent several happy hours after a FEV match that he'd just reffed getting roaring drunk with him n he's a right laugh. And contrary to popular belief, he loves FEV.

A few years ago Colin stayed behind for a drink, he won the JSG raffle a case of beer, he promptly gave it to the Whitehaven fans who had stayed behind and said " Now go and tell 'em I didn't give you owt all day!" a great character

[DMS]

A few years ago Colin stayed behind for a drink, he won the JSG raffle a case of beer, he promptly gave it to the Whitehaven fans who had stayed behind and said " Now go and tell 'em I didn't give you owt all day!" a great character

Bob, that was the night i had several beers with him. He really is a top bloke. Rubbish ref though.

[Andrew Vause]

Dave, Lindop was a good ref, however, I once saw him on a Christmas poss up in Leeds. He was out with Dave Oxley, who was an absolute gent. He said something that always has mystified me. I asked Fred, (who's name wasn't really Fred but something begining with a G) who he supported as a kid. He said I love Rugby League but I have never favoured any team. The thing that mystified me was; if as a kid you get into RL you must have some allegiance to some team to get into the game. May be I'm wrong, and should anticipate someone telling me so and shitting on my head like a seagull on MCat.

On a serious note Gareth Hewer. Been watching RL again for about 4 years. Hewer is ace, he s a ref who actually refs a game. No Bowllux, Hewer is the new Smith for me. Russ was a legend, a smashing junior and colt player who had his career ended by a smashed knee. He got a well deserved career as a ref in Australia. Russell was one of the first refs to learn all the names of the 26 on the pitch at any one time and treated them with respect even though but for injury, he could have been one of them, without bearing bitterness.

PS someone mentioned early about a hairy ref that used to do the Aus v Great Britain games, as SportBilly mentioned in the nineties it was Bill "Arrogant" Harrogan, but in the eighties, an even hairier ref for the same series was Greg McCallum.

Edited April 25, 2010 by Andrew Vause

[LOWFIELD]

Dave, Lindop was a good ref, however, I once saw him on a Christmas poss up in Leeds. He was out with Dave Oxley, who was an absolute gent. He said something that always has mystified me. I asked Fred, (who's name wasn't really Fred but something begining with a G) who he supported as a kid. He said I love Rugby League but I have never favoured any team. The thing that mystified me was; if as a kid you get into RL you must have some allegiance to some team to get into the game. May be I'm wrong, and should anticipate someone telling me so and shitting on my head like a seagull on MCat.

On a serious note Gareth Hewer. Been watching RL again for about 4 years. Hewer is ace, he s a ref who actually refs a game. No Bowllux, Hewer is the new Smith for me. Russ was a legend, a smashing junior and colt player who had his career ended by a smashed knee. He got a well deserved career as a ref in Australia. Russell was one of the first refs to learn all the names of the 26 on the pitch at any one time and treated them with respect even though but for injury, he could have been one of them, without bearing bitterness.

PS someone mentioned early about a hairy ref that used to do the Aus v Great Britain games, as SportBilly mentioned in the nineties it was Bill "Arrogant" Harrogan, but in the eighties, an even hairier ref for the same series was Greg McCallum.

I think your not understanding the character of a referee m8 remember there not normal people there not like the rest of us. I have known many refs pretty well and there all the same, wierd sense humour, most of them have a very thick skin you wont break through it, but then again they have to be like that. Fred Lindop is a great bloke and like i said if there was more Fred Lindops in this world it would be a better place

[Andrew Vause]

I think your not understanding the character of a referee m8 remember there not normal people there not like the rest of us. I have known many refs pretty well and there all the same, wierd sense humour, most of them have a very thick skin you wont break through it, but then again they have to be like that. Fred Lindop is a great bloke and like i said if there was more Fred Lindops in this world it would be a better place

Dave, I know your right , a good bloke, but to me a young man with no allegiance to team, never got it. when he was a young kid Wakey were the poodles swingers. So I assume as ref from Wakefield (as he was always cited) that he may have sadi that his early interest was evoked by the achievements of his home town team, but may be not.

[LOWFIELD]

Dave, I know your right , a good bloke, but to me a young man with no allegiance to team, never got it. when he was a young kid Wakey were the poodles swingers. So I assume as ref from Wakefield (as he was always cited) that he may have sadi that his early interest was evoked by the achievements of his home town team, but may be not.

He is from Normanton, so i suppose he had 3 teams he could of picked, but like i say refs are different to the rest of us

[stuart56]

On a serious note Gareth Hewer. Been watching RL again for about 4 years. Hewer is ace, he s a ref who actually refs a game. No Bowllux, Hewer is the new Smith for me. Russ was a legend, a smashing junior and colt player who had his career ended by a smashed knee. He got a well deserved career as a ref in Australia. Russell was one of the first refs to learn all the names of the 26 on the pitch at any one time and treated them with respect even though but for injury, he could have been one of them, without bearing bitterness.

Agree with you about Gareth and about Russ.

Nearly twenty years ago when my eldest (Cliff from Liberia) was playing for Cas and District U16s (with Ian Tonks etc), Russ was just starting and refereed all their home fixtures. He was superb and it was almost like having another coach on for both sides as he talked players back into the defensive line and encouraged both teams equally when they made a good play. All this done with the minimum of stoppages and no attempt to push himself to the front.

I wasn't surprised when he reached the top.

[Cruncher]

Best ref - Russ Smith by a mile! As has been said he "coached" players through a game to reduce the number of penalties he had to give. He earned the respect of the players which doesn't happen very often.

Worst refs

1. Robin Whitfield, always miles behind play (due to his rotund figure I assume). I remember one Paul Newlove try where Newy had almost walked back to the halfway line before Robin pointed to the spot

2. Colin Morris, opposite to Whitfield, was super fit and was often up in support of the wingmen as they sprinted down the touchlines. He missed some of the worst knock-ons and forward passes though, even though he was only two yards away most of the time.

[HaroldShand]

Best ref - Russ Smith by a mile! As has been said he "coached" players through a game to reduce the number of penalties he had to give. He earned the respect of the players which doesn't happen very often.

Worst refs

1. Robin Whitfield, always miles behind play (due to his rotund figure I assume). I remember one Paul Newlove try where Newy had almost walked back to the halfway line before Robin pointed to the spot

2. Colin Morris, opposite to Whitfield, was super fit and was often up in support of the wingmen as they sprinted down the touchlines. He missed some of the worst knock-ons and forward passes though, even though he was only two yards away most of the time.

As a previous poster mentioned, Colin Morris wasn't a good ref at all, but he did make games more entertaining. I used to love his completely OTT theatrical hand gestures. His signal for a knock-on made it appear like he was taking a dump and wafting away the odour!

[micngill]

I used to like Jim Smith from Halifax - a bit 'old school' but used to bark instruction to the players through nthe corner of his mouth as if he was trying to throw his voice!!

[Cliff in Myanmar]

I remember being a small boy at rovers having sandwiches after the game in the