Hardly noticed Thaler on Saturday which is exactly how it should be.



Just echoing what has already been said, he his well above the current crop of officials and I can't see any other ref getting the GF.



Not long ago I was thinking that maybe we’re too harsh on refs and it must be a really tough job. The game is getting quicker and players/coaches are getting much more ‘ref savvy’ with stretching the rules and playing up sometimes. Refs are only human too and can’t possibly see everything that goes on in a game that is played as fast as in SL.



Then Ben puts in a performance like on Saturday and proves that the standard of the rest is simply below par.



The disparity between the stuff that Thaler offers and the likes of Silverwood or Child is poles apart. Well done Ben and surely to God he can’t be the only decent ref in the country?

Thaler refs without ego, which I think is key to a good ref and is polar opposite to someone like silverwood, who seems to think the crowd have paid to come watch him and not the players. He seems to ref with a smile on his face and has the respect of the players. Hes head and shoulders above any other ref for a long time.

I'll echo the thoughts about Thaler, an excellent performance on Saturday, not bothered about players 'milking' penalties at the PTB, just tells them to get on with it (unless ball comes out).

Got to give credit to both teams though, especially KR, they could have easily spat dummy out like certain other teams and given Thaler an excuse to blow for penalties all the time, Leeds likewise, didn't mess about too much either.

Refs are great when you're winning aren't they? The fact thaler is touted (rightly) as the best shows how the demise in refereeing standards is echoing that of the players in super league. Refs are also barely noticeable during utter tonkings. I bet he becomes crap again should he oversee a leeds grand final loss.

Except I think you'll find - if you can be bothered to look - plenty of negative and positive comments about all referees on this board from the current season.



So in other words, you're wrong. But thanks for your contribution.

Although I support the point that Thaler's a decent enough ref I'd also add that on Saturday the players of both sides made his job fairly easy. Hull KR could easily have resorted to niggle, lying on or out-and-out illegal retribution. It's very much to their credit that they chose not to. I think there's little doubt that certain other sides would have done just that.

It was a fairly easy game to ref but he still did a good job. Other refs with bigger egos would have done a worse job with that game.

And this is what you do when you aren't I presume.