Now we know how the Giants have the best defence in super league slowing the ruck area right down and moving up offside. Thaler turned a blind eye to it all most of the time, I think in one short spell the giants had 2 markers at the PTB but Thaler wash,t bothered.
The ref standard is getting worse every season, its all about "playing the ref" these days knowing what you can get away with, problem is the Saints are not very good in this department.

We had more than our fair share of issues. But looking at Huddersfield tonight and given the fact that we are the closest team to them defensively speaking we really have to put our issues into the context of the league.

If Saints' defence is poor then fans at all those clubs behind us really must have witnessed some diabolical stuff.

Well, another shocker from Thaler!! I don't know why I am so surprised really! Those idiots on sky debating whether it should be or shouldn't be 6 more?? That was not the point at at all. The clown waved to restart the tackle count, the saints players checked and so went into the tackle. Should have been play on whether it was the right call or not. There is no way saints would have took the tackle if he hadn't waved his hand to wipe the tackle count, a kick of sorts would have been made. The standard of refereeing is getting worse, but I bet he is not questioned over it. Players, coaches, CEO's etc.. are all accountable for their actions. Its about time that these clowns in the middle are too! Hope you don't mind me coming on and posting, but it infuriated me so much watching it on Sky that I couldn't resist posting when I saw the thread regarding it. Oh, and slightly off topic, I thought Roby was MOM by a country mile last night, but how long can he keep putting those minutes in? Quinlan backs up superb down the middle, but how far back does he stand??!! His one on one defence looks weak also (but he did only get off the plane a few days ago)

I cannot believe you lot are moaning about offside. In that first 15 minutes when we were pressing your line not one saints player was behind him- he set the precedent right there. And continued it every time we were near your end. The giants fans were screaming at him. In fact ironically if you had of been onside you would have been able to prevent jerrys try. The incident you refer to was a bad mistake by him as, yes, you would have kicked, but it was the right decision he made in the long run as that ball wasn't played at by Murphy. He was poor- But aren't they all with the way the game is played now.

The point isn't whether the desision was correct or not but the fact that he changed his mind. This affected Saints play at that point. we probably would have kicked and not dropped on the ball.

I very very rarely mention the ref after a game as it's pretty much accepted now that every single official in super league is dog awful at the moment and both sides usually have to put up with their fair share of baffling and outrageous decisions. But this really annoyed me enough to post a facebook status about it! (The horror!).

How can a ref wave the tackle count down, watch a player then take the tackle and then change his mind? What a bloody idiot. If he sticks with his original decision, we get a set in their half. If he says it's still the 5th, then we kick and Hudds get the ball deep in their own half. But instead he calls one and changes it, directly affecting our play, giving Hudds the ball in our half which they then score from! It's amateur stuff. Would you even see that in the amateur leagues??

Don't have a problem with the referees making a mistake as it happens (a LOT). But this was just utterly farcical.

no mention of the 2 50/50's in the final few minutes?
considering the knock on against Robinson led to the field position for the winning drop goal
could have gone wither way i thought,

Can`t believe these complaints from Saints fans, I think the Giants fans have more to complain about, as Saints scored from a blatant obstruction and a stripped ball off Robinson should have been a penalty or play on as the ball went backwards. Having said all that I believe Thaler is one of the best refs this season as he doesn`t get taken in by dying swans diving on the floor wanting a penalty and he does try to keep the game flowing. Yes I was annoyed as Saints had the luck for the position for the drop goal, but I think the Saints fans were frustrated because of the thrashing they got the week before at Leeds and were expecting their team to inflict a resounding defeat on the Giants and nearly ended up defeated again which they very nearly were, and would have been if we had finished our chances better.

Tbf I wasn't too concerned about the ref. Thought he did ok.

But when he clearly wiped the tackle count down and then let Dawson take the tackle before changing his decision was one of the most bizarre things I've ever seen. It led to a try too which makes it even more frustrating.

Just did a replay last night of the match, Thaler wash,t as bad as first thought viewing from the stands. There were a couple of incidents with loose carries on either side which went into that grey area of lost ball or interference.
The change of decision was indeed a bizarre one because the ref looked in a better position than the touch judge, on the whole Thaler controlled the match reasonably OK ish, at the end of the day it was the Giants lack of composure those first 15 minutes to make the most of the opportunities they created.

that was the biggest decision of them all, it saints favour!

surely it went backwards!

correct, we failed to take the chances we made in the first half. 4/5 went begging, game would have been over, need to learn, but its getting late in the season now

What was the pen count ?

Give over!

That was a 50/50 call that could've gone either way. The decision by Thaler to wipe the tackle count down and then change his mind as Dawson got tackled was disgraceful and led directly to you scoring a try straight after.

Giants were awarded twice as many penalties than us.

Saints conceded 8 Giants conceded 4

Both teams was miles offside in that game but looks like Mr Thaler favoured the away team. The RFL will do anything to keep that top four race wide open

Quite a few fans gave him a standing ovation when he awarded us a pen for a Giants offside about 20+ minutes. What annoys me all the refs pull the defensive line back to 12 metres and allow players 2 to 3 metres to move up in front, but they don,t do it for both sides, might be Giants got the advantage.

No luck about it, we didn,t wait for the last tackle, Walsh decided to drop kick on the 3rd tackle, good decision well executed and fooled the giants defence.

Mose did very well on the play before the drop goal.

I've no real issue about 50/50 calls, the offside, etc. These things happen every game and if we're winning comfortably then nothing is said.

I don't mind them changing their minds at scrums, the play has stopped and everyone is set, but that decision to wave the tackle count clean, allow play for 5/10 seconds and then change his mind was utterly bizarre. He directly affected the way we continued the play as Dawson looked to be shaping to kick the ball until he saw Thaler waving the count clean. We'd have been defending 10-20 yards further up the pitch. It'll be interesting to see if it's covered in the Ask The Ref twitter questions, or if he'll duck out like others have done in the past.

Some days you just roll 1s. Saints were luck none of those 3 early chances were turned into points. They weren't and, to be fair, we lead the game throughout.

A terrible spectacle imo, with it being a case of when, not if, either team were going to score. I'm not sure how the neutral would see it.

very strange game, two best defensive sides conceding so many points, some slack tackling, cutting corners and not doing the hard graft?

If we're one of the best defensive sides this year then the other clubs must be dire!

Watching it again Robinson clearly dropped the ball. Forwards or backwards you can debate but dropped balls facing the opponents line more often than not are given as a knock on.

I'm not sure what he could do on reversing his call?

Either way he will be unfair to someone.
If a ref interferes in play I thought the result was a scrum. But that would be unfair to huddersfield.

The only solution I can think of would be a free punt of the ball to the ball carrier. But I doubt the rules allow for that.

Watching it again Robinson clearly dropped the ball. Forwards or backwards you can debate but dropped balls facing the opponents line more often than not are given as a knock on.

I'm not sure what he could do on reversing his call?

Either way he will be unfair to someone.
If a ref interferes in play I thought the result was a scrum. But that would be unfair to huddersfield.

The only solution I can think of would be a free punt of the ball to the ball carrier. But I doubt the rules allow for that.