Thierry Alibert, should it say?

Does he know the laws of the game? And why is he Video Ref'ing the game on his own when there're supposed to be two VRs?

He didn't know the rules when he was in the middle, he used to run round like a headless chicken. Thaler couldn't have been more clear other than actually telling him it's no try!

Just scrap the VR

There's 1 VR at every game.

Thaler trying to coerce him into a decision he wants is disgraceful and warrants an RFL investigation because 1. He isn't allowed to do that and 2. He was really gunning for the Catalan one to be given and Cas one disallowed and you need to ask why he was so eager for that.

Thaler breaking the protocols should see him punished.

Thaler ignoring obstructions now just to help Catalan/not use the screen.

Because they were the right decisions?

I say that, the first one wasnt clear whether he kicked it or not because Alibert never seemed to actually understand thats what he was looking for.

The Cas try was obvious no try

With the "I've got a try"/"I've got no try" system there are supposed to be two VRs because they have to have a 2 v 1 decision to disagree/agree with the referees call on the field.

It's not normal for the on field referee to try and persuade the video referee to make the decision he feels is correct as he is watching the replay on the screen.
However, he obviously knows how bad Alibert is, as proven with the decisions he ultimately made.

Wrong.

They scrapped 2 VRs for this season, keep up.

Didn't know that, ta!

If you recall in the Catalan vs Leeds game with the same two officials Thaler sent something up and Alibert repeatedly looked at the wrong play. Thaler questioned him then ("are you sure that's the right incident?"icon_wink.gif and in the end Alibert never checked what he'd been asked to. So Thaler comes into this with quite well established grounds for doubting Alibert's competence.

i dont think that is actually what he was trying to do. In both instances the actual reason for giving the decision was different from the why the decision should have actually been made.

So the first one was sent up to check a Cas hand was in there, it then appeared to possibly not be a knock on and actually kicked.

the second was sent up for a knock on, but it shouldnt have been ruled out for a knock on, it wasnt a try because it was offside.

So Thaler sends it up for knock=on, it isnt, he is then asking Alibert to check for a kick/offside and it seems from the replays, and from Thaler's reaction that he just wasnt getting an answer on those and Alibert didnt understand that he should be looking to rule try/no try for a different reason.

That was at a play the ball immediately before a Catalan try, after the try was given the tv showed the play the ball Alibert was supposed to be looking at and was an obvious knock on.

How utterly pathetic and unprofessional was that debacle

Another obstruction "missed" by Thaler and the ball steal that gave Catalan the ball back was a knock on so he gave them the ball instead of a Cas scrum.

Bent Thaler strikes again.

Thaler has credibility. Alibert has a history of mistakes although most people seem to like him. Will be interesting to see what Ganson does. I imagine he can visualise himself doing the same as Thaler if he'd been out there.

Classy.

Silverwood and whoever the VR is in the Widnes v Saints game ignored the rules too. Silverwood also sent up something he knew 100% wasn't a try to the VR. If the refs ignore the rules what hope have we that the players will abide by them?

Just seen the Thaler/Alibert incident. For me it shows how little trust Thaler has in Alibert. He was striving to find the right decision, I don't have a problem with that. I have a problem with a video referee who awards that try for Cas.

Yeah, I had some sympathy with Thaler, whom I think most regard as our best ref. But he surely did break the rules there, and can expect some sanction. I don't remember ever before seeing a ref tell a captain on the field basically, yeah, I think the decision's rubbish, but there's nothing I can do.

To be fair I don't think Thaler actually did say that to the players, IIRC he said "dont ask me" and then basically along the lines of "the decision is made by the VR looking at the video, we (as in himself and the TJ's) can't do anything about it). Which I've seen a few refs do over the years. Though it was obvious in his manner what he thought about the decision.

I don't know if Thaler actually did break any rules, I think if you examine his comments closely he is continually asking/checking with Alibert if he's looking at the right part of the play. Now Thaler is obviously suprised by Alibert's analysis of what Thaler is looking at on the big screen.
The bit where he may be in breach of rules is where he's basically telling Alibert the rules - "you do know that if it hits his teammates head behind him..."etc etc.

But that's the bit that's most telling for me. Thaler doesn't have confidence that the VR knows the rules.

That's the way I saw it - despite Gronk crying foul about Thaler having something against Cas, it looked to me like he was trying to guide Alibert to the right decision because he could see that he wasn't looking at the right things; and his demeanour clearly demonstrated that Alibert wasn't communicating with him.

It's embarrassing. The standard of some of our officials is appalling. How can the VR give that Cas try? Even with Thaler trying to explain that it blatantly isn't and Alibert not understanding, Thaler out of patience and time to communicate so try given anyway.

Thaler shouldn't face action for that, Alibert should. If the VR knows the rules and is capable of spotting something so obvious the on field ref doesn't have to question anything. If Thaler could see it just off the big screen from the pitch yet Alibert can't that says it all.

Bet Alibert was over the moon to see the Salford chavs in the news. Talk about a good day to bury bad news.