Quote happyjack="happyjack"If he was a decent player then why at his age is he not playing rugby, just a thought.'"
Because he's a top referee, which is why he has made it from reffing kiddies games, to junior and then youth games, then probably amateur, then probably top amateur through semi-professional to Championship and now Superleague.
That is one heck of a journey and one heck of an achievement and not for one nano second did he go through all that in the hope of being able to influence Huddersfield games if he "supports" them.
Playing Rugby League is very hard, many hard knocks and now the serious long term effects of concussion. Injuries can affect your day job which is why some people don't carry on playing but choose reffing as a way to get involved, get a run out and enjoy the crack afterwards. Clubs get to know the refs and vice versa so reffing is a great way to be involved in the game and get to know a lot of great people, and get around to many great RL places.
I's only fans who have never reffereed and probably dare not referee that have the ability to think any ref wants to choose who they would like to win. They have the ability to think that SL refs are "rubbish" based on decisions they think the Ref got wrong when nine times out of then it's the terrace Ref that is wrong. It's OK of course for players to make many mistakes in the heat of battle but not acceptable for a ref to make any mistake despite every decision he has to make often being challenged strongly by players.