Referee for Friday

[EDINBURGH-WARRIOR]

Red card all day long for me . Deserves a red for stupidity as much as anything . Wigan well in a game nobody thought we had a prayer to win and then that . If the club try to defend that they want to have a look at themselves.

As for Tony Smith . Would he have the same attitude to it if it had only been yellow , doubt it . Regards , EW

[josie andrews]

This is what I mean!

Yes, but we have expert armchair coaches on here who are so much better than those paid to coach!

How much clearer do you want it??

[pedro]

Wigan win and people still want to.find a player to insult

Find it interesting that tony smith thinks the red was harsh.

Yes, but we have expert armchair coaches on here who are so much better than those paid to coach!

cos IL couldnt afford me

[cpwigan]

This is what I mean!

Yes, but we have expert armchair coaches on here who are so much better than those paid to coach!

How much clearer do you want it??

Too vague

[markill]

Let's not make the last few weeks of this site about you two having a falling out.

I thought Hicks wasn't very consistent at all but in hindsight it probably added to the spectacle and drama. The red card was absolutely the right call though.

[moto748]

Seeing it in the link upthread for the first time. It wasn't the worst thing ever, and no injury, and fair play to the lad (and his coach) for not milking it.

But for all the criticism of refs in general and Hicks in particular, I thought the ref got it right. Definite red. Sometimes it seems refs are afraid to show red; they hide behind putting it on report.

Should be the end of his season, but we'll manage fine without him, I think.

[josie andrews]

Let's not make the last few weeks of this site about you two having a falling out.

I thought Hicks wasn't very consistent at all but in hindsight it probably added to the spectacle and drama. The red card was absolutely the right call though.

I'm not falling out Mark, I just don't see why the comment I made is cryptic or vague!

[TrueBlueWarrior]

100% a sending off for me however I don't think he was ever going to hurt the lad if that makes sense!!

[Panchitta Marra]

Don't think it was intent to hurt, more of intent to shove him with his forearm in the chest area, but his arm was too high making it an elbow to the neck area, looked worse than what it was.
One of the very few decisions Hicks got right on the night, and he should be demoted a couple of divisions for that inept display. Even Tony Smith admitted that we got more than our fair share of bad calls from the referee, and he's not wrong.

[markill]

I think Smith was just criticising the ref in general. He said both sides got some harsh calls.

Hicks awarding penalties was very inconsistent. When players are willing to push for every split second advantage that becomes a problem for them to work out when they'll be penalised and when they won't. It's weak refereeing. The harsh sin bin followed by make up calls the other way is weak refereeing too. The bit he wasn't weak on was the sending off, that was the right call. Can't catch a guy in the neck with an elbow regardless of whether he was injured or not as a result.