Tony Smith unhappy with referee appointments

Warrington coach Tony Smith has blasted the RFL for the way they handle their referee appointments.

Smith is unhappy having had referee Steve Ganson for the last four consecutive competitive games, and has questioned what method the RFL use to decide which referee officiates where.

 Smith said: “I thought it was out of order last year for us to have Steve Ganson three times in a row, it’s just beyond my comprehension.

“Occasionally you get a referee twice in a row, and I can understand that happening. But it makes me question the system.

“I wasn’t questioning the referee, it wasn’t about anything with Steve Ganson. It was the appointment of him.” 

Gason was the referee in the final three games of Warrington’s season last year against Hull FC, Huddersfield and Leeds.

Ganson was again appointed to referee the opening round match between Hull FC and Warrington last Sunday, and Smith was left frustrated at the inconsistency of decisions in all of those games.

Smith said: “In the final three weeks, those games were in total contrast to one another. Every week is different, every referee is different, and even with the same referee it’s different.

“Look at us verses Hull last year then, look at us verves Huddersfield. One week there was penalties galore, the next week there was no penalties. There is a different style each and every week.”

However Smith admits there is nothing he can do, and has instructed his players to get on with the way the game is played regardless.

He said: “I have to learn to embrace it, and I’m getting my players to get on with it. On Sunday it was really slow, there was a lot of holding down in the ruck, and we just have to cope with that and make those adjustments.

“Next week there could be a really quick ruck speed, and well have to adjust to that. That’s the challenge, and it’s my job to get the players to handle that.”