From leading characters to biggest regret: Ben Thaler reflects on best and worst of Super League career

Charismatic official Ben Thaler will take charge of his final game this weekend after calling time on his distinguished refereeing career.

The 43-year-old has refereed more than 700 senior matches to establish himself as one of the most respected officials of the modern era.

Ahead of his swansong at Belle Vue this Sunday, The Yorkshire Post caught up with the Normanton native to pick out the best and worst of his career.

Biggest regret over a decision

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There are a few regrets along the way and things you don't forget. It's quite gut-wrenching to think about them.

I made a couple of errors in a Challenge Cup semi-final in 2012 when Leeds beat Wigan. I'm not sure it would have affected the result but you still remember them.

Then there were a couple of errors in a play-off game between St Helens and Warrington in 2016. I didn't go to the screen when there was a try in the corner. I actually rang Keiron Cunningham afterwards to apologise.

You make mistakes that are human error and you have to put your hand up, apologise and say you got it wrong. What people don't realise is that it actually does cost referees something because I probably should have refereed more finals than I have.

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Ben Thaler chats to Sam Tomkins during a game between Catalans and Huddersfield. (Photo: Ed Sykes/SWpix.com)Ben Thaler chats to Sam Tomkins during a game between Catalans and Huddersfield. (Photo: Ed Sykes/SWpix.com)
Ben Thaler chats to Sam Tomkins during a game between Catalans and Huddersfield. (Photo: Ed Sykes/SWpix.com)

If you can put your hand up and apologise, it does show you are human.

Hardest players to keep in line

Someone like Barrie McDermott was hilarious. Barrie and Terry (O'Connor) were coming to the end in Super League as I was starting and they were playing at Widnes. I'll never forget Barrie once asking me to stand to the side during a fight.

I used to quite enjoy getting stuck in and a couple of times I thought I was going to get my head knocked off.

Ben Thaler explains a decision to Stefan Ratchford and James Roby. (Photo: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)Ben Thaler explains a decision to Stefan Ratchford and James Roby. (Photo: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)
Ben Thaler explains a decision to Stefan Ratchford and James Roby. (Photo: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)

Barrie and Terry were class. I wish I'd refereed them a lot longer but they probably don't because I would have probably ended up sending them off in the end.

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They were respectful and that helped as a young referee because I respected these lads and what they'd done in the game. To gain their respect, you had to make sure you were fair and communicated with them.

Barrie and Terry are great examples of players you could manage when it got a bit more physical.

When it comes to people getting stuck in and foul play, I think I've been quite good. Technically, I don't think I've been one of the best referees there has been – but when it comes to managing players and foul play, I think I've done alright.

Ben Thaler gives a penalty against Leeds. (Photo: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)Ben Thaler gives a penalty against Leeds. (Photo: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)
Ben Thaler gives a penalty against Leeds. (Photo: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)

It's quite funny because I've had messages from a few lads that I've put in the bin. One even remembered me sin-binning him 25 years ago which makes me smile.

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There have been a couple of challenging characters that I've actually enjoyed refereeing because managing them shows the art of refereeing rather than just blowing your whistle.

Biggest run-in with a coach

There have been several. I think I've upset several coaches in the past.

I'll never forget a coach got quite a hefty fine a few years ago and then I bumped into him when he was at Farmer Copleys in Pontefract three days later. He just smiled at me, shook my hand and it was forgotten.

I laughed at Justin Morgan at the World Cup in 2017 when he was working for one of the Australian TV channels and I was video refereeing the final. He jokingly said to me that we'd found something I was good at finally.

Rob Burrow's children Macy, Jackson and Maya bring the match ball out to Ben Thaler ahead of Leeds' game against Huddersfield in 2021. (Photo: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com)Rob Burrow's children Macy, Jackson and Maya bring the match ball out to Ben Thaler ahead of Leeds' game against Huddersfield in 2021. (Photo: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com)
Rob Burrow's children Macy, Jackson and Maya bring the match ball out to Ben Thaler ahead of Leeds' game against Huddersfield in 2021. (Photo: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com)

You can smile and laugh when you get that kind of thing.

Best game

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It's weird because I always remember refereeing Batley versus Dewsbury in the League 1 play-off final in 2005 to decide which team played in the Championship.

I loved refereeing in Denver when England played New Zealand.

Leeds versus Melbourne in the (2013) World Club Challenge was one of the best games I've probably ever refereed myself and it was a great game. That's something you remember.

I refereed at Wembley and Old Trafford which are very different. You're on the Old Trafford pitch and it's full with 75,000 people there. The only thing I can compare the experience to was like being on a computer game. It was all blacked out, lights were flashing and all you could see in your focus was the green pitch. You sometimes couldn't see your touch judges if you were at the other end of the field. It was quite surreal.

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Some of the older grounds I really do enjoy going back to because of the atmosphere. Some of the new facilities are amazing but I do quite enjoy it when the fans are on top of you.

Best team

When my career started, Bradford Bulls were at the top. St Helens had an amazing run then Leeds had an amazing run. Catalans have had a great run and I can remember Huddersfield having a couple of really great seasons. Then there's the season that Castleford had in 2017.

It's not like it's been one particular team throughout. It's changed and flipped around.

I actually refereed at places like Central Park, Knowsley Road, Wilderspool, Hilton Park, the Boulevard, where I got spat at, and the last game at the Willows where they were pulling the tunnel to bits as we walked off.

Best player

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I quite liked the challenging players. I always enjoyed refereeing Lee Briers. We used to have a laugh. I'd say 'Do you want to referee this game?' and he'd say 'No you're doing alright today' or 'Mate, give me that whistle'.

One of my favourite players to referee was Keiron Cunningham but there have been so many. (Kevin) Sinfield and his Leeds team were class when I refereed the cup finals and Grand Final in 2015.

Those great Saints and Leeds teams were built around individuals like (James) Roby, Cunningham and Sinfield.

I did like characters. I think I sin-binned Danny Brough three times in my career and it was never for giving me grief, it was because he'd given Robert Hicks, the touch judge, dissent. Once he even walked off before Robert had put his flag up. He said 'Don't worry, I'm off' and I didn't even know what had happened yet.

Things like that stand out. You sit back and smile.

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I'd like to think I'll be remembered for being fair. A couple of former Super League players who played for Great Britain and a couple of players in the NRL messaged me saying they liked what I did and that I was firm but fair and your communication with us really helped.

The biggest thing I'll take out of my career won't be a single match, player or game but that I've done quite well in maintaining relationships and gaining the respect of players. That's the thing I'm most pleased about.

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