Leading Super League official Ben Thaler warns about perils of social media amid David Coote controversy

However, the furore around David Coote's conduct serves as a warning to officials still making their way in sport.

The Premier League referee has been stood down after a video circulated on social media appearing to show him making derogatory remarks about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.

Thaler was understandably reluctant to discuss the specifics of that case but knows from experience how brutal social media can be when an investigation plays out in the public eye.

In 2020, the 43-year-old was accused in an anonymous letter of making an offensive remark about another match official.

Thaler was eventually cleared of wrongdoing but not before his reputation had been tarnished.

"I first got promoted when we didn't have mobile phones," said Thaler, who is coming out of retirement for Sunday's 745 Game at Headingley after recently calling time on his long refereeing career. "Now it's evolved through to trial by social media.

"I had a situation where I was accused of something and was then completely exonerated eight weeks later with no case to answer. But for those eight weeks, social media was just rife.

"Sadly after 24 years and refereeing hundreds and hundreds of games, you put my name in Google and that's the first thing that comes up. That's crap."

Thaler officially signed up to X, formerly known as Twitter, in 2019 but a fake account has been spreading misinformation for a lot longer.

For every 100 people who can easily spot a parody, there will always be somebody happy to take what they read at face value.

Thaler can laugh about the parody account but some social media users take the abuse too far.

"I had a fake account before I even went on Twitter," he recalled.

"It said I like going out on Friday evenings and cocking up games of rugby league. Some people think that's true – even I almost fell for it.

"When I started there was no such thing as social media. Social media can sometimes make the job intolerable really.

"The personal attacks only have a detrimental effect and the well-being of the official has to be taken into account.

"Several of my colleagues have had death threats and I've had my share of them myself. Some have gone to an extreme and you have to be so careful these days with what you do and say.

"It's quite sad that you have to think before you speak because of the dramatic effect it can have on you later in life."

The fallout from the Coote controversy has the potential to make life more difficult for rugby league referees when the new season begins early next year.

As far as Thaler is concerned, the impartiality of referees can never be questioned.

"In my 30-year involvement in rugby league, I've never known a referee go out with a preconceived idea to throw something or make a certain decision," said Thaler, who will remain available as a video referee after hanging up his whistle.

"What people don't see on the officiating side is how it affects officials when they get something wrong.

"You look at the Rob Hicks scenario at the Challenge Cup final in 2019 and what that did to him for quite a while mentally. That has a massive knock-on effect on you personally. You can't just pretend it doesn't matter and it was just a mistake and get on with it.

"I had the same earlier in my career when Leeds benefited from a couple of decisions in a Challenge Cup semi-final. You miss out on a final and it can put your career back."

After refereeing this weekend's unique hybrid match at Headingley in aid of motor neurone disease, Thaler will focus on his new role recruiting and developing the next generation of match officials.

Among the key messages will be to remain vigilant at all times.

The experienced official said: "If you're a rugby league referee and have a picture taken with a player on a night out and it ends up on social media, 10 years down the line you might be refereeing this guy in a Challenge Cup final and might give a 50-50 decision.

"Someone could trawl back 10 years on social media and find something that's completely innocent and have a totally different perception of it. But it's only a picture and doesn't tell the full story.

"We need to educate people more. I seriously think that by educating people there will be a greater understanding of the impact their actions could have.

"It's 2024 now and social media can have so much impact on your future and the well-being of yourself and your family."