...so what are the odds he cops less of a ban than Zak?

I bet Wane would have accepted 12 vs 13 for Hohaia missing the whole match and Saints being left with no playmakers...win at all costs and all that.

His Wigan are a thoroughly unlikable team

The team with class tonight beat a bunch of thugs coached by a dispacable ape.
Congratulations to Saints.
The tetchy Pie mods will be handing out bans & deleting posts all night long.

Unbelievable is all I can say. Shocking to see.

I wonder how hypocrital Our resident troll will show himself to be explaining that one.

Completely shocking. Needs a long long ban. Shouldn't be seen next year on a rugby pitch. The game is tough enough without a real cheap shot on a knocked out player.

Disgusting behaviour. Should get the longest ban of any player this season as there is no room for that sort of thing on any sporting field but to do it on our games big day brings our SL into disrepute. So Flower should get an extra long ban for this too.

Totally different level to anything we've seen for a very long time. Les Boyd-style ban for a Les Boyd-style play.

Total brain implosion. The first was a red card, and that would be as much as people would say about it. Biff etc.

The second, on the other hand, was pretty disgraceful. I don't think I've ever seen that in a professional game before. I assume Kelvin Skerrett did it at some point, but not while I was watching...

I wonder what Mick Morgan thought about it.....

There may or may not be a Mick Morgan commentary version of the incident on a well known video streaming website.

Will Wane. Be brought to book now for his disgraceful coaching tactics?

Nah,Teflon kings are Wigan.Although Flower should get Grade E-F, punching an opponent off guard IMO.

The ban for "running in and punching an opponent off guard" is a Grade F - 8 games or a specified period.

No doubt the RFL will say it wasn't running in, therefore it's a Grade E. And he has previous good record so we'll call it a D. So that's four games, and he can include Wales's European Championship campaign. Less one for an EGP. So back in time for the extended WCC.

Personally, I'd give him six months from today.

Oh, and Hohaia shouldn't escape punishment for the original forearm smash off the ball that started the whole thing either. One game for that.

Flower caught Hohaia with one first, then Hohaia ran after him and retaliated, then the punches.

Think you might find Flower started and finished it.
Hohaia did run in with the elbow and should cop a game or two but only after Flower caught him in back play.
As for Flower 6 games minimum.
I don't agree it was cowardly i would say it was thuggery of the lowest form.
Only a scumbag would do that to a fellow professional who was clearly knocked out on the floor.

Well, judging by the look on Wane's face, I don't think Ben Flower was acting under his coach's instructions at that point. So it would be quite tricky to bring Wane to book for it.

Remember the nice wigan fans wishing mcguire could never play again after tugging Pat Richards shirt a few years ago, wonder how they feel about flowers antics tonight.

Pie forum mod creates gloating thread,threatens wholesale bans for people having the audacity to accuse of Wigans team of being thugs.Wigans 'hate' tag has well and truly deserved

They probably think Flower is a toe to toe merchant

Hohaia tried a forearm smash on flower in retaliation for Flowers late charge moments before. Flower saw red and banjo'd Hohaia, a little OTT but I can see why.

What he did next was unforgivable and the act of a cowardly b'stard, Hohaia was sparked when Flower threw that second punch.

A team of thugs with one or two exceptions but I said it a few months back and will repeat it now... Wigan are a 'win at all costs' team and play a flavour of Rugby that I personally despise.

They got what they deserved today.

I'd give him 6 months too.

In prison.

Flower needs to learn the correct Wigan way. Do it sneakily. O'Loughlin should be able to teach him. He's a master.

In the build up this week I had a dubious feeling about how Wane was building up this Wigan/Saints hatred thing. I can understand it for a league game (and often a flashpoint will happen as a result) but for a GF the occasion is big and important enough regardless of who the opposition is. Cooler heads and better discipline are usually a big step to winning finals so doing his 'raw meat' routine for this particular game wasn't a good idea IMO.

SINE DIE.

When has England captain Sean O'Loughlin ever punched a player?