Probably not as i doubt RedHall will ban him but none of the commentators had any sympathy with him.

First contact was upwards right on to the chin, jumped into the tackle as well. Should have been red and then 2 week ban, now it should be three week ban.

Still Grix is lucky because if Bowen had not chinned him i think McIlorum would have got him with his elbow.

Don't Wigan play NZ Warriors first?

If I recall McGuire got a one match ban in the last game of the season and got to serve it in the Boxing Day friendly.
Likewise Westwood for his shot on Green in the GF had to 'miss' the Italy friendly for England.

One match ban and still available for the WCC me thinks.

Should have been yellow minimum

Ferguson got banned during World Cup and served it in a pre season friendly for Bradford.

I know the disciplinary is there for a reason but after match bans do not reflect in the game the act was committed.


PS. I'm not arguing over the incident as it doesn't matter to my team now.

What did he do? He's picking up the culture quickly it seems.

Stiff armed Grix.

Grix had kicked the ball ahead and was took out with a nice arm across the chops. Personally I'd have given Yellow from the first look.

Red from the second look.

Referees need to get told to grow a pair, it was clear as day and we have the technology to make sure. Yellow and red cards need to be issued much more often then these sorts of incidents will begin to decline

I've been saying the same for quite a while now. I'm not sure what he was trying to do but whatever it was it went wrong. We all however know the script. Early guilty plea, 1 match ban missing the friendly against NZ. And we accuse the RFL of inconsistancy

If Matt Bowen is banned from the WCC it will mean Wigan loses by 40 points instead of by 26.

We like being the underdogs. The only other time we played the WCC in Australia we were supposed to loose by a landslide and had no props.............................................

Justed looked at your side from the 1994 game, even with a lack of props your side was outstanding, your backs and was backrow was 10 times better than you have now.

We have refs faffing with a silly screen for tries and the main ref miked up yet an incident like that can't be quickly glanced over and the ref told "yeah send him off, first contact is head"

Really getting fed up of 'on report' now, in the end it didn't cost the Giants but there have been games in which it could have benefited a side losing. All it does is weaken said team a week later, how does that benefit Hudds if they lose?

It deserved a yellow at minimum but more likely a red.

Red Hall can ban him from the WCC for me, I'd rather have Ryan Hampshire at FB going off last nights performance!

The rule should be that any any individual player that is put on report is also automatically sent to the sin bin for 10 minutes at the time.

The "on report" system just gives a massive cop out to referees. On any game with video review it's pointless and outdated.
If you're know it's a clear penalty but not sure of intent, yellow card and let the review panel decide if further punishment is warranted .
The current way "on report" is abused by refs angers all teams and fans. Do you think Wigan would rather have Bowen sent off last night or a threat of him missing the WCC? Huddersfield get nothing from him missing a game or two either.
More yellow and red cards and less review panels is better!

On the first showing as they followed the ball down field I thought he'd gone down from an elbow.

Should have been a yellow minimum, late challenge on a kicker, which is standard. Or it should have been a red for a late high tackle on a non ball carrier.

He jumped off the floor to clothesline him, it wasn't a reaction job, and I was a bit annoyed when silverwood said to Bowen wasn't sure of his point of contact. When refcam showed he had a good view of it.

The easiest red card decision you'll see all season. It was a shocking tackle when the player wasn't even in possession of the ball.

Did silverwood make a judgment call at all last night?

I know. I just wanted to disagree with Bar..... Sorry Jean

To be honest. I doubt from that performance whether Bowen will be a huge loss. Seemed a bit rusty to me if I'm being nice. Hampshire seemed to have more spark about him last year. But it would be a hell uva pressure game to be thrown into.

What chance do you have when referees are compulsive liars

@SilversRef: @neillrigby Look at my position !! I'm behind Grix


Just a shame we've seen the ref cam dick old boy

I can understand Silverwood not sending him off on one look. It's unacceptable that Ganson and Smith didn't have a quick word. They would know, 100% after one! at most two views that it was a clear red. It was late, high, unnecessary on a player who didn't even have the ball,

You can't give a yellow for a high tackle iirc, but he could have had ten for deliberate foul play in obstructing the chaser.

Did Shaun Wane see it in his interview, bet not? (he never seen Flower nearly break Luke Walshes jaw)

Players, especially those from overseas are rarely brilliant in their first game. It must be weird for him. As well as the culture shock and leaving behind friends and family he was also a one club man. Also Wigan's attack wasn't firing on all cylinders and Huddersfield defended superbly and did a great job of slowing down the play the ball. Ricky's time will come but he will be gradually introduced.

There was plenty there for the ref to take his pick from

Bowen was struggling to adjust to the weather i think, i mean he was hunching up his shoulders the whole game.