The problem is twofold,. 1 there was no need for it, it was the usual handbags
2 it was a pathetic attempt at a headbutt but will be treated very seriously by the disciplinary. Other than getting himself sent off what did it achieve? This isn’t about “snowflake” or “family game” etc
I would point out one thing though, if you commit an assault in everyday life and you use a headbutt that is considered the equivalent of using a weapon for sentencing purposes.

If I copped a cheap shot from the side and threw a headbutt it would be considered 'the use of reasonable force' in the event of self defence.

Anyway. Your point is null and void because this wasn't everyday life. It was during a game... A contact sport. I pray that some RL fans never make it to and Ice hockey game... I'd stay away from boxing and MMA as well, just to be sure.

One cretin keeps crying ‘assault’ on their board. I’d love to hear what he thought of Mr Flower’s punch in the 2014 GF, because a rubbish headbutt pales in comparison to smacking a bloke square in the face who’s already floored, in my humble and therefore correct opinion!

I might be being a bit thick or just don't understand how offences are graded but what is the difference between Liam Watts butt on Dom Crosby and what Westwood did.
Liam Watts was a grade C
Does the charge depend on your previous.

Going to tribunal so he'll be suspended Thursday and reviewed later.
Wigan did the same with Tautai and got him on a 3 game ban instead of 5-6.
We get Benny on a 3, and he's back for Saints away!

I started watching Rugby in the mid 70's so i know all about the "biff". Your self defence point is interesting but I can't see anyone trying to Justify Ben Westwood's actions on those grounds. The "sentencing" point was merely to highlight that use of the head is considered an aggravating factor.
I will be staying away from boxing and am amazed that it is still legal. Given the level of awareness about the effects of head injuries, how a civilised society can allow a sport that is based on inflicting blows to the head amazes me. I will also be avoiding cock fighting, bull fighting and bare knuckle fighting. I also think the fact that we no longer send young boys up chimneys is a good thing. If that makes me a snowflake in your eyes I wear that badge with pride.

No they didn't. One of these days you'll get something right.

Thought they did...but yes looked it up...took the 4 matches.
Wigan spoke about it then had a change of mind....surely? If it was someone else, I've not a clue who!!

I do enjoy seeing us line up with decent ball-playing, rugby-brained back-rowers - it separates us from the animals.

Saying that, it's pointless bringing a knife to a gun fight.

There's an obvious benefit to having players who are not afraid of putting it up 'em, especially against a team like Wigan.

The scuffle and his actions didn't cost us anything. We conceded 2 tries against 12 men when we had 13. That's what needs addressing.

So what if he cops a ban? We have deep enough cover in the forwards, and resting his old bones for a few weeks will serve him well later in the season.

Looking at total penalties conceded over the last 5 years (a rough yardstick of a player's discipline and how much their team gets penalised in games for it), and given Westwood's role in the team, is he such a liability?

1 - Liam Watts - 105
2 - Jon Wilkin - 103
3 - Paul McShane - 102
4 - Chris Hill - 98
5 - Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook - 90
6 - Danny Brough - 86
7 - Adam Milner - 85
8 - Luke Gale - 83
9 - Chris Houston - 81
10 - Danny Houghton - 77
11 - Danny Kirmond - 77
12 - Mark Minichiello - 76
13 - Liam Farrell - 76
14 - William Isa - 76
15 - James Roby - 75
16 - Jamie Jones-Buchanan - 74
17 - Ben Westwood - 74
18 - Logan Tomkins - 73
19 - Jack Hughes - 73
20 - Kruise Leeming - 71
21 - Marc Sneyd - 71
22 - Remi Casty - 70
23 - Mike McMeeken - 70
24 - Sean O'Loughlin - 70
25 - Lloyd White - 70

If you want to try and make sense of the statistics divide the penalties by number of minutes played.
The real question though was what did Westwood achieve by his headbutt? Then ask What was the best it could've achieved and what was the worst?
It achieved him being sent off. The best it could have achieved was that no one noticed it (and punishment delayed). The worst was he is sent off and it costs us the match and he gets a lengthy ban.
In no way was it worth what he did. I should add that I like Ben as a player, but he does stupid things. I would argue his stupid things are more stupid than C Hill's stupid things. Hill gets criticised, Ben gets lauded.

If Patten had not run in like a wild man nothing would have happened.

Wire had head hit after another....Patton was just the touch paper. It was always going to go off.

likewise had willie isa not gone in with his knees and swinging arm into toby's head, nothing would have happened, especially since thaler pretty much gave wigan the green light to house freely.


Hang on, let me read my notes, sorry, what i should have said was *adjusts glasses* toby king's head bounces up off the floor and unfortunately gets kneed in the head by willie isa. Thats what the RFL said.

4 match ban + £500 fine

I cannot believe Greenwood has escaped punishment. That really does set a precedent for like-minded grubs.

...they've got to try everything to keep Pies up.

Behaved like a nob, got his punishment.

I'm all for Westwood acting as an [ienforcer[/i, BUT, there are ways and means.

I'm reminded of the great Brian Clough, in the film "The Damned United" when his captain, Billy Bremner is up infront of the FA for one of his [iscuffles[/i. "You're a great player, but you're no good to me, sat in the stands".
40odd years on, Westwood should pay heed to such wise words

The 'headbutt' was a rubbish one.

It didn't send Escared off for a head check, it was a side dish after Isa's thuggery on Toby.

The real issue is Thaler had no clue that Greenwood hit Blake so late that the ball moved through several tackles before he knew it had happened... and THEN, only because play had stopped did he become aware of Dan Knockonson cheap shotting Ryan.

In conclusion, they were hardly punished and we lost our playmaker for 10/15/whatever and Atkins had to play with tampons up his nose

Exactly...Morley (late career) and Peacock (throughout his career) knew how to be enforcers without giving away penalties and getting bans.

He was lucky to get away with his punch in the face of Blake Green in that Grand Final, else his career would have had a Ben Flower type shadow over it.

I can't believe Blake Austin wasn't banned for headbutting Greenwoods shoulder. An inch higher and he could have seriously affected his beautifully manicured stubble. Discusting disreguard for another player.

Lol

I know this thread is about Westwood but whenever there is a bit of a dust up in a game I look at who takes the next carry.
More often than not it is Ryan Atkins and he did it again on Friday. I know he dropped a bomb with they try line begging but it takes some bottle to do that - especially a centre wwhen you would expect a front rower to be taking that carry.
I take my hat off to him. I would be at the back of that queue.

Unless we get a few injuries to the forwards i don't think we'll see Akauola more than a handful of times this season before we get rid at the end of the season. Smith Bought him and Price clearly isn't a fan of him.
As for Benny fair enough he had a brain fart and threw a head at Escare, but for some reason most people seem to forgot or have not seen him get hit in the side of the head by him. I don't think it was intentional as he was jumping up to grab him but he did in fact connect right to the side of his head. Now in the middle of an aggressive scuffle adrenaline is going and as far as benny would have been concerned at little turd just punched him in the side of the face.
Stupid move the headbutt but ahh well poop happens.

Stupid and paying the price. But we have enough cover and Ben can never do anything to tarnish his legacy in my eyes. He didn't have use of his arms when Escare cheap shotted him, I've no doubt that if they weren't tied up he'd have put one of them into frenchies face, as it were the only thing he had to teach him a lesson was his forehead.

I think we will see him over / just after Easter to spread out the playing minutes a little. He needs to take that chance though, as It doesn't look like he will get many this season I agree.