flower had a dig at lance off the ball, lance pushed back. What flower did next could have killed hohaia.

so causal the first offence, its as though it never happened, play on

First up, Flower should get a lengthy ban and the red card was correct (a really easy decision for the ref).

My question is, would he have got a straight red for the first punch if he hadn't followed through with the second (totally unacceptable) one? I suspect that he would have. It would have been a more difficult decision though. I wouldn't have argued if he had.

The incident shows how split seconds can change games. If Flower picks up the knock on cleanly it's difficult to see how he wouldn't have scored (pretty close to the posts as well). As it stands, he didn't and seconds later the game has gone for Wigan and he will carry the incident around with him for the rest of his career.

I think I have read all the posts on this now its getting boring thread. What do we think will be Flowers punishment? Taking everything into account and what happened with Ben Westwood at last years GF I think it will be 4 match ban, which will include pre season matches. Will Lance "goodnight" Hohaia get a ban?

If calling someone a fag gets you 5 matches, then Flower should get at least 10.He'd be looking at 4 for the first punch alone given the RFL's clamping down on attacks to the head this season

That is the big question.

Will the RFL protect Bentham and not charge Hohaia. He made direct contact to the head of an opponent and that is a red card and should get 1-2 games for it. Both should have got sent off and Flower should be looking at a 8 game ban minimum for the 2 punches.

Will prob get man of steel next year for that cause he a pie.
Sky sports bias commentators last night a disgrace , we are only used to that nob Clarke but they were all at it.

Both trying to be impartial - what happens to hohohoho? does his elbow to head connection get over looked? concussion suffiicient?

thats rich, I'm sure this isn't a trolling thread

to be fair to the saints fans their smiling and laughing at the fact flower just knocked on and bombed a try.

Unfortunately (for Flower) retaliation seems to be punished harder than the initial offence, just ask JP against Leigh. Hohaia should at the very least get called up to give his version of events but given the events that superseded the initial foul I doubt he will.

Should have been 2 reds, Hohaia should have gine for the forearm to Flowers jaw. Still, cant condone the second punch, first punch is fine in my opinion, what else do you want him to do? He'd just been attacked in the face from behind.

That was the first time I can remember when I actually squirmed when I saw that second punch. I did think that if that had been outside the stadium he would be facing a judge next month and rightly so. It begs the question in all sport. If a policeman had been stood on the edge of the terrace right next to the incident by law he should have arrested him. Does that mean we can get away with thuggery if we are wearing a sports kit and it happens on grass? If it happens in the tunnel is that different?

This is a very tricky situation but this incident will open the debate as millions saw flower commit a crime in public but will get away with it because it is under the umbrella of sport. His first punch in my mind was understandable after Ohia's elbo. It was that sickening second attack that he should never be allowed to forget. It will stain the rest of his career - and rightly so. I also remember Wanes last words before the game started "We will do whatever is needed to win the game" and "winning is more important than anything else". Did he send Flower out too wound up? Does this reflect badly on the coach?

Unfortunately, last nights game will bring back the name of Thugby League which it had a few decades ago. Great win by Saints and brave effort by rest of Wigan team but the game loses out badly because of this.

sorry, ive kept quite and been happy to read most of the posts. however how was it from behind?!?! are you trolling? fellow wigan fans have posted pics of LH clearly hitting BF in the face with elbows (red for me) so i then have to ask why you are trying to justify the next 5 seconds of BFs life?! it was thuggery. plain and simple.

on the leeds board someone has posted that saints are looking into taking it further anyone heard anything?!

Should be banned for life, but we will see, he is a wigan player after all, protected by the RFL.

Gareth Hock, got 7 games for running into the ref.

If the RFL dont throw the book at Flower it will be a disgrace, but like i say he is a wigan scum bag and will poss get 4 games and a slap on the wrist, so he will be playing in the first match of the season. as no doubt wigan will have 4 friendly games before the begining of the season just to wipe the slate clean,

In my opinion he should be banned for the season , and not only that he should not be allowed to be anywhere near a rugby club , ground or training ground.

Life? lets not go that far, but I agree with the rest, its actually on the front/back page of the newspapers, RL is never headline news and this a shameful episode. The wire games are a long distant memory now and RL needs to start the PR campaign from scratch, for that Flower needs to pay the price

Probably the worst thing I've seen in over 20 years watching the sport.

Cowardly, dangerous and quite shocking. Worse than what Newton did to Long and Gilmour and deserves a longer ban.

In no way would I ever even try to defend what Flower did last night, he totally ruined the whole occasion, for everyone, the game, the club, the supporters and sport, and all he receives by way of punishment will be no more than he deserves. But having said all that on reading some of the posts on here and elsewhere I would say that Flower isn’t the only form of pond life that has just crawled out from under its primeval stone!

Thanks for your reasoned and unbiased contribution. Really added to the debate that. Well done...

You do know the rules, don't you?

What Ben Flower did was totally unacceptable, he deserves whatever punishment he is given.

However, has no one on here ever lost their head in the heat of the moment? I know I have. You could see that Flower regretted it straight away. He has let down his teammates, his coach, the fans and the sport.

The reaction that has been seen on here, as well as Facebook and Twitter has gone way over the top in my opinion. How do you think he feels this morning? Everywhere he goes he will be plagued by this for years to come. He's issued an apology which has been dismissed straight away by most people, what more can the lad do now? I just hope he doesn't do anything stupid and that everyone at Wigan sticks by him and tries to help him get through what must be a terrible time for him.

I don't know about that, I think resting 12 players around the CC final in 2004 and betting on your own team to lose tops that.....please don't throw stones

Ive never punched a prone man in the head whilst he lay on the floor unconscious, no.

You really are stupid. Aren't you?

Ever elbowed a man in the face?