In fairness he’s looked a little lost so far not quite ready for the first team for me

Totally agree. I had big hopes for him (and I’m not ready to cast him aside just yet) but he’s nowhere near ready for the first team, especially to start at fullback. I’ve been far more impressed with Sam Halsall when he’s had a chance than Hanley. Sam will be going on loan (Newcastle) I think and I think Hanley needs to go on loan too.

Hardaker Two match ban Joel could be out for quite a while. https://www.rugby-league.com/article/58 ... view-panel

Hardaker Two match ban Joel could be out for quite a while. https://www.rugby-league.com/article/58 ... view-panel

2 matches - think he got off lightly there.It certainly looked bad on the TV.

Reckon he can feel lucky with that, McNamara must be fuming

Wow, surprised at that.
Not looking good for Joel.

Must be due to his previous exemplary disciplinary record

3 punches to the head not good in a sport clamping down on head tackles.

Hope he gets a lengthy ban. The man is a tit. Hard man wannabe, Picking on young girls in a bar. Gimp!

He’s probably leading the points race for MOS so can’t be that bad.

Strange he wasn't cited for a squirrel tackle when you see the position of his hand in the tackle.

Why, because that's not true. Unlike Tommy two tugs and the Wire ball juggler.

And the fact that he's just come back from an 8 match ban won't help

I don't know how your so sure of that, watch the replay. His hand is initially round the thigh, lets go and it ends up in the crotch, well and truly buried there and he doesn't let go. Can't think of any other reason for it.

If I'm truelly honest and I know a bit of biff is not allowed in today's game.... the games going soft. Only a few years ago people couldn't stop saying bring back the biff!!! Now Hardaker and Joel and being treated as of theve killed someone ! THE WORLDS GONE NUTS!!!

Handbags at dawn and nothing more. 2 game ban for each of them and have done with it

Vintage stupidity from Joel.

Snatched a partial defeat from the jaws of comprehensive victory.

Hey you can't say that!! It's disgracefull behaviour ....... Never seen anything like it in 35 years watching the game!

I wouldnt mind the uproar if they actually had a scrap. Ive seen better headbuts in a premier league football game and as for Joel 'braindead' Tomkins, he couldnt punch his way out of a wet paper bag (no, i wouldnt say that to his face)

it wasnt exactly on a par with Farrell & Sculthorpe was it

Haha yeah can you imagine if we had a Farrell and Sculthorpe fight now!!!

That ban seems farcical to me, particularly given Zak's disciplinary record. You can't headbutt another player for no reason (other than sour grapes at getting battered). I was expecting a 6-7 game ban. No fan of Joel Tomkins but difficult to understand him getting a longer ban for retaliation on behalf of his brother.

The quote Lee Radford came out with regarding Liam Watts' head-butt springs to mind...

"It was a pathetic attempt at a head-butt first and foremost and it was a crazy time to do it and crazy to anything like that in any game as well."

2 games is enough. If he'd stood in front of him and butted him square in the face then he'd deserve much more but it was only slightly worse than what goes on in tackles when the tackler pushes his head in the face of the person he'd tackled.

I can't recall him having a bad disciplinary record on the pitch?

Liam Watts only got 3 games for a clear 1-on-1 headbutt. Westwood 4 games. Both have worse disciplinary record than Hardaker.

4 games for Tomkins

Definitely soured that 48-0 humiliation.... how the Catalans will live with themselves, I’ve no idea.

Maybe by replacing Wigan in 2nd place?