I'm quite sure Magennis didn't get up that morning thinking he'd king-hit a pie-eater. It's very unlikely he was thinking such sixty seconds before the incident occurred and I'm willing to bet he felt very sorry after. Fighting is an unavoidable function of a very, very tough game. A team is losing, an incident occurs somewhere on the pitch, tempers boil over, the red mist descends and suddenly you have a whole load of people [ithinking outside their normal, rational patterns of behaviour[/i. Had Magennis cold-cocked the kid as he was walking out of the tunnel I'd think differently as there would be clear premeditation.

Yes, a punch can kill - but so can any number of other actions. Hell, sportsmen have been known to keel over and die without a finger being laid upon them.

Ultimately it's about where you draw the line (not to mention whether a player accepts the risks and is willing to play regardless). Watching the incident again I saw NOTHING (from players on either side) to stir any card other than yellow (two young packs of testosterone-fuelled stags letting off steam). It's a travesty that such a relatively minor incident has the governing body handing out whopping bans.

I mean, let's just cut the sport's balls off and have done with it.

I think your idea of what you think are justifiable penalties for these offences are guided more by a sense of revenge and hatred for a team, town, and players rather than any real thought of what is appropriate to what actually happened. YELLOW CARDS, 10 MINUTES, COOL OFF, GET BACK ON THE PITCH AND SHAKE HANDS AT FULL-TIME...NO ONE WENT TO HOSPITAL, OR DIED!!!!

Rock 'n' Roll.

It's highly likely he wasn't thinking at all. Unlike LMS, who most definitely was.

Hock should be put down. Is that an option?

Under some rule, somewhere in the RFL vaults, maybe; but I am sure that the DPP may get involved !!

I think in the case of Hock, it'd be more likely to be the RSPCA.

He will opt for an early exit sooner or later. Am sure there will be much wailing again, about what a great person and hero he was. I would prefer to put it down to darwinian selection.

Hock getting 2 match ban is a joke, he started the brawl, he should be banned for life. we don't need his sort in the game, the game is tough enough without thugs like him in it. His drug ban was bad enough and this conduct just proves what a idiot he is. Put him down like a mad dog he is.

a bit much that, he's not killed a child!

I like that picture.

How about this one.. www.mirror.co.uk/sport/rugby-lea ... -st-850613

How about this one.. www.mirror.co.uk/sport/rugby-lea ... -st-850613