I'm afraid many of Sadend and his cronies blame Wane, even though it's obvious to any sane man that, Flower got a whack in the mush, and responded understandably with a whack in the mush to Hohia. What no one can expain, and that includes Ben Flower, is the second punch. No way is Wane to blame for the first or second punches, but his comments in the build up and the ridiculous documentary did him no favours.

Defend Wane all you want, but he doesn't help himself. Surely even you must be a little concerned that he said he expects more aggression from Flower! Is he expecting him to commence punching the children next??

No, he's expecting one of his prop to do his job - Run hard and hit hard. He's worried that with all the focus on him and his behaviour, he'll play soft, which is the worst thing a prop can do. Don't talk soft. Every coach from the kiddies up to the pros tells their big lads to be aggressive. I know a lot of people don't like Wigan, that's up to them, but it's absolute madness and unbelievable bias when someone hears a coach say to his prop "be aggressive" and think that it's permission to knock people out every game, which of course, Ben Flower did every time he stepped on the pitch, and not that one isolated incident..

Look at the way saints are now playing in their forwards under Cunningham. Far more aggressive. What do you think KC is asking his team to be? More gentlemanly?

You're both missing the point. He said he expects MORE aggression from somebody that's just served a 6 month ban for punching an unconscious player half his size...

When you find a dictionary definition that shows aggression = punching someone then come back.

For anyone blaming Wane for what Flower did, I think you seem to be not quite understanding that adults are responsible for their own decisions! Wane never told him to punch another player, and he never made him do it.

Wane may have some responsibility in getting his players over-hyped, but it's up to Flower to use that responsibly. He didn't. Hence he got a ban.

As for Wane saying he wants more aggression, aggression doesn't mean punching. Stop being precious.

I don't think for a minute Wane meant he wanted him to go out and throw more punches, but it doesn't really matter what he meant - the fact is, his player is returning from a long ban for violence on the grandest stage of our game, his 'more aggressive' comment to the media is ill-informed and doesn't create a good impression, particularly to the casual viewer who will have just seen a replay of the incident and then hears the coach saying he wants to see 'more aggression' - it's not a good look for the game.

I'd say he needs to engage brain and think about the impression he's giving of our game before commenting in public - having said that, he absolutely comes across as the type of bloke that would like our game to have the reputation of being played by 'meat head thugs who you should be scared of' - he certainly wants his team to have that reputation.

I've not actually heard Wane's comments. But did he actually mean "I want him to come back and be more aggressive than he was before." Or did he mean; "before his ban he was an aggressive player and I want more of the same."

The words "more aggression" in isolation can mean either.

It was something along the lines of 'I don't want him coming back being soft, I want him to run hard, tackle hard and be even more aggressive and if he isn't, he'll be at Workington'...

It's was an attempt to try and say he doesn't want him to go soft, or have demons in his head because of what he did - it's just comes across terrible and does nothing for the reputation of Wane, Wigan or Rugby League - it completely backs up the 'thugby league' ethos, whether that's what he intended or not...

Anyone would think Ben had just come out of jail for attempted murder, ffs it's was a couple of punches you see worse on a night out, rugby is a tough, physical game where you need aggression or you will get injured if you start going into or tackling not aggressive and 100% committed. Let's bloody move on with the whole saga I've had enough of it now.

P.s. What a stirring git eddy Hemings is.