This is where the whole disciplinary system is flawed, at least in terms of the length of bans. Rangi Chase elbows Tangi Ropati, breaking his jaw and ruling him out for months: no on-field action, 3 match ban. Heath L'Estrange spear tackles Jamie Peacock and drops him right on his head, resulting in him leaving the field: John Bateman gets sent of by mistake, 1 match ban. Chris Tuson gets punched from behind and retaliates in kind : straight red card and probable 2-3 match ban. How is that fair?

That's all very nice but I was talking to those people who were wailing about Hocking 'nutting' LMS, or Wigan players holding LMS while Hock laid into him, or Wiganers holding Magennis, or Tuson windmilling all & sundry. It simply didn't happen.

What you describe is what props being props. They try and sneak an advantage, get one over on their opposite number, steal the head, bang heads, etc. In a heated game the scrum is a far from an 'uncontested' place to be.

Yes, in this case Hock started the chain of events. I've not said he didn't. What I did say was at no point did he "nut" anyone, as he was being accused of.

I think you're the one who should take another look. LMS pushes Hock's head to the outside of the scrum and Hock packs down, as does LMS. He then tries to get his head back on the outside, presumably because he realised his mistake and then walks forward into Hock.
It all breaks up, LMS sticks his head in again and then Hock stupidly loses his rag.

It was LMS who pushed Hock's head into the wrong position and then tried to get it back. It's blatantly obvious if you watch it clearly.

Hock was unfortunately daft enough to get wound up by it.

Love a good dust up

10 minutes would have sufficed

Red should be for serious foul play

I have noticed that by some of the comments you put on our forum.

My thoughts exactly. If the big lads fancy having a straightener just let them get on with it then send the culprits for 10 minutes to calm down. It's come to something when you can get banned for 3 matches for standing up for yourself after getting cracked from behind. Any rugby league player worth his salt would have reacted exactly the same as Chris Tuson if he found himself in that situation. I'd have been disappointed if he hadn't!

Not happy at all. They should ban Tomkins, Charnley, Finch, Carmont and Lima as well.
Given current form, we might then be in with at least half a chance

The voice of reason and the post nearest the truth.

Tuson threw a flurry of punches,sustained,as the charge says. Whatever magennis did it doesn't entitle tuson to start chucking his fists about thats fair enough to me.
Hock and lms had a set to at the scrum forming but then hock grabs lms and starts raining blows on him,thats fair enough too,magennis threw a haymaker from behind,fair enough,mossop then floors magennis, fair enough,lms did nothing more than wind hock up therefore no charge,all are pretty fair to me.
I really cannot see how wigan fans can defend hock and tusom as the victims,also mcilorum and wilkin didn't come up smelling of roses in the moments after the brawl

You call that assessment neutral? Methinks obvious anti-Wigan agenda is obvious. Magennis cheap shots Tuson who had his back turned and you criticise Tuson. Both Hock and LMS were in each others faces, and it's only when they stand up and LMS shoves his head into Hocks face that Hock starts throwing punches (not that that makes it ok, just that you seem to think Saints can do no wrong). As for Wigan players holding LMS while Hock punches him, pull the other one, it's got bells on it.

Just as a query.

Hock got whacked in the first half, hence the bloody nose.

Who was it that did it ?

Crank. It's not about Leeds you fool, take your beating like a man and stick on topic.
I've nothing against Hock, he gets people through the turnstiles and shows real passion. I don't think it was conclusive what happened to start it between him and LMS but Hock certainly finished it. Magennis acted in a cowardly manner, squared up, didn't fancy it, then threw a cheap shot. Mossop was also a cheap shot coward, had plenty of Saints to choose from but hid behind his mates before throwing a sucker punch at someone not looking. Most of the Saints team were cowards, watching Wigan players hold their teammates while they got paggered. Tuson reacted to the cheap shot from Magennis, I've no problem with that. The fight summed the game up really, Wigan fancied it a bit more.

It might make you wonder, but it doesn't really surprise you.