There isn't half some farcical nonsense on this thread. I genuinely worry about the state of mind of some RL supporters if you actually mean what you say.

Barry Mac just got it spot on. He said I can understand why he reacted but it doesn't excuse what he did. To suggest it was a premeditated plan is laughable. Do you actually think that any team would plan to get their best prop sent off after 2 mins? Grow up and see things for what they are. It was a reaction from a fired up player in a final.

Flower deserves a very long ban. The first punch was understandable and possibly excusable, the second was not. One thing is certain, no player will be feeling worse than Flower at the moment.

Wigan obviously taken the defeat badly, not a single comment from player or coaching staff to sky after the game.

Breathe it in boys

Horrible disgusting cowardly act, it was actually quite sickening to see another rugby league player doing that to a fellow pro...i hope Hohaia presses charges and takes the thug to the courts.

It was nothing less than we have come to expect from this team that Wane openly encourages to be dirty....glad they lost !!

Feeling it badly on the Wigan RLFANS site too.

Threats of bans for referring to their play tonight and throughout the season as "thug rugby".

.......in a specifically made gloating thread by their mods no less! Beggers belief.

A scummy, cheap and disgusting act - but not unexpected from this Wigan team.
I'm all for bringing back the biff and am happy for a couple of players to trade blows, but everyone who plays the game knows there is a line you simply don't cross - Flower went 10 mile past that line. The first punch was cheap enough, but in the heat of the moment can sort of be understood - the second was sheer thuggery - if he'd done that on the street he'd be doing time.

Flower should be looking at a Super League record ban (it's probably the worst act I've seen since the 80's and happened on the biggest stage), and Wane should also hang is head in shame - he promotes that type of reckless violent approach to the game. I'd bet my bottom dollar he gave words of encouragement to Flower afterwards rather than show his disapproval.

On another note - it appeared from the Sky footage that the Wigan players left the field before Saints lifted the trophy - was that so?

Terrible winners, terrible losers.

People's hatred of Wane is making them look very silly IMO.

A shocking act by a single player, hardly the act of a whole team. Wigan were no dirtier than Saints in that match overall.

Theres no such thing as a good loser, just a loser. If you accept losing, then your in the wrong game.

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose." - Ayrton Senna.

Too pumped up for the game! Silly man, he will be feeling lower then an ants sneaker.

School teacher to pupil who has just had a fight.

"you slapped that child didn't you!?"

"I did, and I am sorry, but,,,, he hit me first!"

That's why you are being castigated, you are demeaning the act by offering an excuse. your paragraph saying flower was a tool is negated by your saying he was hit by LH. you are actually making an excuse for Flower's behaviour.

Have another read of what you have written and replace the LH with Matty Smith and replace Flower with, say, Ryan Bailey or Gareth Hock* and tell me you wouldn't see outrage if someone defended such an act by say, "he hit him first"?


*apologies to both Leeds and my lot but we all know those two are not well liked by opposition fan

Yes they were ,just as in the semi, it isnt just the high and cheap shots on the ground, its the constant niggling and lying on

Was it worse than Ben Westwood's punch that tries to eliminate Blake Green last year?

What is the farcical nonsense?

People are rightly disgusted.

No one has said it was a premeditated plan have they? Merely that it isn't out of character with how Wane coaches his side and that it wouldn't be a surprise if they'd set out to target/tough up hohaia (albeit with flower over stepping)