Ben Flower loves it. Trying to make retiring people his new gimmick. Should go full hogg and get sponsored by a retirement home. Maybe even give himself a darts-like nickname: Ben "The Career Destroyer" Flower.

So if he doesn't get the full 3 games the RFL are bent then

Sounds as though the offence has been downgraded from intentional to reckless, elbow strike off the ball intentional is E-F, elbow strike off the ball reckless is C-E.

We all assume the club will appeal, Wane making the point that his little flower hasn't punched anybody whilst unconscious this season, Result 1 game ban primed and ready for the semi's.

I'm assuming he's already used his early guilty plea this year?

Hopefully Sean O'Loughlin can replace him at prop.

I think he will have used it in June this year - when he almost got suspended for the second time ever but appealed. So I imagine this will now be his second ever suspension in about 8 years despite what is being said about his disciplinary record (granted his one other suspension was for 13 games.)

I know it's all a matter of opinions and respect others' opinions and i am Wigan through and through, however i stick with my original comment. I think he deliberately went in to hurt Patton now whether he caught him on accident is a side issue for me. He went in late on purpose, he wasn't committed and tried to leave a mark on the lad. He should get a lengthy ban for the intent alone. It was off the ball. There is a difference to hitting somebody hard in a tackle and hitting somebody hard when they are vulnerable but he knows all about that. Sh!!t sticks.

No, it's been graded as C, it can't have been "downgraded" because there was no previous grade to change.

How did you work that out? Have I missed several days when BF was charged with a grade E, had his hearing where it got reduced to C??

In my world which I believe is the real one, today is Monday and he has been charged with a grade C by the review panel. I believe the disciplinary have the right to either upgrade or downgrade if they see fit but that won't happen until tomorrow.

If that is the case there will be less elbows in throats but more swinging arms into the chops.

Hopefully.... We have been far to gentle with the opposition this season...

Well at least it won't be on one of your players seen as you've only got one more game left seen as you didn't make the top 4

Don't worry guys Im sure Wane will appeal and the rfl will give Patton a 2 match ban for viciously head butting his elbow

Whats the point in owning the rfl if we cant call in a favour every now and then

Agreed. Somehow or other, your secret deal with the video refs has been superseded this year by our deal with the disciplinary.

It's a good job these things aren't decided on opinion then because there's no way of knowing Ben Flower's true intent. I have a feeling that like every opposition fan in the country, you are judging Flower's every move with the Hohaia incident in mind. It was dangerous and wreckless but to say he intentionally went to hurt Patton is silly when you have no evidence that he did.