That's called playing the system. It is very rare for a player to be charged and not get found guilty. Whether you agree with the charge or not the sensible option given the next game was to take the 1 match.

The incident was replayed a number of times on TV and none of those showed any foul play. Someone has claimed a camera angle that showed otherwise, I'm sorry but I don't buy that, if there is another camera angle why did sky not use it.

Wigan fans in defending the indefensible shocker. Replays are as clear as day that the contact is shoulder to head. The clearest angle is from the back of Clubb and shows it as clear as day.

Ban much deserved - I doubt it helped his case the verbals he seemed to give Lineham on the floor.

If direct contact to the head was as 'clear as day' why was it not seen by Eddie, Stevo, Clarke, Barry Mac, Carney & Wells. Why was is not seen by the Sky producers whilst showing numerous replays and why was it not seen by thousands of unblinkered fans who post on these boards and love a bit of faux outrage whenever a Wigan player commits an offence. Clear as day my ****

I'm not sure, but he was charged with grade B, which carries a ban of 1-2 matches. So him submitting an early guilty plea avoids a possible extra game ban.

The full match is on YouTube, the tackle is around the 19 minute mark.

Strange, isn't it? He gets charged with shoulder contact to the head but if the incident had been a head clash he wouldn't have been charged.

Nothing to worry about here. He picked up an injury against Wire anyway. Shouldn't need him for Sunday.

Because the Sky commentary team are so well known for their expert analysis aren't they? The fact that it was his shoulder in no way makes it deliberate. If that was a head clash it would have rightly gone down as an accident. Why can't a shoulder to head clash be deemed just as accidental? IMO that tackle was fairly front on and should have escaped censure. However, it's a namby pamby world we live in these days.

It's not like Clubb is off-balance or Lineham is falling into the tackle either though is it? It's not deliberate but it is a reckless/dangerous technique rather than totally accidental. If he bends his back it's still a good hit, but Lineham probably doesn't go off with a head injury and Clubb doesn't pick up a ban. This really isn't an example of 'the game has gone soft' IMO, and if Sims had done it to Tierney we would be screaming blue murder.

Carry on defending the indefensible!
It can be deemed accidental (and perhaps it was) but that doesn't stop it being a high tackle and worthy of punishment. It was a clumsy tackle at best - but still worthy of punishment.
Totally disagree about the namby pamby - these are exactly the type of tackles that need punishment given the seriousness and complications associated with head injuries.

If that's a ban the game is on it's way out.

Crowds are going down and people are questioning the entertainment value in the sport nowadays and it's easy to see why.

I agree, that is a disgraceful ban. They say the sport is a game of inches, millimetres looking at that.

You're incredibly patronising, especially for someone who was actually wrong.

To answer you question, Ben Westwood's punch in the grand final was cynical and deliberate. I thought it worthy of more than one match. I didn't realise it was only one as i didn't much care after a grand final defeat tbh.

Clubbs offence here is against the rules these days and is reckless.

Do i think that should be a ban, and against the rules? No i don't.

But it is, isn't it? And no amount of faux outrage or anti wigan nonsense will change that.

The fact is, we know more now about concussion that we ever have and the rules have been changed to help protect our sporting heroes in both their careers and in later life. If you don't like that then i suggest you spend your life watching youtube and the 'Good old days'

My issue is the inconsistent refereeing. Nothing more.

And before you say it, yes i played the game. For twenty years. Yes i like most got knocked out plenty of times, and yes it was to a high standard until i got too old.