Hocks never been much of a fighter either IMO. He has a menacing stare and an aura of a nutcase about him but he's never been involved in too many scraps. I remember Ned Catic trying it on at Wakey a few years back and Hock didn't look like he wanted to know. There's nothing wrong with that either as pointless fights will do him no good. He plays the game tough and that's more then enough.

Correct

I don't know where this myth comes from regarding Hock and fighting. I can honestly say I've never seen him look remotely interested in fighting.

Did he not give fat boy Solomona a couple of decent cracks a few years ago at the DW whilst he was at Wakefield?

I've seen him scrap up Wigan a good few years back. VERY handy lad. He has it when needs must.
In fairness after Gaz's recent issues I think it would be in his interest to walk away from all forms of trouble to build a good rep.

It rings a bell but one case in so many years suggests he isn't the raving lunatic some would have you believe.

He needs to leave petty fighting to the average joes and concentrate on what's he's best at. That is hurting teams in attack and defence by legal means. A fabulous player when he gets it right.

Didn't he get banned for punching in 2008 against Bradford? I'm sure he had a fight or two in pre-season friendlies against Huddersfield too.

If I'm not mistaken he spent most of his time being cited for leading with the forearm. Of course there aren't that many players around who have a reputation for fighting because if they fought that frequently they'd always be banned.

Think the Bradford ban was for pushing the ref, or aggressive behaviour towards a ref.

Joel, Fielden, Peacock, Scott Logan, Scully (both of them), O'Donnell, Cockayne, Newton and Luaki (sp) off the top of my head I would say they're scrappers or have been involved a few memorable ones.

Senior and Nikau!

Some of them I would class as hard men of the game but I wouldn't really call them scrappers. I don't think Joel's had that many fights really and he has a reputation as a niggly player just like Ben Cockayne. Fielden, Peacock and Scully have had a fair few fights but I wouldn't say they happen that regularly. When's the last time Peacock had a scrap?
What I mean is players don't usually fight that regularly, so someone who can handle themselves in a fight isn't really the same as someone with a reputation as a fighter.

The sort of players I'd class as 'fighters' are the likes of Jim Mills, Les Boyd, Alan Rathbone and Frank Collier.

These were blokes who used deliberate and frequent violence, or the threat of it, as a means to intimidate the opposition, and in the bad old days it often worked. Anyone who stood up to them got brutally battered, and the players concerned didn't care about getting sent off because that was part of their job.

I don't think there are too many of these characters around any more, as modern players - most of whom are built like supermen - are not so easily intimidated by blokes who just happen to be a big bigger and rougher than they are.

I wouldn't even have bracketed Kelvin Skerret as a 'fighter' - he was first and foremost a tough, hard-working prop, who wouldn't tolerate provocation, as Sonny Nickle regularly found out.

I get the impression that Hock's reputation (deserved or not) possibly preceeds him as I've not seen many other players try anything on, apart from the Catic thing a few years back. He does look like he can handle himself and I'd guess if it came down to it he could dish out a few dry slaps much in the same way Farrell did when he played. (The Farrell/Scully stand up brawl springs to mind).

Mickey Mac seems to be our most volatile player and I'd guess Lima and the Hoff can probably handle themselves, but as already pointed out, those days of acts of random violence have long since gone.
Whilst I'd guess O'Donnell would give him a hiding (the O2 assault on Dave Taylor was pretty brutal), I'd fancy Mickey Mac's chances with Mason. Plus if the $ H one T really hit the fan Waney's will be in the stadium!

Regarding transfer rumours - Joel Reddy looks to be finished at the Eels with the injury he's sustained,
young(ish) and looked very good against the Cowboys last weekend. Could be a good purchase for Centre next season. Thoughts?

i hope hock is made to earn his way back into the team. even the kids like hughes would be above him in the pecking order in my mind - if you just bring him straight back in and drop anyone its not the right message.