It hasn't taken 12 weeks for him to realise there was a problem. Saints have been aware of it and have been trying to manage it best they can, hence why he has been in and out of the side.

We would have signed McDonnell regardless of what happened to Hohaia. As soon as we got the diagnosis on Lomax we started looking at other full-backs.

Hope the truth doesn't stop your cynicism though, crack on.

Even the most swivel-eyed pie-hater should have the logic to recognise this is a more than a little convenient. If Hohaia is serious about laying this [iall[/i on Flower (as most of the media are doing) and not recognising he's played some 300 games in the last 13 years (which don't include any stuff he did as a kid), then he should put up the evidence and sue Flower or Wigan or even StH for loss of earnings or do StH for not protecting him from injury under employment law.

If he's genuinely got some sort of concussive injury, it can only be cumulative (and I'm sorry for the lad). Unless he's got OJ's lawyers this can never be put solely at Flower's door. May as well do Manchester United for having a pitch that doesn't flex & cushion impacts.

Sure. So the 'symptoms' weren't there before and, as you said, he played over 300 games without them.

Your thug clobbers him and the resultant symptoms won't go away and persist enough to force him to retire - presumably on medical advice. Yet it was the previous 300 games that were the cumulative culprit eh?

You couldn't make it up.

Firstly, I'm not a swivel-eyed pie-hater. Let's not get on to playground insults.

There is nothing convenient about it. Yes there is a chance that this could be a cumulative problem, but there is also a very big chance that this is a direct result of the assault from Flower.

He may well go on to press charges against Flower; that remains to be seen. I am sure he is currently seeking legal advise and medical "evidence" to support any claim he might make.

For you to make light of it and make silly comparisons is indicative of what the majority of Wigan fans will do and that is to blindly defend Flower and dismiss any suggestion that he could have ended Hohaia's career.

The truth is that nobody actually knows just yet. Nobody can categorically say that the retirement has stemmed from the punch, but nor can you lot ridicule that idea either.

I was born cynical, i make no apologies for it. Surely you don't "try and manage" something as serious as concussion? What is the diagnosis on Lomax? Genuine question as i haven't heard anything. and it would be naive to think any of us know "the truth".

Thats my point of view on the matter, i have mine and you have yours

I'm assuming your medical qualifications are superior to Cyberpieman's?

You're having a pop at him for his opinion when in reality you know as much/little as him. This is an absolutely pointless argument from both sides and I'm sure the true cause of Lance's issues may never be discovered.

Personally I wish him all the best and hope this doesn't affect his lfe anymore than it all ready has.

i cant remember Lance been KO'd in the red vee apart from the GF

Why not, you have.

Exactly.

Medical records will no doubt exist that show Hohaia's brain function before and and after the Grand Final - I am sure he had plenty of scans post-October. Unless you are a qualified neuro-surgeon and have seen the brain scan results, then this is a pointless discussion about whether the 2 punches from Flower caused any long term issues.

Anyway, there is no mention in any of the statements about Hohaia taking any further legal action against Flower. If he does choose to go down this route, then the qualified doctors will look at the medical reports and the lawyers will ensure it follows due legal process.

I'm not a medical expert, all I know is that Saints have been aware that he has had these symptoms but they had appeared to have gone. That obviously isn't the case now.

As for Lomax, he won't play again this season but will be back next year.

I think its quite important to note that Lance hasn't actually mentioned Flower yet (as he didn't all through the offseason following the incident).
We all presume there is an implication, but that's only because its quite an obvious link.

It may well be a case of cumulative effects (plenty of people have been KO's without this happening - myself included), but if there was ever a case for "the straw that broke a camel's back", then this would be it.

this is a thread that will keep on giving for a long while.......