I loved JP as a player. Less so off the field. He showed his own lack of class with those comments and, as EC says, appeared to be totally unaware of the irony of him complaining about others being classless in victory by being classless in victory. Utterly bizarre!

As for him being a thug; well firstly the word 'thug' carries certain connotations I guess. However one thing I can say without fear of contradiction is that no player in SL history has had so many offences repeatedly downgraded for 'good behaviour'.

look how many times he was let off was a joke, After the WCC fight with Perry he didnt get a ban but a quiet word, the second time he had be found guilty of fighting in 4 games already that season. Its ok though as he was an angel

So in effect no player should be classed as a thug? The game is a violent sport MM is no more a thug than JP was but one is pinged far more, just google JP and look how many times he was let off

It was crazy. I got to thinking they were using the twisted logic that every downgraded offence that he got for 'good behaviour' counted as further 'good behaviour'. I think at one point he was only 3 fights away from winning a medal for outstanding virtue!*


*(Probably)

I'm not sure about the statistics mate but if you can point to all the fights SOL was involved in, I'll take your point. I'm not sure someone involved in fights as often as JP could be excused with 'good behaviour'.

Even if your statistics on O'Loughlin are right (I'm sure someone will have the correct numbers), that equates to one and a half appearances per year of his career. Not exactly a serial offender for a forward who made 40+ tackles a match for the greater part of his career. I don't remember too many incidents of what you'd call "bad ones" and no fights at all.

Just to put it into perspective JP got into fights most seasons and, in some instances, several times a season. I'm not sure the 2 can be equated.

I`ve never thought of JP as a thug just a hard working pretty decent forward.
A grub for me is an irritating pain in the ar$e who always wants to start a fight and takes cheap shots or in other words has no class.
Neither SOL or JP fit into the grub/thug category.
As for MM take your pick.

MM is hard working and pretty decent, JP always started fights (more so than MM), so dont understand the logic you have with that.....

Like I say, by the dictionary definition I suppose nearly all players are thugs. We should bear in mind that Peacock played 18 years, half of which was over a period when players actually had proper fights. McIlorum has done 11 years (minus one season he missed with a bad injury) mainly at a time when players don't fight anymore, so no surprise if Peacock had been sent off more.

so by playing more games he should have been sent off more? Not if MM was a thug and JP wasnt, I could point to loads of props/players and forwards in them 18 years who never got into fights and sent off for punching, same could be said of MM now but like I said only 1 is being branded a thug.

Peacock was nor a thug or a grubby player. He was just a tough, no nonsense player, who would be more than willing to stand toe to toe when needed. His reputation and standing in the game did grow to a level that meant he was hardly ever penalised though. I’m talking for more technical offences like lying on, hands in at the ruck etc. He could get away with murder in that regard at the back end of his career. It was the same with Adrian Morley. The refs seemed to just about manage to stop themselves apologising on the rare occasion they did blow the whistle against one of them. It’s the same with Cam Smith down under. They seem to have as much influence as the referees.

that not the same as MM

Well yeah, the more games you play (half of which was in a period when discipline was miles worse!) the more cards you are likely to rack up. Like I say it depends what you call a thug. By the dictionary it's just an aggressive person which they both are. I still can't put my finger on what makes a player a thug to be honest. Maybe to be a thug in rugby you would need to really go over the top with ill discipline (e.g Hock, Newton, Nickle). I wouldn't put McIlorum or Peacock in that bracket generally. McIlorum plays on the edge, Peacock is an enforcer.

I agree, but like I was saying to them if they think MM is a thug so is JP.

Micky Mac and Peacock would both stand toe to toe with anyone but I just think Micky Mac would’ve been the man more likely to cause the flare up of tempers in the first place. I don’t think you can be an out and out thug in the game anymore but he plays right on the edge. I’ve no issue with that, I’d probably have him in my top ten favourite Wigan players and Terry Newton in the top one, so it’s not a criticism.