so nobody thinks 3 red cards was a bit of an overreaction by Thaler?

I thought incidents like this were what the sin bin was for. If it hadn't have kicked off I don't think Hock would have been red carded - and i am not his biggest fan. Think actions of Magennis were possibly the only one that may have merited red.

Lighten up - it's part of the game. Sorry if you don't like it or your frightened of upsetting this mystical set of fans who will walk away at the first sign of a fight.

Who the hell cares what the Union based media think, have we not moved on from that - why so insecure. Anyway Union has just as many fights and good luck to them.

You must be new to the game or have a very selective memory, because it's nothing like as bad as it was in the 1970's and before.

Football has been made unbearably soft and tiresome by this OTT reaction to a bit of biff, no way should we let our game be ruined by the same set of Guardian reading muesli troffers.

Thuggery and a punch up on the paddock are not the same.

And this was thuggery; totally unnecessary, completely unprovoked and utterly pointless given the situation in that particular game.

I don't buy this insouciant attitude towards the media - like it or not, the game needs more positive media exposure and given that the Independent chose to re-hash the Hull FC drug scandal the day before the MW kicked off, it's easy to see the mountain we have to climb in that respect.

It's not the 1970's any more; the world and the game has moved on - unlike some RL fans, I don't think that's a bad thing.

Hock deserves all he gets coming to him, he started it by using his nut before losing it and chinning LMS

Never done Ice Hockey, Aussie Rules, American Football and many other games any harm.

Nobody cares that much except you and a few busy bodies. Life isn't lived in a sanitised bubble.

If I were the Chinese or any other predatory nation I wouldn't build a big Army. I'd just wait until we become that soft we will just roll over for fear of hurting someone - 5 of them in a Nissan should be enough.

I'm no fighter, never have been - but I'm glad some are - even when on occasions it's not pretty or justified. Young men in those situations will lose it occasionally.

Only Hock is a genuine issue - mainly because of his off field activities and tendency to be snide. Even then he's hardly Hannibal Lecture. It's a hard sport and wrong doing must be punished by the authorities and that is where it ends. No need for these public examinations and outcry's every time we have a spat.

I won't comment on the generalised rant about going soft - that way lies madness.

In sporting terms - a bit of biff in RL should be like going all-in at poker; use it sparingly and only when the situation demands. This one didn't - it just looked pointless, gratuitous and a bit seedy.

That's all I have to say on the matter.

I disagree with the comment on other sports. Ice hockey is played by big rough thugs. General opinion as I see it is that you wouldn't want your kids playing.
Aussie rules has cleaned up its act as was also getting bad rep.
American Football you don't get brawls and as with our game it costs so much money to lose a game you don't want your players off the field.

I played both codes and was involved with plenty of biff but I never went out looking for it. When you get to that stage you need to pack the game in. You are not a useful part of the team.
Tough - yes
Be able to defend yourself and you team - hell yes
Be a thug - not in my opinion.

If you bring back thuggery you will lose the
skillful players and just have a bunch of big lads fighting. That's what UFC is for.

I watch American Football and you never see punch ups anymore haven't done for years, even in the 80's it wasn't something that you saw a lot of and like you say AFL have cleaned up it's act big time the last decade. Agree with everything else as well.

There's some fairies posting on here. Does anyone watch the State of origin it happens all the time. More than likely due to desire to win which we sometimes don't show enough of. Let em go at it I say hitting from behind I don't condone but if both square up let em do the business.


Super league is played by men not ballet dancers.

Not sure they were red card offences though I'd go with Hock getting one as he instigated the whole thing for no reason whatsoever and I'd have liked to see LMS get a chance to throw a few back but Hock wasn't letting go for love nor money. As for the rest it was handbags really with no harm done except to the Saints lad's ego when he got put on his backside! I think the odd brawl only makes people more interested in our sport and sets it apart from football which is an absolute joke these days. The worst thing about the Saints Wigan game was how one sided it was awful game to finish a very good weekend.

Dont agree with just dirty play, like high shots, because they are just cheap. A few forwards going to toe to toe? Don't see a problem. I enjoyed it in Origin. I enjoyed it on Sunday.

LMS was winding Hock up, rolling his head all over him, and it worked.

Trust Gareth Hock to start a brawl in a game Wigan had sewn up! Hock, Tuson & Mossop could all pick up a few games each. Might be te difference between finishing 1st & 2nd or 3rd!

Who cares it's not our problem. I only wish some of ours would show some anger at times

I await the arrival of our friend Jonh, he'll no doubt put us all straight.

that's how I saw too

one match ban for all at the worse