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

On the press coverage, it was some of the rugby league writers (who are left) who chose to focus that as the main part of their reports blaming it for ruining the weekend. Most saw it as a scrap and moved on.

Big difference, for my Guardian subscription money, between the era of institutionalised thuggery against playmakers and a bit of toe-to-toe. I don't mind the latter, and I reckon most fans don't either. The former just spoils the game.