The Rugby Football League has made the right call in handing Wigan prop Ben Flower a 13-game suspension for his two punch attack on Lance Hohaia in the Super League grand final.
The six-month ban is heavy but a fair one, reflecting the seriousness of the crime but also taking into account similar punching offences from other players.
Flower’s suspension is the second longest in Super League history after Wigan hooker Terry Newton was rubbed out for seven months in 2005 for knocking out Lee Gilmour and breaking the cheekbone of Sean Long in a game again
The 26-year front-rower’s blows were shocking and the footage went round the world.
It’s not the image Super League, or rugby league in general, wants portrayed.
Strangely enough it has got people talking about the game, for better or worse. Footy does know how to throw out a controversy, from players sticking fingers up arses to biting another player’s genitals to the ‘bubbler’.
It is rarely boring.
But Flower’s attack is of course not want rugby league wants to be known for or seen to condone.
The Welshman was given the harshest grading, F, which meant anything from an eight game ban to more. Thirteen games means his misses the World Club Challenge, two pre-season games and 10 Super League matches.
It’s a fair whack. He’ll be out of action until April 14.
To me, that’s about right.
Flower has to live with the consequences of his actions, Hohaia has accepted his apology and he’ll always be linked to that incident for the rest of his life. It won’t be easy.
Talk of police action, banning him for a year or for life even is too much for me. Getting the police involved in things like this that happen in the professional sporting arena is wrong. It opens a huge can of worms.
Yes it was pretty terrible, but players have been punching one another for ages. It’s not like it is the first time one player has dropped another with a blow, or resorted to foul play to hurt an opponent.
Hohaia copped a one-match ban for elbowing Flower, and after that you could somewhat understand Flower’s response of lashing out. The second punch UFC-style though is completely indefensible. The Kiwi is lying on the turf, probably concussed, and is defenceless. That was a grub act.
Not that this defends it, but after watching the footage over and over again, you can everything happened pretty fast. The two punches are delivered in about two to three seconds.
Flower would not have been able to tell that Hohaia was out of it after the first shot landed. However, brain explosions like that are unacceptable.
Just like eye gouging, biting, the squirrel grip and the like, nobody wants to see that. That’s pre-historic stuff that doesn’t belong in the modern game.
A six month suspension sends that message.
Follow John Davidson on Twitter @johnnyddavidson
Tripehound
Guest
The six months thing is something of a misnomer. Superleague matches only start again in the middle of February and Flowers' ban will have been completed by 14 April. He had already ruled himself out of Wales' games against France, Ireland and Scotland and will miss a couple of meaningless pre-season trial matches. If the six month ban was applied properly this would mean he would only be available for selection towards the end of July. A case of the authorities trying to look tougher than they have actually been.
Storm Boy
Guest
There haven't been any games on tv since that punch.
Storm Boy
Guest
Hey Swampy you mean like Gloucester RU's Andy Hazell dished it out? Andy Hazell Mont de Marsan fight - short version http://youtu.be/2z-KjegzCTg
Storm Boy
Guest
"Ben deflowered" Is that really appropriate Roar management? I find that quite offensive language & arguably it is sexist or misogynist too.
cedric
Guest
wow, what's your excuse for this outburst? Sounds like you've lost the plot! Sounds like your a person who has some problem with league or life and by the way there are alot of small people who are in the NRL! Flower should have got longer, dog act!
Jack Russell
Roar Guru
Could easily have ended up in jail, which would have been thoroughly deserved. Imagine this bloke with a few beers in him?
Swampy
Guest
If this happened outside a nightclub and was caught on CCTV what would the consequences be? Hitting a guy who was already unconscious while he was laying prone on the ground? If Flower was a civilian we would be demanding jail time. It was a dog act. I really don't care if two guys hit each other on the field - but to smack someone who was clearly lights out and defenseless just because he'd 'lost the plot' a bit is the poorest excuse ever. Just a reminder that league is game for bullies,thugs and psychopaths. A game built on speed, power, aggro and violence and played by humans of monstrous proportions. Not what I want my 4 year old boy to play in the future. Unsuitable protection exists against an idiot like Ben Flower flying off the handle.
JB
Guest
No, it's not the first time - which indicates that previous penalties have had no deterrent effect. Thirteen weeks is nowhere near enough.
Nonu
Guest
So the other headlines in papers portraying this as a 6 month ban without taking into a/c the off season are being mischievous...
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
IMO he is lucky to have copped only 6 months.Still, he will be remembered long term for that cheap shot,and maybe that in itself adds further to the given penalty. That sort of action puts the code back,in the minds of neutrals and the occasional viewers. Anyone who suggest punching in either the NRL or ESL is OK one on one,whatever,needs a reality check.especially in this day and age of competing codes, for the aspiring youth .