One of the most violent acts seen on a football field has left fans venting their disgust on social media.
Wigan's prop forward Ben Flower became the first man to be sent off in a Super League Grand Final after punching St Helens five-eighth Lance Hohaia to the ground, before punching him again while he lay unconscious. St Helens won the match 14-6, but Flower's actions was the talking point.
The image of a defenceless man being punched in the head by another player kneeled over him left referee Phil Bentham with no option but to give Flower his marching orders. Hohaia left the field for treatment and did not return.
With the game just 123 seconds old, viewers instantly took to social media to slam the Wales international for his brain snap and violent conduct.
Respected British boxing commentator Steve Bunce went so far to say Flower should be locked up for his actions.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... z3FtxK8aEK
Flower punch
Flower punch
Brutal!
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
Re: Flower punch
Hubby went with his dad last night (I watched it on telly).
His dad has been an RL fan for 70 years and he said he'd seen some bad behaviour over the years but nothing as bad as that. If he'd done this in the weekly rounds he'd be looking at a 10 match ban, doing it in the seasons showpiece he's got to be looking at a season out of the game.
His dad has been an RL fan for 70 years and he said he'd seen some bad behaviour over the years but nothing as bad as that. If he'd done this in the weekly rounds he'd be looking at a 10 match ban, doing it in the seasons showpiece he's got to be looking at a season out of the game.
Re: Flower punch
In Flowers defense I'm suer he thought Hohaia was just following standard football (soccer) practice and faking being unconscious.
Okay... There's all kinds of things wrong with what you just said.
Re: Flower punch
Yeah, it's amazing just how fragile and accident prone those soccer players can be, especially when their team's ahead with time running out...
Re: Flower punch
do you guys call it soccer just to annoy gob?
I was a pretty tough guy at one time, but even I had enough sense not to screw with rugby players...
I was a pretty tough guy at one time, but even I had enough sense not to screw with rugby players...
Re: Flower punch
Oh you're right, it is rugby...(I wasn't paying close enough attention to notice; I knew it was one of those short pants things...)
In that case the guy's got even less excuse for not being able to take a punch...
In that case the guy's got even less excuse for not being able to take a punch...
Last edited by Lord Jim on Sun Oct 12, 2014 3:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Flower punch
I really looked like he went for the guys eye on purpose
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MajGenl.Meade
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Re: Flower punch
" 'e should be done for assault, innit?"
For Christianity, by identifying truth with faith, must teach-and, properly understood, does teach-that any interference with the truth is immoral. A Christian with faith has nothing to fear from the facts
Re: Flower punch
Wait a minute assure can't even decide which sport is called "football"?!
Okay... There's all kinds of things wrong with what you just said.
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MajGenl.Meade
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Re: Flower punch
You have auto-correct much, CP???
Football is football (sometimes known as soccer). All else is a derivative requiring a qualifier. The original requires no qualifier. It's like tea and iced tea (there's no such thing as 'hot tea' - it's just 'tea' as any fule kno).
The game central to this thread is called rugby league football. There is also rugby union football. The game here in the USofA is American football. The Oz game is called Australian Rules football. Up north they play Canadian football. In Ireland there's Gaelic football. There may be some others but you get the idea.
Football is football (sometimes known as soccer). All else is a derivative requiring a qualifier. The original requires no qualifier. It's like tea and iced tea (there's no such thing as 'hot tea' - it's just 'tea' as any fule kno).
The game central to this thread is called rugby league football. There is also rugby union football. The game here in the USofA is American football. The Oz game is called Australian Rules football. Up north they play Canadian football. In Ireland there's Gaelic football. There may be some others but you get the idea.
For Christianity, by identifying truth with faith, must teach-and, properly understood, does teach-that any interference with the truth is immoral. A Christian with faith has nothing to fear from the facts
Re: Flower punch
I'd be happy with a life ban for him, Welsh or not. Hitting a man is fair game, hitting a man when he's down and out is cowardly.
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
Re: Flower punch
yes. it appeared to be an attempt to maim the man for life, as he seemed to go for the eyeball.
I will be surprised if he isn t charged with a serious crime. I played a lot of sports, and it got pretty violent at times. I saw many fights and even had a couple myself. I saw many injuries. I never saw anything that even approached that last blow.
people get shot for things like that
eta- one kid didn t like the fact that I tackled him pretty hard playing sandlot football, nothing dirty, just a clean hard tackle. well he went to his yard and grabbed a baseball bat. as he drew it back to swing it with one arm I shot a double leg takedown. he continued his swing, over my back and head, and came around and struck his own head as I took him down. that was enough for me, I even gave him his bat back when he managed to get up
I will be surprised if he isn t charged with a serious crime. I played a lot of sports, and it got pretty violent at times. I saw many fights and even had a couple myself. I saw many injuries. I never saw anything that even approached that last blow.
people get shot for things like that
eta- one kid didn t like the fact that I tackled him pretty hard playing sandlot football, nothing dirty, just a clean hard tackle. well he went to his yard and grabbed a baseball bat. as he drew it back to swing it with one arm I shot a double leg takedown. he continued his swing, over my back and head, and came around and struck his own head as I took him down. that was enough for me, I even gave him his bat back when he managed to get up
Last edited by wesw on Sun Oct 12, 2014 8:13 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Re: Flower punch
Wigan prop Ben Flower has apologised for punching St Helens' Lance Hohaia, who says he is not bitter about the way his Super League Grand Final ended on Saturday.
Flower was shown a red card after two minutes, having knocked Hohaia to the floor before landing a second punch while the Saints man was on the ground.
Hohaia played no further part as Saints went on to win 14-6 at Old Trafford.
"I don't hold any grudges against Ben," said New Zealander Hohaia, 31.
"In the heat of the moment, people do some things they regret. I've done some silly things on the field myself.
"He's probably disappointed in himself for not being able to play a part in the game as well."
In a statement on Wigan's website, Flower, 26, said he was "devastated" by what he had done.
"I firstly offer my apologies to Lance. I have full respect for him, and have never gone onto a rugby field to injure a fellow player.
"I'd also like to say sorry to my team-mates, our fans and the Wigan Club. I know I've let them down like never before and accept I'll have to live with this for the rest of my career.
Lance Hohaia only returned to the field to celebrate Saints' Grand Final win
"Finally, I'm sorry to the sport of Rugby League. It was a big night and I know I've taken the attention away from what was a special event."
Hohaia was unable to return to the field because of concussion and will have scans this week before hopefully being cleared to fly out with his family for a holiday.
"I wanted to go back on but the doctor wouldn't allow that to happen," added Hohaia. "My health comes before anything else.
"I don't remember the incident. People have told me what happened, I guess I was hit around the head somewhere. Sometimes these things happen in the game."
Wigan coach Shaun Wane said he "will stand by" his player for an incident that attracted wide condemnation.
A Rugby Football League spokesman said it would be up to Hohaia and St Helens to decide whether to pursue legal action but the case would go as normal before the match review panel on Monday.
Flower is set to face a disciplinary tribunal on Tuesday when he can expect a suspension of about eight matches.
RFL chief executive Nigel Wood said: "The matter will be dealt with as with any other Super League fixture."
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
Re: Flower punch
Ah but you're forgetting, this is Rugby League. As filthy as this was, it seems that the players involved are happy to make peace on it, and probably will over a beer.
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/o ... nce-hohaia
There's a reason I love this game so much.
Flower will still get the book thrown at him but it's good to read players accepting apologies and not holding grudges. Until the next match
“Sometimes these things happen in a game,” said Hohaia, a 31-year-old who was a World Cup winner with New Zealand in 2008, and was unable to return after being knocked out by Flower’s first punch less than two minutes into the match. “In the heat of the moment people do things they regret. I’ve done some silly things myself, so I don’t hold any regrets against Ben – he’s probably disappointed with himself.
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/o ... nce-hohaia
There's a reason I love this game so much.
Flower will still get the book thrown at him but it's good to read players accepting apologies and not holding grudges. Until the next match
Re: Flower punch
Well that says far more about the Kiwi than the Taff.
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
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oldr_n_wsr
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Re: Flower punch
Payback's a bitch.and not holding grudges. Until the next match
don't get mad, get even
Re: Flower punch
Well it will be a while before anyone can exact any on field retribution to Ben Flower. He got a six month ban from the RFL.
He's not likely to appeal and probably considers himself lucky not to be given a life ban.
He's not likely to appeal and probably considers himself lucky not to be given a life ban.
Re: Flower punch
Six months is reasonable, I suppose. I would have prefered a year.
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”