The sad fact is it does not matter how ridiculous the whole thing is. And it IS in my opinion - as i stated previously it is a reflection of the way things are now that the deliberate physical attempt to hurt has been forgotten and the perpetrator has got off Scott free.

If a homophobic remark has been made and any pious individual ( even with a hidden ulterior motive as an opposition supporter ) makes a complaint then the authorities are obliged to investigate.
These days it really is trial by twitter.

i hope not; but the lad could even be denied the opportunity to play down under if he feels badly dog...sorry done...to. He could actually find himself with a criminal record.

The world has gone mad.

Death by twitter, forums and facebook.

Unless someone has heard Hardaker and made a complaint, for him to be banned on the basis of that video would be a an absolute disgrace.

Likewise the outrage that opposition supporters are apparently afflicted with, which is strange when you hear the sort of things they chant, scream and yell at players during a game.

The RFL really does look smalltime when it falls over itself to follow the agenda of a handful of blinkered freaks on the forums.

All we need now is for DoubleAone to turn up and resurrect his "OT: Sir Jimmy" thread and the jobs a good 'un.

Apologists by plenty!

Your "i" should be a capital letter and when starting a sentence/paragraph. Oh and I think it might well be "scot free" Is that spell checker of your playing up then?

You are being offensive and i might report you. Your nantwichexile phobia is a deliberate attempt to incite nantwichexile hatred and violence towards me.

Hmmmm...that complaint to the authorities is getting closer

However a more fitting punishment might be to tear down your poster of your idol from your bedroom wall. That would hurt you more methinks

Juan blow him a kiss, that'll smooth things over.

Juan is too busy blowing McDermott.

But don't worry.

It'll be your turn.

Eventually.

I look forward to a procession of ground closures as the RFL decree that chanting about the referees self-satisfaction toilet habits are now not permitted in the new enlightenment, followed soon by a decree that every pass which is caught correctly should be followed by a "Thank you" from the receiver to the passer.

....how offensive. Say that again and i will try to break your leg by twisting it violently. The law is on MY side x

A pal of mine was on the western terrace Friday night, he heard quite a few racist comments against Bailey from a section of saints fans.
Do you think he would have grounds to complain to the RFL about the Saints club.

Yes, and he should do.

There should be no place for racists or homophobes in our game.

Tell him to go for it - why wouldn't he?

I think what some people are missing in all this is that you can't be subjected to "death by Twitter" over homophobic comments if you don't make them.

If he gets banned, it's he who has let down the Leeds team, not the RFL / ref / whoever else will get blamed on here. He's just issued a grovelling statement on the very same issue, then appears to have a brain explosion on live TV. It would be rank stupidity to be blowing kisses and potentially shouting further homophobic abuse (which is as it appeared to me watching it live and again on the replay, albeit admitting I'm no lip reader) given his recent history with the world cup and recent ban.

You'd think he might decide to keep his head down a bit and just concentrate on his (undeniably brilliant) rugby.

Check Zak's Twitter out, the lad is on one!

I think what some people are also missing is that in the heat of the moment we all say stupid things. I've said worse.

He should be more mindful of what's happened in the past, but it's easy to say from on the terraces and with the benefit of hindsight. I don't suppose all those things went running through his mind when he decided to have a pop at Mark Flanagan. I don't believe that he is homophobic, I think it's just a figure of speech (for want of a better way of putting it) and something we've probably all done in the past.

He needs to take whatever ban he receives on the chin, because regardless of the above, it's happened. But the level of faux outrage in some circles is laughable.

Is that not an entirely circular argument...he's fair game for trial by twitter as he may (or equally may not) have said what the twitter mob believe.

Seriously are we trying to pretend other players don't call each other p*ffs in the colloquial ”soft" meaning regardless of whether at heart that homophobic in origin.

Maybe the rfl should have a clamp down on language and educate players but you can't just pick on one player one the basis that he has "form" when he's actually the *only* player to have ever been scuritnised

I'm afraid that the RFL are now just mirroring GB as a whole.

You cannot say anything without offending someone and then it is taken to the extreme. For Pete's sake RL players knock 10 bell out of each other for 80 minutes and then all shake hands at the end. To be hauled over the coals for allegedly calling someone a puff on a rugby pitch is frankly PATHETIC and just because he was unlucky enough for it to be on TV. I think the RFL need a kick up the arris if they continue with these stupid citations. It makes the whole game look ridiculous.

Ridiculous.

Can't say anything offensive, divisive, homophobic or even racist these days.

It's political correctness gone mad!

Bugger this.

I'm off to buy copies of the Sun and the Daily Mail from now on.

And I'll be voting UKIP.

If you read Mike Tyson's autobiography 25% of his trash talk was to call out the other boxer for being a "f*****" and about 25% was asking him out on a date and asking him if he'd give him a blow job later.

It's trash talk FFS. The point is to put the opponent off their game.

Part of the problem is that the dumb viewers of Sky Sports believe the TV version of what they see. If there's a stand up brawl with both teams standing toe to toe Eddie and Stevo will be saying how much of a disgrace it is. Stevo is 100% lying though and Eddie will say whatever Sky Sports tell him to think.

People in 2014 are really messed in the head. I think the world is pretty much awesome and improving all the time, but twitter and the terrible state of the media is making the world retarded. (And there you go, I've offended the mental health campaigners.)

Given that Zak's blowing a kiss was in response to something Flanagan did and/or said (both I suspect) where are the clips of that?

I assume he'll also be facing a potential 5 game ban if he used any offensive terms...

I am truly shocked!!, i had you down for a guardian reader.

Just watched a ice bucket challenge of a wee girl (2 or 3) using the f word after getting soaked. This to be is far more horrifying than some heat of the moment comment on a rl pitch in a tightly contested high octane match. Flanagan & Hardaker are having a laugh about the kiss blowing on Twitter so I dint see why this requires any further action. If anything it should be Hardaker seeking victimisation!