Attitudes toward Hock demonstrate precisely why the average league fan in the UK is significantly behind the same in Australia in terms of tactics, strategy and general knowledge of the game.

I blame Eddie & Stevo for much of this. Hock is deemed a "top player" because he catches the eye for fifteen minutes of the game whilst the remaining sixty five (wherein he's blowing bubbles and barely able to claw himself back onside) are written off completely.

"Top players" are "Top" for the full duration of their involvement. Or as close as.

Christ almighty, he's a living example of how not to behave.

All young players coming through should be taught to think "would gareth hock do this" before doing anything on or off the field. If the answer is yes then its going to hurt your career

Well he's just given the RFL another reason to add a few games to his ban

He's also offered to meet up with him to sort it out. He is embarrassing.

quite literally

Seriously. Or is this just a case of Hock baiting.

I here it's the new craze in Salford and Koukash has put £4million on Hock baiting in an attempt to recover his losses.

This gave me a giggle.

According to the Salford board, Masoe milked the injury from the forearm smash to the face and the rubbing of the knees in his head to get a penalty, all the NRL's fault and St Hock is innocent Guvnor

I have no sympathy left for the guy. The talent he has is wasted on him, and my advice to any coach who thinks they could sort him out would be forget it, and put your chair and whip away.

6 match ban, well deserved

You can't defend the undefinable but your comments as usual are pure utter tripe.
Name me a better ball handling forward in the past decade?
Gareth's time has been and gone all down to his total lack of self control so no sympathy from me however, to say he lacks bottle is total shoite.
Oh sorry I forgot how LMS sorted him out at Magic Weekend or how Hard Lard Mosoe ripped into him last week.

James graham

SBW, Gareth Ellis, Jon Wilkin (seriously), Sculthorpe, Farrell, S Burgess.

Just to get the ball rolling.

I'm a great admirer of James Graham however, I wouldn't describe him as a classic ball player.
I'd have him in my team in a heartbeat though!
Best thing about Graham is that you get 80 minutes of total full on commitment every week. You can't buy that as Marwan knows!

Not a classic ball player yet he's first receiver for most of Canterbury's plays. You don't half talk rubbish.

James graham is a great ball player, in fact andrew Johns described him as being a better ball player than most halves in the NRL.

The guy leeds signed on is also a ball playing prop.

I haven't seen enough of SBW so can't comment but sorry can't agree on the rest.
Hock is a throwback and there are very few if any decent ball handlers playing in the forwards in SL in my opinion. Today's coaches and fans just dont want someone who can create gaps but at the risk of loosing possession. Sad but true me thinks.
If you'd have said a player going back further say George Nicholls then ok but non of the present or recent crew.

A classic ball playing forward wouldn't normally take the ball as first receiver.
Not rubbish just an opinion that's differnt to yours.
It's your opinion so your right and its my opinion so I'm right. Simple really.

Hock has a good off load buts never a ball player in million years

I watched Gareth from the under 8's through to signing professional and he had it all but unfortunately he has thrown it away.
With the right attitude he could have been a great player.
A sad loss but the game will move on and unfortunately will only remember his faults which to a large degree he deserves.

It depends on your definition of ball handler. Wilkin has unbelievable hands for a forward and Sean O'Loughli is another I forgot.

If you're talking about hitting the line and offloading, which isn't really ball playing, then I'd narrow the list to SBW, Ellis, S Burgess who were all better at busting tackles and putting people away. All just opinions of course!

Indeed!

Manu???

David Solomona was a belting ball handler and offloader.

Wouldn't describe James Graham as a classic ball player yet Hock is the best ball handling forward of the past decade !

Wiganers. Brilliant.