Wigan coach under fire for 'knock out' talk after GF attack

Wigan coach Shaun Wane is under fire in the wake of Ben Flower’s ugly Super League grand final attack after a documentary recorded the Warriors mentor urging his players to “knock people out” before a pre-season clash in February.

Flower was banned for six months after knocking out St Helens five-eighth Lance Hohaia with a punch before hitting his prone rival a second time as he lay unconscious on the ground.

Warriors Down Under, a documentary about the Super League team’s tour Down Under for the World Club Challenge, was aired by British broadcaster Sky Sports earlier this month.

A clip shows Wane giving an impassioned team-talk to his players before their clash against the New Zealand Warriors in Hamilton.

“I can’t give you any more free reign than that, create f****** mayhem,” Wane says to his players.

“Be reckless, because that’s what is going to get us the f****** win next week,” the coach says in reference to the World Club Challenge game against the Roosters the following week.

The clip adds to speculation about the nature of Wane’s pre-match address before the grand final against St Helens, where Flower was sent from the field after just three minutes.

Wane did not defend the Welsh international after the match.

"It's a red; he's punched him in the head and deserved to go. He's devastated. He's made a huge error today, but we just move on, we're all in it together. I've made mistakes and he's made one today."

Flower was handed a six-month, 13-match ban by the RFL, the second longest suspension of the Super League era. Hohaia also received a one-match ban.

The Wigan prop may yet face criminal charges over the attack.