Adrian Lam reacts to Ben Flower ban - and reveals Wigan Warriors team news

The club appealed his suspension, pleading not guilty to a grade B charge of dangerous contact.

Footage of the tackle left many fans baffled – see video on embedded tweet– but an independent disciplinary tribunal backed the match review panel’s decision and suspended him for two games and fined him for £500.

Lam believes it is an area in which the authorities should show a little leniency, given how frequently such contacts occur in the game.

The Wigan coach said: “We felt really strongly it was an accident.

“It was a tough one, because that action in the game... we need to have a look at it as a sport and see what we can do.

“We feel that there was no intent, it happens, it’s happened for 100 years, 30 or 40 times a game.

“It’s not going to go away. We don’t plan to do it, and we don’t coach it.

“But in those situations you’re just holding on for dear life, trying to stop progression which is what our game is all about.

“It’s a difficult one because I presume most players in that position will end up, unfortunately, in that same position that Benny has ended up in.

“We’re not saying it was the right thing to do, we’re trying to say it was an accident and they do happen.”

Flower’s ban rules him out of Saturday’s trip to Catalans.

But on a positive note, Lam will welcome back some players who missed last Thursday’s defeat to Hull KR.

Ethan Havard, Joe Bullock and Joe Burgess, who were not picked, are back in the mix.

Sean O’Loughlin and Thomas Leuluai are also expected to be available after missing out through injury.

Prop George Burgess is still sidelined by a niggling hip problem.

Prop Tony Clubb and winger Liam Marshall are sidelined for the rest of this season.

Lam will name his 21-man provision squad today for Saturday’s match.