SAINTS stand off Lance Hohaia has accepted a one-match ban after submitting an early guilty plea for using his forearm on Ben Flower in the opening minutes of Saturday's Super League Grand Final against Wigan.

The 31-year-old New Zealand stand-off was subsequenntly knocked to the ground by the Wigan prop's first punch and then punched in the face as he lay on the floor.

Flower faces the Rugby Football League disciplinary tribunal this evening charged with a grade F offence, which carries anything from an eight-match ban.

Hohaia was charged with a grade B offence of striking which normally carries a suspension of one or two matches, but because of his previous record was entitled to submit an early-guilty plea to receive the lowest punishment and avoid a hearing.

"Lance Hohaia has accepted the EGP and will miss the first warm-up game of next season," a St Helens spokesman said.