Okay, have we all had time to calm down? Has the dust settled?

Wigan star Sam Tomkins gave a naughty, bidigital salute toward Leeds fans at Wembley last weekend during the Challenge Cup Final.

In the aftermath, he first claimed not to know what anyone was talking about and then – presumably after he’d seen how obvious it was to anyone watching on the telly – conceded that he’d made a booboo and apologised.

He’s subsequently been punished by both club and the RFL.

And that, of course, should be that.

But there’s a tad more to it, I think.

Tomkins had not just been on the receiving end of the verbals from club opposition fans, but also when wearing a national shirt too.

Now it’s all very well to expect Wigan’s young star – and any other player of any other team – to behave themselves on the pitch and to be respectful to fans, but what about the responsibility of fans to players?

If fans can’t behave respectfully toward players, why should they expect respect in return?

If it’s passion that makes fans behave in a way that they wouldn’t in ‘ordinary’ life, then isn’t it also passion that makes players respond in such a way?

And don’t we want passion in our players?

Would it really take something valuable away from the game if fans didn’t abuse individual players in certain ways?

After all, it’s no longer acceptable to make racist comments at matches, but there can’t be many people around who’d argue that that had damaged the sport.

No – I’m not arguing for some sort of total sanitisation of sport. It offers a safe – and rare – outlet in an increasingly sanitised world.

But if we expect certain, sanitised behaviour of players – why don’t we expect comparable behaviour from fans?

Are the two differing expectations not completely contradictory?

Is it the money that players are paid? If so, what is the relative scale of wage packet to abuse that should be accepted by a player?

If money is the issue, are amateur opposition players exempted from fan abuse – or are they allowed to respond in kind?

The questions are worth asking and considering.