to be seen on TV.

I agree with all that as well. Sky only do stuff for Sky's benefit and that's always been the way. I also don't agree with how him earning lots of extra money from Sky benefits Wigan.

But this interview aside, he's one of the best marketable assets in the game and the RFL should be making good use of that.

It was quite possibly the most cringeworthy bit of television I have seen this year and it made me leave the room because I was embarrassed for him.

Don’t get me wrong, Tomkins is a supreme talent, he is great in front of the camera for a northern lad with no bona fide TV experience and he is a credit to the sport and one who should be a poster boy for English RL. I even get why he was there – RL-mad, Man of Steel film-star interviewed by Super League’s Man of Steel – throw in some cursory film chat and then move onto some cheeky RL banter and mention the Burgess brothers, etc.

However, I found the whole thing utterly excruciating, as I did the ensuing five-minute slurp-fest praising him for it in the studio afterwards. As far as a 60-minute RL magazine programme goes, Boots N All is an hour of dead air. SL Full Time shows all the tries, Back Chat deals with all the topical stuff this leaves an hour of precisely fudge-all to talk about on Boots N All. However, even compared to its usual RL vacuum, this week’s episode was utterly pointless and real car-crash stuff. Just dreadful.

Odd that you've only beaten us once in 3 and half years then.

I am just going to leave this here... www.samtomkins.com/

I am just going to leave this here... www.samtomkins.com/

Who do we have at Warrington who could have done that? Nobody.

Who ever needs to see any rugby league player interview an A-grade Hollywood film star?

Nobody.

you know what, i wouldn't mind if they had done this previously with other players, people are saying here, well, we're crying out for attention and publicity for RL.

Why haven't sky tried to do this before, why not try and get some players more exposure by doing some stuff like this? a la the footy show in australia?

Who's to say you couldn't get Richie Myler doing something like this, his better half is in the TV business so i would imagine he's reasonably familiar with her role doing bits to camera. Not everyone in the league sounds like jamie peacock or Chris Joynt.

You're probably right. But the question should be Who ever needs to see any rugby league player interview an A-grade Hollywood film star who is also a massive Rugby League fan?

The answer would be: Other Rugby League fans.



There are plenty of other people than Tomkins who could do these sort of things. The first person I thought of from a Warrington point of view was Myler

I can't believe this post, unless its fishing and I'm a whopper in a 'monsieur' invisble net, but, the answer surely is Everybody?

I Thought Tomkins did a great job to be honest, especially dealing with Eddie making numerous daft comments to him in the first interview.

im hoping for a Peacock guest appearance on question time.

Don't get me onto politics but despite appearances could he do any worse than the clowns supposedly in charge?

Quote ="Jeff the God of Biscuits"They would have had a Wire player on, but, they're either too old, and have to have a sit down every 10 minutes, or too Ugly [Ratchford to be seen on TV.'" -- wire players too ugly???? nawwww,they picked tomkins too attend the film premiere because of his past acting credits!i mean who could his stunning film debut as the banjo boy in the film Deliverence!!!!he was robbed of an oscar imo! www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uzae_SqbmDE

Quote ="Jeff the God of Biscuits"They would have had a Wire player on, but, they're either too old, and have to have a sit down every 10 minutes, or too Ugly [Ratchford to be seen on TV.'" -- wire players too ugly???? nawwww,they picked tomkins too attend the film premiere because of his past acting credits!i mean who could his stunning film debut as the banjo boy in the film Deliverence!!!!he was robbed of an oscar imo! www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uzae_SqbmDE

I concur. It was a bit incongruous as part of the programme but considering the film is the biggest of the year it is rather heartening to see an RL player there interviewing the stars.

Still not convinced that any of the Warrington players could have done it. Maybe Brett Hodgson who certainly seems the most eloquent. Don't think I have heard Myler talking to the media tbh.

I didn't see the programme, my response was based on the connection between Russell Crowe, the biggest film of the year and possibility of a positive Rugby League connection.

I don't know who we could push in the same manner, but, the more the merrier as long as they do more good than harm. They don't have to be Robert Redford look-alikes just media savvy?

Let's just find some genuine comedian fans to host an RL 'footy show/soccer am' style programme on sky.
Move backchat into Boots and all, use the extra slot for this.

Jonny Vegas maybe

THEY NEED TO BRING BACK THE ALL SPORTS SHOW ON FRIDAY NIGHTS

I am baffled as to why you might think I was fishing. Did I sound insincere? Allow me to clarify....

The issue isn't whether or not anyone at Warrington RLFC or in RL in general could have done a better job. The issue is why, when I expect rugby league news and information on a weekly RL-focussed magazine programme, am I subjected to watching a nervous kid trying to interview Russell Crowe on the red carpet at a film Premiere? Was I watching TMZ? No, it was Sky Sports.

Some people seem to think that all RL exposure is good publicity and get overexcited at the smallest public mention of the sport, like a dog going wild when greeting its owner's return from the shops, but I prefer quality to quantity. If you thought that was 'quality' rather than utterly superfluous, then good on you, but I thought it was truly terrible television.

Should we follow the PFA's lead and get Sam on Question Time, like Clarke Carlisle did for the footballers? I mean, who else in RL could do that, other than Sam? Not many, but who needs to see it? Anyone? I hope not. As far as ex-players go, Brian Carney is a more natural and charismatic presenter than anyone in the history of RL, but I don't want to see him on the red carpet or Question Time, either.

As I have previously posted on this thread, I rate Tomkins highly as a player, person and media personality, but I genuinely think that was diabolical television. Just my opinion, though.

Don't be baffled any longer than is necessary, here goes.

My response to your original post was based on the bluntness of it, "who needs it Nobody" if you allow me to paraphrase it further, (which was a job in itself)

It said nothing about the quality of the show, which indeed would have been lost on me as I don't have Sky Sports and didn't view the programme (as you might find in my subsequent posts). I agree the need to temper the sports' exposure where possible to items that do more good than harm, so indeed I too support quality editorials at the expense of quantity.

Thank you for sharing your opinion, but, I may add that my initial idea that you may have been fishing was also based on your sobriquet and perhaps a wish that RL followed suit....Sports superstar Hollywood A lister Rugby League no thanks, surely not?

That bad taste you’ve got in your mouth is all the sour grapes you’ve scoffed. I know I’m a pie and proud of it, but whether or not, it has to be said he’s the biggest name and advert for our game here, and if you think losing him to Oz is going to be a good thing, you’re wrong. He puts bums on seats and puts the game here on the map. I’d sooner him play for you-men than see him go to Oz or the dark side, but he will!

He gives the game additional media profile. What is the problem?

If you'd read the thread you'd see what most people think to the topic so saying "you're all in a myopic tizzy" is just plain false as most have said they don't have a problem with Sam being on Sky and all the love-in stuff is fine.

He does my sweed in. I think his soccer way of conducting himself on the pitch detracts from his quality. But I see the quality and see the marketing stock that is there for the sport. I do think the game should market good players across the board much more.