Those journos who are moaning about this blackout tend to be the same ones who constantly bitch and write in sarcastic manner about the game and are more willing to keep the game in the dark ages rather than promote everything thats right with the game

So in short f**k em

Remind me, were you similarly concerned about the 'wider RL context' when St Helens chose to eschew the traditional Wembley press day in 2008?

[urlhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/mobile/rugby_league/super_league/st_helens/7582779.stm[/url

Taking a wild stab in the dark here, I'm going to guess no and surmise that your opinion veered more towards defending Daniel Anderson's right to do what he felt was in the best interests of Saints. Am I right?

I doubt she was even a fan in 2008. At least, her knowledge of the game would suggest that she's quite a new fan anyway.

What was the general response on this board to Saints' decision? I assume you were all defending the policy like this thread



Simple fact is, people have a right to be peed off with this, there is good reason. On the other hand, we don't exactly get quality coverage anyway, and the club are still prepared to speak to the press as shown by the coach's interview. I'm sure the club would provide further contacts if pushed. Player interviews are notoriously boring anyway!

As some have touched on, I like the story, it is a team who have slightly lost form getting their heads down and training hard for their biggest SL game of the year. Surely that is enough of a story for the press to run with.

I understand complaints, but I also understand why they have done it. Not much of a deal here.

Why don't they just write about the blackout and how it worked last year? Why don't they build up to the game and talk about our professionalism?

Yeah, actually, probably best to slag us off.

Reasonable post. Send it to the tw0ts whining on Twitter.

A particularly perceptive (and I'm assuming handsome), intelligent and generous person (

) has asked the following question on Twitter:



I wonder if they'll get a reply?

Did you praise Saints when they did it prior to Wembley? Did you call them professional?

I know I'm being slightly mischievous here, because I actually don't see an issue with what Wigan are doing, but I do understand why some people don't like it, certainly the journalists who are scrapping for every word in the papers have every right to be peeved, but that's life and MM has to do what he thinks is right to get a win this weekend.

To expect no criticism for it though is unrealistic.

Come on mate, you're more reasonable than that! It isn't up to Smith to choose the clubcall. IIRC when Leeds had it Hetherington made the announcement. The Warrington club will make the choice as per the requirements, there is nothing that says that Smith, or the kitman, or the woman in the shop needs to make the decision.

If Warrington decided to run a poll on the Warrington Guardian to make the decision, they can.

There is no boycott at all.

It doesn't surprise me if they think that way.

After all, they consider it their God-given right to earn money and be wined and dined at RL events in reward for regurgitating the crap they read on forums, making headlines out of ridiculous rumours that drunks tell them in pubs, and occasionally quoting predictable player waffle in advance of big matches.

I feel so sorry for these guys, I really do. Now they actually have to go and do a bit fo f*****g work.

The standard of journalism hasnt improved this morning, they seem to be tweeting back Wigan fans demanding to know how they can back their team, rather than going doing some real work and actually being journalists.

I seem to have upset one in particular. Oh well

Yes, well I didn't praise them just said they needed to do what they thought right for their preparation. Unsurprising I think I might have been in a minority of one then.



I don't think anyone on here would ever expect us not to get criticism for anything we do - good or bad, however it the reasoning behind it that people are belittling, and rightly so.

- Tony Smith decides to boycott club call and therefore won't be available to be interviewed - near silence.

- Wigan say players not available to media, but still club is - whinging and ranting from "journos" giving the "games needs all publicity it can get" excrement reason. Yep because unless they get a couple of cliched player quotes in a report about the upcoming game, it can't be written.

I have absolutely no problem with Smith's views on clubcall or his decision to boycott, the club can toss I coin as far as I care. It's the double standards on the near silence compared to what's been happening in the last 24 hours I was ridiculing. There's little difference between the two for the impact on "media profile". However you wouldn't think that given the difference in reactions.

He has said he won't be making the decision. He doesn't have to, it is not a requirement in the slightest. The club will be doing what they have to with regards to clubcall. I understand and pretty much agree with the rest of your comments on here, and with your posts in general on here, I just don't really get your point.

Clubcall is what it is, CLUBcall, not Coachcall. If Warrington do not attend the press conference live on Sky to announce their opposition, then I am right with you, as it is, there is nothing in the slightest in your point. Nothing at all.

What is he boycotting? That suggests he isn't doing something that he should be.

There is no requirement for the coach of a team to choose the opposition. The club has that requirement, and as far as I'm aware we are going to announce on Sunday who we will play.

The media profile won;t be affected, as the conference will be attended, and the media will write what they want about it. Genuinely not getting your point on this one. There is no comparison at all here.

Very quiet on the Rhinos v Hull incidents, anyone throwing anything towards the playing area should be dealt with accordingly, but can you imagine the bile directed towards this forum if it had been Wigan players giving "obscene" gestures and mouthing obcenities to the FC fans

!

I'm well aware of the process and decision-making. Hope my next post has cleared it up, re the double standards.

Smith has essentially said he won't be around for media duties re clubcall, but the club obviously will. Wigan has said players won't be around, but the club will. What's the difference?

Doesn't that quote apply exactly the same to Wigan this week? If not why not? That's the point.

In the interests of our greater game and in order that Wigan's cold-hearted decision doesn't rob the RL journalists of their living, I have decided to make myself available for interviews. Please contact me directly for me to diarise or alternately my agent, 'MR FRISK'.

This is the bit that I am struggling with. What are Smith's media duties? Can you quote where he has said he won't be around to do any media stuff (I genuinely haven't seen anything to suggest this).
From what I saw he has said he won't be getting involved in the decision making process. I don't know whether he will be at the press conference, I don't know whether he is meant to be there.

If they asked Morley about it and he said he isn't going to be involved in the decision process, would that mean he was 'boycotting' clubcall?

Well no. Here's the difference:

Wigan have a responsibility to make players and staff available to the media in the build up to the game (making an assumption here). This happens in other sports, so I assume it is in place in RL - although this may only technically apply to Sky (and Wigan may speak to Sky). They haven't fulfilled this.*

Warrington have a responsibility to choose an opponent on Sunday. They will do this.

Where is the similarity?

*by the way, these are clearly assumptions, and we don't know what the obligations are, but this is pretty much what they are being accused of. As I have stated, I have no issues with Wigan's approach, especially if there are no stipulated requirements, but I just don't see any similarity to the clubcall issue.

I'm expecting it to be close. Catalans are a quality side and we certainly won't be underestimating them.

As we seems to be having two conversations at once I'll tidy it up in here:

Re the "boycotting" it was in the LE this week (granted not the most reliable of sources) which is now in the bin. From what I remember the main bit was that Smith has said he was having nothing to do with the thing at all and the story implied this would be embarrassing for Warrington (it isn't) as he wouldn't be there when it was being announced.

Re your assumptions I'll make one and say you'd expect the media to want to asks questions of the coach about what he thought about the opponent his club had just chosen for him. Given the reason as to why Wigan seem to be taking food away from RL journos families mouths this week, any rational person would assume the same would apply in both cases.

Are you tired? Will it effect your performance?