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?

Cheers for clearing it up, was becoming a touch confusing!!!

Haven't read the LE, so wasn't aware of that part, but again, a nothing story although as you say, there is a fair assumption that they would want to talk about the game, which I'm sure Smith will do in his regular media conferences that week. I assume he hasn't boycotted them.

The point I was making in my last post was that it maybe that Wigan have a technical requirement to provide players and coaches at certain media conferences. It certainly works like that in other sports, whether it is as rigid in RL who knows, although it does appear to have upset the media (reasonable ones too like Dave Woods and George Riley). These seem to be the claims made against them.

I take your points on board (respectfully disagree with them

) and it's better to move on rather than going round in this loop!

Did you say that in an interview ?, and can you be quoted ?...........oh. sorry, you just were.

Ahem. I find the RFL's Operational Rules a mine of useful information, particularly when it comes to technical requirements.

Page 432

[urlhttp://www.therfl.co.uk/~rflmedia/docs/2011%20RFL%20Official%20Guide.pdf[/url

Two slightly different things though. Saints didn't do the Wembley walkabout as they thought, and I quote, 'it's a waste of time' because they'd been before. That smacks of arrogance.

Wigan wanting to focus on the game on Sunday is far from arrogant and I have no issues with it at all. Had Saints said the same then I'd have been inclined to agree (I just wouldn't have admitted it

).

Page 433:

[iPress conference appearances
• An uninjured established first team player and Head Coach must make themselves available for all
reasonable media requirements at convened events. Such requirements to include Season Launch,
Challenge Cup Draws from the 4th Round to the semi final, Magic Weekend Press Conference,
Wembley Friday Media opportunity, Play Off and Finals Media sessions.[/i

The list they provide is 'to include' so not an exclusive list. It also states that the RFL will give 2 weeks notice where possible for player appearances. It is probably fair to assume that Wigan have set media days, I know Warrington do, so these will probably have been planned in earlier in the year.
[i
FINE: For failure to provide an uninjured established first team player and Head Coach for all reasonable
media appearances or unreasonable response to contracted broadcaster’s requests for pre and post
match interviews - first offence up to £1000, for subsequent offences up to £5000.[/i

It is open to interpretation as to what a 'reasonable' request is, but I would assume a request for a player in the build up to a knockout playoff game is 'reasonable' providing it was done with notice (although this goes back to the pre-arranged press conferences that clubs host)

Madge and probably Lockers will be at the press conference I imagine. The ban is more than likely to those who stop players on the way out of training and ask the same questions to each one.

Bloody hell does that even happen in RL? I'd have thought half an hour at each club's press conference was more than enough for the journo(s).

Get a lawyer on to that specific word

eh?

Maguires speaking and as for a player send a lad out of the u18's and tell the press he's on standby for his debut.

Easy.