Maybe compare it with the BBC tomorrow?
Learned comment from The Don
I'd get rid of the lot bar Jenna Brooks. I think she's brill. It needs a couple of new presenters, and a professional commentary team. Look at the build up football or boxing get. Great insight into the build up, great post match analysis. Ours is garbage. Giving the likes of McDermott, O'Connor and Wells a job says it all about how serious RL is taken on sky. Absolute dross.
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Jenna Brooks has definitely improved things. I’ve had a listen to a few of the Sky RL podcasts with Graham, Roby, Mose Masoe, James Maloney etc and she came across really well on all the ones that I’ve listened to.
The more current/recently retired players they can get on, the better for me. Having the likes of Wilko, Leon Pryce, McGuire, Hastings etc made a big difference IMO. I thought Jon Wilkin was really good on commentary the other week.
Wikin comes across as really intelligent both in his analysis and generally. Also, people outside of Lancs and Yorks can understand him. Jenna Brooks, a big improvement on Angela P. She asks better questions and comes across with a bit of enthusiasm. Just get rid wholesale of the male contingent.
Angela Powers was just a mate of Hemmings. It needs a clear out get Tony Ray and Tulsen Tullet in along with Wilkin. Bill Arthur needs to GO.
Great shout! Baz and Tez were great to begin with on bootsnall when they went interviewing players and genuinely having a laugh with them (like Fletch and Hindy on the Matty Johns’ show). Now I find their analysis of the game so boring and just repeating the same cliché nonsense.
Bill Arthur and the other guy have no enthusiasm in their voices what so ever
Agree on Tony Rea. Always impresses as a pundit. Not keen on Bill Arthur...just seemed a cheap move to replace Eddie. Barry and Terry ok but not in such large doses. Jenna Brooks is good, she ‘gets’ rugby league and it comes across in her interviews - she looks as though she loves her job rather than just rattling through half a dozen questions robotically, and this produces a more interesting interview
The analysis isn't the biggest problem with the Sky coverage. Wells and Carney offer some insight into the game at times and they do get some good guests from time to time.
The biggest problem is the commentary team and more pertinently the main commentator. Eddie Hemmings hasn't been replaced and it's obvious. Bill Arthur is incapable of calling big moments. Compare him to Peter Drury or Martin Tyler and it is not even close. That's what Sky needs in its RL coverage more than anything - an enthusiastic lead commentator to call the games similar to the NRL and football.
Originally Posted by Despondent Dave
Clive Tyldesley one of the best commentators in my opinion. And he knows Rugby.
I enjoyed Wilkins input, and no, not just because he's an ex Saint! He was honest knowledgable and well spoken. Jenna Brooks is a breath of fresh air, she is also well spoken, asks probing questions and is enthusiastic. Wells and Carney I can put up with. Clarke.............well I s'pose there's always room for some comedy. Now what about the commentary team? Truthfully the current crop need to go. They constantly get names of players wrong (they're on the back of the shirts guys!). Worse than that though, on numerous occassions the commentator is locked in some supposedly humurous debate with Baz and Tez, instead of commentating on a good run, break, tackle, etc, etc. When Saints were making good yardage against Cas and getting in to good scoring positions, the commentary team were waxing lyrical about something which had happened to Baz/Tez yeras ago. The game is too fast now for these meanderings down memory lane with your cloth cap and whippet! Tez and Baz have to go, along with the commentators. They make Stevo look like a superstar!
Wilkin on BBC pre Cats v Wakey is excellent.
Wilkin and JJB have been outstanding again today. Extremely articulate in providing very intelligent and inciteful input. I think they both represent the game in an excellent light, which is nice to see given the nation-wide coverage. Replacing the chuckle bothers Baz and Tez on Sky with these two would be an excellent start. Jenna Brookes is perfect for the roke she plays. Just need an engaging, knowledgeable and enthusiastic commentator then, with Tony Rea interjecting and the coverage would be excellent.
I like seperate studio aspect of the show.
Mark Chapman, who says regular hes not the most knowledgeable of the game, asks the right questions and there never seems to be much in the way of creating controversy.
Imagine that conversion on sky. They would still be talking about it now
On the subject of BLM, I thought the BBC handled it in a sensitive and proportionate way. Their feature on Clive Sullivan and subsequent discussion did not ignore racism but showed the positive impact that people of all races have had on our sport.
Unlike Sky Sports who seem to want to chastise anyone for not kneeling down upon order whilst simultaneously employing a football pundit (Jamie Carragher) who openly endorsed a racist remark during his career and being owned by Rupert Murdoch for so long, who could hardly be described as inclusive...
The discussion re Sullivan was very good, obviously it was part of the promotion of next year's world cup, and the fact that he was the first black captain of a GB side.
But it seemed to suggest that he had opened the doors for black players and that wasn't really correct.
Boston, Dixon, Freeman and Francis all pre-date him by a good few years and Frank Wilson was at Saints around the same time as Sullivan was playing.
Perhaps its just me being picky.
Either way it was still good to see the game being discussed.
Must admit I sometimes struggle to understand JJB's accent but there's not doubting his passion for the game.
Yes. I thought the same Belgian. Very refreshing that he refused to be baited. He's a deep thinker and I find him really interesting to listen to. I loved the banter with Wilkin when he said he would've missed the chance for a chat with the opposing forwards if scrums were to be scrapped permanently. Made me chuckle.
Both JJB and Wilkin come across as being excellent motivational speakers. Not only have they been there and got the tee shirt, they're not afraid to call it the way it is. A refreshing change from the "comedic act" of Baz and Tez, who come across like Waldorf and Statler on 'ludes! Whilst putting across pertinent points of view they avoided hyperbole and the fake hysteria that SKY always try to whip up with the likes of Phil Clarke.