Saints won't go walkabout

In contrast to Hull's wide-eyed enthusiasm, St Helens were dead-eyed in their professionalism (or something like that) at their pre-cup press day. Instead of all their players attending, as is customary, coach Daniel Anderson brought with him the tried and trusted - Messrs Cunningham, Roby, Sculthorpe and Wellens. No chance to speak to the likes of Clough and Hargreaves and raise the profile of many of their other absent players. A missed opportunity, sadly, but if St Helens beat Hull on Saturday, I'm sure they won't give a fig. Unfortunately, the loser is the sport itself. compounded by Saints' decision - on the basis of a show of hands and text voting by players, I understand - to give the cup final eve walkabout a miss, thus bucking a 40-year tradition.

Two hours travelling there and back from their Runnymede base could be better spent, according to Saints. Besides, they saw and conquered at Wembley last year and they're in the same dressing room. "We'll go into the game confident but not cocky," Anderson said - words that briefly hung in the air once he'd uttered them. Yes, it's the professional course of action but is it the right thing to do ?  "We can understand their reason but it is disappointing because it's an opportunity to raise the profile of the game nationally," RFL communications manager Craig Spence said. "The game struggles at the best of time for column inches and airtime and the walkabout is an occasion that does attract huge attention. It's a pity only one team will be there."

The last team to take the walkabout lightly were Ian Millward's Saints in 2002, the year that Wigan full back Kris Radlinski walked on to the Murrayfield pitch in carpet slippers after a bout of blood poisoning from an insect bite and 24 hours later walked off with the Lance Todd Trophy and a winner's medal. St Helens tossed a tennis ball about for a few minutes and wandered off. I suspect not, but it'd look bad if they've scored another own goal.

Comments

[Andrew]

I wonder if Chris Irvine has ever heard the expression "Making a mountain out of a molehill"
Given the Richard Agar the Hull coach has now said that IF Hull return to We
mbley in future he would consider NOT going for a Walkabout,will he now acuuse Agar of making the "sport a loser"
The" Walkabout " has never had significant media coverage except this year when Mr Irvine decided it was more important than the game itself
This report has every appearance of being just a way to "get at "Saints and appears to be biased against them .

[Veronica]

These young men have been training for the match, it is not in their best interests to go on walkabouts the night before when they would be resting and getting ready for the event.

People are commenting about publicity of our Rugby League Teams, if you just look at the coverage given to that match by those people who were supposed to be representing the people who couldn't go to Wembley. the resulting article in comparison to coversage to Rugby Union whose season hasn't even begun simply beggers belief.

[simon]

Can anyone point me in the direction of the massive media coverage Hull's walkabout today has generated? Afterall, according to Craig Spence it is an "occasion that does attract huge attention".

The attention has been so huge, it doesnt even warrant a mention on the RFL's own website.

[St.Andy]

What really annoys me is how big a deal missing the Walkabout has become. When the real 'big deal' is the fact that Hull are in the final having fielded an ineligable player in the earlier rounds of the cup. I know they were punished with a fine but, in every other sport they would have been booted out. They shouldn't be in the final in the first place.

[Don the hop]

First ive heard of this "40 year old tradition".
Well done Saints for alerting me.

[MJW]

Chris, re your comments on the value of this walk about, surely Saints snubbing it being blown out of all proportion is actually generating more media attention than usual about the event?

It's a bit like the decision to appoint Ganson, a bit of manufactured controversy to get some attention.

[Arhtur Snott]

I will watch the match and thats it, because I am a fan of the game end of I don't care what is in the papers, does any body read them anymore, I get all my information from the web, through blogs and RL news specialist sites, newspapers don't cover our game well enough so I don't buy them, It's their loss. Having said that I did see a sun this morning it had a small four paragraph piece on odds for the final and a comment by Jon Wilkin
frankly drivel and well hidden at the bottom of the page. The Sun at the start of superleague used to have a 4 page pullout what happened to that? The coverage in newspapers is going backwards. So vote with your pockets fans don't buy em!

[Mike hunt]

Great I don't want to hear from a Saints player!

[Frank Fish]

Mike, is this publicity rugby league can afford to miss out on ? Chris makes the point about Saints being professional and concentrating on the business in hand, but this is a business. There's a duty to sponsors and backers. What are they going to think about Saints attitude I ask you. The point is that cup final teams cut themselves off for the week and this walkabout thing is one of the few opportunities to hear from the players. What is the point in St Helens playing in a vacuum. Saints should look to the example set by our Olympians - talkactive, publicity conscious but still winners. They'll have sponsors flocking to them. If I were supporting Saints I'd be very sceptical. Poor show for mine.

[Mike Roden]

Oh come on Chris!How much coverage will the Friday Afternoon walkabout get.Was it in the Times,Independant,Guardian et al last year?

[Numptyboy]

Saints are as arrogant now as Wigan were when they ruled roost. Sod tradition, sod the public, sod the press, sod publicity. Well, sod them. Come on you 'ull!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[timothy Leary]

Wow man freak out I once went walkabout on the clouds baby then I fell off into a soup of eels grooooove on lucky I woke up

[Mike hunt]

I think the point it here that Saints now think them selves above the game, It will be intresting to see how many column inches they CC gets this year. I do think the Walk about sounds like a waste of time, and I understand Craig Spence's frustration.....but surely Isn't HIS JOB as Press Officer to the governing body to make sure they tow the line, and as for column inches isn't it HIS JOB to up those column inches as we were promised years ago by the then chief executive x newspaper man Colin Myler.
The problem is Gents that no body out side of RL gives a toss any more. Its all same old same old, and a lousy time of year to have the final.
Carnegie must be very frustrated, talking of which am I wrong here or has their profile and promotion of the CC this year been low? Is this because a club without Carnegie in its name won it last year?, and this years winners who ever they may be also will not be sponsored by them......Better hurry up I hear Hull have a sandwich that is up for sponsorship it could be the Carnegie cheesey peasy?

[Chris Irvine]

The walkabout is not just a hugely valuable media exercise, it is a familiarisation process for the players. Some choose to go through their routines, some perfect their goalkicking technique, others just have a wander and soak in the atmosphere. It was certainly a significant part of Wigan's routine during their 8-year cup dominance. Winning coaches have spoken in the past about its invaluable impact. Far from a 10 minute wonder, some teams have been known to spend 45 minutes to an hour on the pitch. In 2004 at Cardiff, Wigan practiced how they'd walk out on the pitch the following day - mind you, they did lose that year to Saints.

In media terms, we not only get to learn the teams for the match, we get to speak to players and coaches about the week, the build up and prospects for the match. The Radlinski story from the walkabout in 2002 was headline news. So was the Shaun Briscoe story in 2005 when he went in for emergency appendix surgery. Those interviews form the basis for match previews and are especially valuable in terms of TV pictures. For instance, there were several overseas camera crews at Wembley last year and those pictures from the walkabout were transmitted in Australia, NZ and worldwide through BBC World.

[MJW]

I'm a bit sceptical about how big a deal this walk about on the pitch really is. I know what it is, but can't remember it getting acres of space in past years.

[James Wilkes]

Another own goal?

No chance mate, saints will win this one without a doubt.

Far too strong for hull.