Ten things I'd like to see in Sky's coverage this season

[Martyn Sadler]

http://www.totalrl.com/ten-things-id-like-see-skys-coverage-rugby-league-season/

[Sportlad]

Agree with a lot of this - but personally I quite like hearing the referees tick the players off!

[Futtocks]

All good points. but I'd suggest that, in point #2, animated characters do avoid the embarrassment of a featured player in the title sequence "doing a Solomona" after the footage is finalised.

[John Rhino]

Agree wholeheartedly with all of those. Especially number five. If there was one thing that really REALLY annoyed me about Stevo (lovely bloke) was his harping on at every disputed decision. And then Eddy couldn't resist chipping in.

 

[fairfolly]

Fully agree with switching off the Ref. microphones during the action.If the players do not know the Rules penalise them ,they will soon learn.Surely the coach will have clarified the rules for them.Even though I still watch all games on Sky or whatever channel I now have got into the habit of turning the sound off rather than listening to Refs screaming their heads off.

[Futtocks]

We can all play along! Get yer dabbers out (not a euphemism).

[Martyn Sadler]

28 minutes ago, Futtocks said:

We can all play along! Get yer dabbers out (not a euphemism).

Excellent!

[DavidM]

What about showing replays ( especially of fairly trivial matters ) DURING play . Ours is a fast moving sport and in showing a replay of one event you can miss another in live play ... and if we are gonna do this , surely Martyn we should employ the ' replay box ' that's worked well in Oz ?   Totally agree about ref mic ... very very repetitive and annoying . Just turn it on when the ref is saying something meaningful to players or the other officials 

[Futtocks]

Dab one (the bots are back).

[marklaspalmas]

Good list that.

Im pretty suer that Video refs talked through their decsions on Premier Sports excellent Championship coverage a few years back. Perhaps Ian Smith was the resident VR? It was very good.

I hate the camera zooming in on the coach. It's stupid.

The worst TV commentator for bitching about Pooo-err defence is Jonathan Davies on BBC. I hope to never hear his voice again

Otherwise SKY do ok apart from the very big problem of always carping on about ref decisions. Comment then let it go. Eddie Number One culprit.

[Man of Kent]

I like the ref mics. Makes you feel that much closer to the action. Adds to the ambience.

[Hullfan]

Intro is terrible I thought the same when it was first shown. Even more do now it's still the same c&@p 

[meast]

Spot on with most of these!

Sky's coverage is bad, bordering awful at the moment.

[meast]

22 hours ago, Sportlad said:

Agree with a lot of this - but personally I quite like hearing the referees tick the players off!

The issue here is that most of us do, but can't because there are 3/4 voices all babbling over the top of them!

[Moc]

Id just be happy with the clock/score on for the entire game

[meast]

Just to add my two-penneth!

I agree abut the coaches' shots, what do they actually gain from this? maybe yes, show a coaches reaction to a try or something major happening,but why just random shots of coaches, usually behind glass, doing nothing but watching and concentrating? what does this add exactly?

Camera shots on fans, usually the camera's focus on the "more refined" fans in the main stands, rather than the most boisterous singers who usually look happier.

I can't stand the Constant picking at the referee's, in every game of RL, everyone makes mistakes, including the officials, although we all give them stick during a game, most of us always have the respect of knowing that he will get things wrong sometimes, SKY seem to want to create controversy, often referring back to stuff that happened 10 or more minutes ago.

The ref's mics, i agree with, i think we all want to hear a ref talking to players, other officials and hearing the VR, but surely they have a button where they can lower the volume during the general gameplay? another thing i would like to see, like in American football, have the ref announce his decisions to the crowd/viewers?

Agree about the championship, and Ralph Rimmer expressed his frustration at the recent HGSA meeting about this, if SKY don't or can't show the 2nd tier, then maybe offer the rights to other broadcasters?

[meast]

20 hours ago, DavidM said:

What about showing replays ( especially of fairly trivial matters ) DURING play . Ours is a fast moving sport and in showing a replay of one event you can miss another in live play ... and if we are gonna do this , surely Martyn we should employ the ' replay box ' that's worked well in Oz ?   Totally agree about ref mic ... very very repetitive and annoying . Just turn it on when the ref is saying something meaningful to players or the other officials 

Yep, we tune in to watch a LIVE game, save the highlights for when there is a break in play or half/full time, I'm sick of seeing replays of trivial things while the game is going on in the background!

And please, no more showing tries from other games during the LIVE game, what a ridiculous thing!

[Auntie Linzi Morris]

20 hours ago, Futtocks said:

Dab one (the bots are back).

That intro drives me mad.

It's a double-knock-on.

They can't even get that decision right!

[Just Browny]

I agree with the entire list. Sadly, signs last night were that most of the things Martyn highlights haven't changed.

[DavidM]

Yes despite the words of the sky honcho it looked very much like they'd just carried on from where they left off 

[Bearman]

20 hours ago, marklaspalmas said:

Good list that.

Im pretty suer that Video refs talked through their decsions on Premier Sports excellent Championship coverage a few years back. Perhaps Ian Smith was the resident VR? It was very good.

I hate the camera zooming in on the coach. It's stupid.

The worst TV commentator for bitching about Pooo-err defence is Jonathan Davies on BBC. I hope to never hear his voice again

Otherwise SKY do ok apart from the very big problem of always carping on about ref decisions. Comment then let it go. Eddie Number One culprit.

I heard from a very good source that the reason sky didn't allow the VR to speak was because the main guy in the control room has a tendency to swear a lot but is such a senior figure in the organisation that there is no one to censure him. 

[marklaspalmas]

Just now, Bearman said:

I heard from a very good source that the reason sky didn't allow the VR to speak was because the main guy in the control room has a tendency to swear a lot but is such a senior figure in the organisation that there is no one to censure him. 

I'll believe that.

Ian Smith however did a very professional job.

[Odsal Outlaw]

The Refs microphone - 100% agree Martyn, switch it off!!! The moooove is annoying but also it dampens the effect of how the atmosphere at the ground comes across. Switch it on for player conversations yes, but everything else NO!

Also, great idea from DavidM on the using the replay box from NRL.

[meast]

Watched the cas-Leigh game on record this morning, am i right in thinking that you hardly ever heard Hicks shouting and screaming? i certainly didn't notice it as much.

[damp squib]

On 2/10/2017 at 3:30 PM, meast said:

another thing i would like to see, like in American football, have the ref announce his decisions to the crowd/viewers?

That's a good idea actually and it would do away with the need, if there ever was one, for Stuart Cummings to commentate.