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While I admire Tony Adams for turning his life around and for the work he does with Sporting Chance, I don’t think he’s been a great RFL President. I’ve heard a lot less from him in his year than I’d expected and he doesn’t seem to have done much to promote the game itself. 

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20 minutes ago, Eddie said:

While I admire Tony Adams for turning his life around and for the work he does with Sporting Chance, I don’t think he’s been a great RFL President. I’ve heard a lot less from him in his year than I’d expected and he doesn’t seem to have done much to promote the game itself. 

Agreed. A somewhat tokenistic tenure but I didn’t expect much more from him anyway. 

Clare Balding, on the other hand, I have high hopes for. You can hear her genuine passion for the game - and the rugby league family - in the podcast Futtocks linked to.

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3 hours ago, Eddie said:

While I admire Tony Adams for turning his life around and for the work he does with Sporting Chance, I don’t think he’s been a great RFL President. I’ve heard a lot less from him in his year than I’d expected and he doesn’t seem to have done much to promote the game itself. 

On the other hand, based on that article, Sporting Chance has done good work for a lot of RL players.

Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

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7 hours ago, Eddie said:

While I admire Tony Adams for turning his life around and for the work he does with Sporting Chance, I don’t think he’s been a great RFL President. I’ve heard a lot less from him in his year than I’d expected and he doesn’t seem to have done much to promote the game itself. 

This happens a lot with such people.  They have a fleeting influence and do what they can in the limited time they are engaged for.  Hopefully, at the end of his time, the powers that be need to keep him connected to the game so his influence can be greater.  We need people like this with strong stature.

Its strange but if we were commenting on Pearce and Adams, we would probably say that Pearce appears to have more influence  yet has very little direct link to the game other than he's an avid Wire (not sure of connections with Wire) and RL fan.

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3 hours ago, Lowdesert said:

This happens a lot with such people.  They have a fleeting influence and do what they can in the limited time they are engaged for.  Hopefully, at the end of his time, the powers that be need to keep him connected to the game so his influence can be greater.  We need people like this with strong stature.

Its strange but if we were commenting on Pearce and Adams, we would probably say that Pearce appears to have more influence  yet has very little direct link to the game other than he's an avid Wire (not sure of connections with Wire) and RL fan.

I think he became a friend of Tony Smiths when he was at Man City and Smith was at Warrington and started going to Wire games that way and enjoyed them

100% League 0% Union

Just because I don't know doesn't mean I don't understand

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13 hours ago, Lowdesert said:

This happens a lot with such people.  They have a fleeting influence and do what they can in the limited time they are engaged for.  Hopefully, at the end of his time, the powers that be need to keep him connected to the game so his influence can be greater.  We need people like this with strong stature.

Its strange but if we were commenting on Pearce and Adams, we would probably say that Pearce appears to have more influence  yet has very little direct link to the game other than he's an avid Wire (not sure of connections with Wire) and RL fan.

I think Tony Smith was a speaker on a coaching course that Pearce attended (though it may have been the other way around). They got talking and that led to Pearce attending a Warrington game and becoming hooked. 

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I think Adams has done a decent job and I'm not sure what else anyone would expect from is a part time ceremonial role or what more he could have done. He has spoke well of the game, I have seen several very positive interviews, and he has obviously done a lot of good work behind the scenes too. Covid-19 during a third of his tenure obviously hasn't helped but that is unavoidable.

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I really like Tony Adams. He was a top player and what he’s done with Sporting Chance is amazing. I’ve not seen much about him in this President role, it’s more interviews, but I don’t think he always articulates himself very well (e.g. you don’t really want an outgoing President saying to the incoming President that they can do as little or as much as they want on a national BBC RL podcast 😀). He defaulted to talking about Sporting Chance a lot, which of course is his main priority, but didn’t seem to have too much knowledge on the game, where it needs to improve etc. 

Clare Balding, on the other hand, speaks well whenever I’ve seen her on anything. She spoke passionately on the podcast and obviously enjoys and understands the game. I think she’ll be a great ambassador and hopefully get involved a bit more than other Presidents. She was talking about getting school kids to games etc. Looking forward to her getting involved. 

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The RFL Presidents role is, as Damien states, largely ceremonial. I have have wondered if the RFL have appointed the last few presidents in order to improve relations or strengthen particular parts of the game rather than across the board approach. During Andy Burnham's tenure, I believe the move to the Etihad campus was confirmed, though I'm not sure what's happening with that at present I'm sure it would have been much easier to seal the deal with the Mayor of Greater Manchester as President. Similarly, with Tony Adams the focus has been on mental health and player welfare. As we move into a World Cup year the game needs greater visibility and better publicity, Claire Balding is appointed President, whom, I'm sure,  is ideal for this type of role.

Maybe the RFL have been smarter than we credit them for and there is a bigger plan, then again...

100% League 0% Union

Just because I don't know doesn't mean I don't understand

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2 minutes ago, Cumbrian Fanatic said:

The RFL Presidents role is, as Damien states, largely ceremonial. I have have wondered if the RFL have appointed the last few presidents in order to improve relations or strengthen particular parts of the game rather than across the board approach. During Andy Burnham's tenure, I believe the move to the Etihad campus was confirmed, though I'm not sure what's happening with that at present I'm sure it would have been much easier to seal the deal with the Mayor of Greater Manchester as President. Similarly, with Tony Adams the focus has been on mental health and player welfare. As we move into a World Cup year the game needs greater visibility and better publicity, Claire Balding is appointed President, whom, I'm sure,  is ideal for this type of role.

Maybe the RFL have been smarter than we credit them for and there is a bigger plan, then again...

I was going to reply much the same to Curly Prem, who raises some fair points, and you raise some very good points too which I completely agree with. I think the whole point of Adams being President was because of the Sporting Chance charity link and to strengthen mental health and player welfare within the sport. It seems like this has been very successful.

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On 14/07/2020 at 21:22, Eddie said:

While I admire Tony Adams for turning his life around and for the work he does with Sporting Chance, I don’t think he’s been a great RFL President. I’ve heard a lot less from him in his year than I’d expected and he doesn’t seem to have done much to promote the game itself. 

I could be wrong here (he could really be a RL aficionado) but I think Adams is really all about bettering yourself regardless of what your sport is. He’s a great role model in that regard. He must have become accustomed to RL through the players he’s worked with and clearly has huge admiration for what they put their bodies through. Regards promoting sport, I’ve hardly seen him as a pundit on any football games (maybe twice)...as I say I think his work/focus is bigger than that.

 

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I think she will do a great job. The period when she headed up the BBC RL coverage was the period in which it transitioned from disdainful and occasionally upsetting to positive and exciting, a legacy that Chapman and co have taken even further.

I don't know her exact broadcasting duties these days, but imagine she will be at the Olympics next year as well as Wimbledon, horse racing etc. Not the worst places to have someone in an ambassadorial role for RL knocking about.

I can confirm 30+ less sales for Scotland vs Italy at Workington, after this afternoons test purchase for the Tonga match, £7.50 is extremely reasonable, however a £2.50 'delivery' fee for a walk in purchase is beyond taking the mickey, good luck with that, it's cheaper on the telly.

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