..........up to £10,000, due to Tony Smiths no show at yesterdays Club Call telecast. Not many like the idea, not least Smith, but as long as that's the way the playoffs are decided, that's the way it is. Someone of his profile not attending is guilty of bringing the game into disrepute, and hopefully the arrogant b'stard will have to pay the bulk of any fine personally. www.sportinglife.com/rugby-leagu ... -be-costly

..........up to £10,000, due to Tony Smiths no show at yesterdays Club Call telecast. Not many like the idea, not least Smith, but as long as that's the way the playoffs are decided, that's the way it is. Someone of his profile not attending is guilty of bringing the game into disrepute, and hopefully the arrogant b'stard will have to pay the bulk of any fine personally. www.sportinglife.com/rugby-leagu ... -be-costly

All part of the plan to make it look like he had nothing to do with the selection. I can't see that anybody buys that!

All talk of saying he wants nothing to do with it and not turning up at the press conference is to try and take the heat out if the situation and make it look like they're not simply saying 'we want to play Huddersfield because they're not as good as Leeds. That is what they're saying and I don't see why they're trying to mask it.

They're better then Huddersfield, they batter then everytime they play and Leeds are the best play off team in the history of the British game. It was a no brainer to pick them but Wire should just be honest about it.

And he won't attend next year, oh well Simon Moran will have to forgo his interest payments for September.

"It is believed each of the four semi-finalists were given £5,000 to guarantee a high-profile presence at the press conference, with Warrington handed an additional £5,000 to cover the costs of hosting the event."

No one has ever heard of Adrian Morley then? Probably better known in the rugby circles than Tony Smith.

Tony who?

to be fair tony smith is a great coach but the guy can be a complete moron, if he doesn't agree with something the RFL do he becomes like a spoilt child chucking he's toys out the pram instead of just getting on with it and taking he's complaint up through the right channels.

im still not sure if i agree with the club call and who benefits the most out of it but you can't deny that a lot of people was wondering who warrington was going to choose.

Arrogant Australian....never! Smith is arguably the best coach SL has seen, but he does let himself down . Like the 'it's nothing special, just another game' speech before the 2005 cc final. Whatever his personal thoughts towards club call are it's known from day one of the season that it will happen. Deal with it ffs!

I personally couldnt care less but huddersfields should as thier coach had to travel to warrington at at time of only 4 days before their match where smith wsa probably preparing for playing huddersfield

It's still arrogance all the other coaches don't like the system but had the presence to turn up, still it spared us from having his usual 1 hours sermon

Its half an hour on the motorway...

Absolutely spot on.

My missus calls Tony Smith "shifty eyes". He never looks the interviewer in the face. Can't trust a single word he says. (Great coach through!)

My missus calls Shaun Wane 'The Gormless Gorilla' because he sounds and looks like a gormless gorilla.... Bloody women eh?....

My missus calls me the silverback, but that's another story !!!!

I think that the disrespect shown by Smith is reflective of the general amount of respect that the RFL commands from teams and fans alike.

Don't think he should have done it, but I can understand why.

I know why she'd say that because that's how he comes across on TV but I must say that having approached him and spoken to him when "off duty" and not needing to speak to a member of the public he is an extremely charming and likeable guy. He does have an awkwardness about him on TV though

I think he worries about what to say and becomes like a robot in he's responses. but i know in person he is a great bloke and really friendly, so is tony smith he's a lot more warm in person.

Bollocks 1 hour each way, 3 hours at the event

Probably half a day at least

He had an awesome carvery though any fine would have been worth it.

Why does the coach have to be there? Surely either the Captain or the Chairman should be, or is RL becoming like soccer the way the media is obsessed with the managers rather than the players?

Since RL has no major sponsors it has to make money somehow, can they fine Warrington every week?