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Best and worst commentator?

gregstar

Referee
Messages
20,302
Peter Wikins (Especially given he's a dragons supporter) with Warren Ryan was tremendous.

David Morrow (another dragons supporter) was okay but started making too many mistakes towards the end of his ABC career.

But I liked Jim Maxwell & Reg Gasnier.

But today?

I don't listen to any commentary.
I simply watch the game in silence - you aren't distracted or unduly influenced by commentators.
Best decision I ever made.
 
Last edited:

Coffs dragon

Bench
Messages
4,250
Andrew Moore & Peter Sterling are the only decent ones among em.

The rest are shit
I agree OT and there’s just too many to list in the Worst Department ( Shit )

Unfortunately most of the better commentators are retired or passed away.
Personally, I loved listening to Peter Wilkins & The Wok, Frank Hyde and even Zorba & Hollywood, Rex Mossop.
At least these blokes called the game like you were actually there watching it and not pushing agendas and talking shit.
 

Inisai Toga

Juniors
Messages
1,442
I agree OT and there’s just too many to list in the Worst Department ( Shit )

Unfortunately most of the better commentators are retired or passed away.
Personally, I loved listening to Peter Wilkins & The Wok, Frank Hyde and even Zorba & Hollywood, Rex Mossop.
At least these blokes called the game like you were actually there watching it and not pushing agendas and talking shit.
I agree. Those blokes had charisma and knowledge and thought it was a way better presentation. Have to watch most games with the volume on TV and iPhone down due to the discourse used today. Way too many commentators just used to employ ex players.
 

Old Timer

Coach
Messages
16,941
I agree OT and there’s just too many to list in the Worst Department ( Shit )

Unfortunately most of the better commentators are retired or passed away.
Personally, I loved listening to Peter Wilkins & The Wok, Frank Hyde and even Zorba & Hollywood, Rex Mossop.
At least these blokes called the game like you were actually there watching it and not pushing agendas and talking shit.
I agree with you Coffs dragon far too many in the shit category.

Mossop is my all time favourite on TV.

He had genuine knowledge interspersed with humour and often saw the funny side of the game.

I used to love it laughed at the piss poor punches thrown by some "would be's" when a stink was bunged on offering advice like "give it away son" and the other great thing was he never harped on about his own career which was fantastic in itself he just kept everything in the present tense.

His heightened sense of anticipation that something was about to happen in attack which led to such great lines as "he's gapped em" & "he's torn em to shreds" was always a highlight especially when it was "Slippery" tearing off down field.

A natural feel for the moment interspersed with the odd "Ricky Walpole" call made it very human and meant he was in the moment and he took us with him.

Funnily I also liked Wonn Casey when he was doing the footy for a few years and loved his call of the famous Les Boyd punch up and send off.
Again it was the human and common touch that made the call great.

Honourable mention to Puff and Tubby Allan when they were on the top of the outside broadcasting van for the ABC.

Radio has to be Frank Hyde followed closely by David Morrow & Wok when they were on the ABC. Truly people that made you feel like you were sitting on the sideline watching the game.
 

hazzbeen

Bench
Messages
4,617
Just off league at the moment ... I use to love listening to best race caller for me was Bert Bryant .... A great caller ....
 

denis preston

First Grade
Messages
8,224
Rex
I agree OT and there’s just too many to list in the Worst Department ( Shit )

Unfortunately most of the better commentators are retired or passed away.
Personally, I loved listening to Peter Wilkins & The Wok, Frank Hyde and even Zorba & Hollywood, Rex Mossop.
At least these blokes called the game like you were actually there watching it and not pushing agendas and talking shit.
Rex Mossop !!! He certainly wasn't called "the accurate one "
 

Slippery Morris

First Grade
Messages
7,470
Ray Warren is good especially his love for Nighty. You can tell he loved watching him play. My favourite quote he said once was "Jason is doing everything tonight, I wouldn't be surprised if his taking out the bins when everyone is gone as well". Something like that. Nighty was having a blinder that night and was a clear standout.
 

be55

Juniors
Messages
583
I think i would rather listen to 80 mins of two cats murdering each other than listen to Andrew Johns special comments on a rugby league broadcast.

One of the greatest players to ever play the game is one of the worst to listen to during a call.

Makes my ears bleed.....
 

redv13

Bench
Messages
2,806
I think i would rather listen to 80 mins of two cats murdering each other than listen to Andrew Johns special comments on a rugby league broadcast.

One of the greatest players to ever play the game is one of the worst to listen to during a call.

Makes my ears bleed.....
Yep listening to Freddy and Joey is like getting run over by a bus... painful!!
 

gregstar

Referee
Messages
20,302
The best co-commentator to my mind was Warren Ryan on ABC radio commentary.
The guy was awesome.

Before him Reg Gasnier on TV and then radio was pretty good as well.
 

SBD82

Coach
Messages
17,049
The best co-commentator to my mind was Warren Ryan on ABC radio commentary.
The guy was awesome.

Before him Reg Gasnier on TV and then radio was pretty good as well.
I never got to hear Gasnier, but Wok is a great call. Loved him on grandstand.
 

SBD82

Coach
Messages
17,049
Radio: Dave Morrow and Andrew Moore
TV: Vossy by a country mile.

MMM coverage is crap, too much chitter chat and not enough commentating.
TV: whole Ch 9 commentary team is useless bar Sterling, he’s an unbiased champion
I used to have a lot of time for Sterling, but the older he gets the more biased he becomes. Particularly irritating is the way that he develops crushes on certain players, eg Jackson.

I’ll give him his due, he doesn’t seem to hang shit on us the way others do. But being better than Brandy isn’t a glowing endorsement.
 

Forbes Creek Dragons

First Grade
Messages
5,078
Ray Warren is good especially his love for Nighty. You can tell he loved watching him play. My favourite quote he said once was "Jason is doing everything tonight, I wouldn't be surprised if his taking out the bins when everyone is gone as well". Something like that. Nighty was having a blinder that night and was a clear standout.
Ray Warren is a class above. Personally though I’m not one that gets too annoyed one way or another. I just watch the game, the commentary is just white noise to me, I’ve seen blokes throw things at the TV over Gus Gould but I never get that worked up.
 
Messages
15,610
A lot of good memories here.

Wilco added more atmosphere and excitement than any other caller. The wok used to be pretty honest. He was very critical though and it could get too much. Symmetry as mentioned before.

Daryl Eastlake and his origins were good.

Roy and HG can be funny ( although they are not close friends at all).

I like how Ray Warren often lets the play speak for itself and good tv callers do that. He is terrified of flying. He makes some errors though. In real life, he is supposedly very friendly to us filth.

The best expert I’ve head is bomber McRae, he did a stint at the abc radio with Morrow and he was talking a lot about player positions and telling us where he thought the next pass was going. He noticed momentum and weaknesses down edges, the impact of injuries etc. he’d even advise the coach for a kick etc. interchange stuff. He was analytic and interesting. I was devastated when he left.

No one is interested in the try, it’s the lead up we love. Scores on their own tell us very little about a match.

Being at the game with the kids wandering off and the mrs whinging about the cold, your mate swearing at the ref...is the ultimate.
 

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