Former League Commentators

[undertaker]

Surely 9 have a plan to throw some big $$'s at Warren Smith or get Vossy back once Rabs is gone. Matt Thompson can't be their long term as primary match caller... They need some personality in their broadcast, Thompson doesn't have it...

My first memory of Matt Thompson was him doing betting odd announcements for Betfair during the cricket coverage about a decade or so ago. It's all been downhill since.

 

[Lemon Squash]

I hope matt thompson gets canned soon. Really grating voice and tone plus he has an obvious QLD bias

Matt Thompson is from Penrith

You are probably getting mixed up with Peter Psaltis, he’s been calling plenty of QLD games for 9... sounds eerily similar to Thompson though

 

[Headless Chook]

Blocker could learn a lot in how to do the sideline stuff by listening to the great Barry Ross.

 

[THE CHAMP]

Matt Thompson is from Penrith

You are probably getting mixed up with Peter Psaltis, he’s been calling plenty of QLD games for 9... sounds eerily similar to Thompson though

Salty is shitloads better than Thompson

 

[LeagueXIII]

Is Thurston the most boring monotone commentator on TV at the moment?

What’s with these Queenslanders, Thurston,Hodges,Walters,Parker, do they think viewers want to be spoken to like kindergarten kids?

Get rid of the ex players unless they are articulate.

 

[Brutus]

Blocker could learn a lot in how to do the sideline stuff by listening to the great Barry Ross.

Barry liked union better than league.

 

[Brutus]

Salty is shitloads better than Thompson

Agree

 

[THE CHAMP]

Agree

Salty loves the game.
I’m sure he’s capable of being even better than he is now but has to obey his employers requirements.
He was great calling the qld cup.
He’s on the radio tab sports show every morning in Brisbane

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

Big Darrell Eastlake is far and away my favourite ex-commentator. May he Rest In Peace.

One of his requests was to be buried in his Ferrari. Highly impractical and so my Sisters’ business was asked to do livery on his casket - a bright red Ferrari design. With a number plate - HUUUGE. Absolute gold.

Always a tough act for new commentators to make their mark in the gig, no matter what era. And easy to criticise them. I remember when Voss started out and he was hardly a fan favourite. But the current breed of 9 commentators, and a few Fox, just ooze vanilla to me.

 

[Headless Chook]

Is Thurston the most boring monotone commentator on TV at the moment?

What’s with these Queenslanders, Thurston,Hodges,Walters,Parker, do they think viewers want to be spoken to like kindergarten kids?

It’s like they’re all on JobKeeper and through no fault of their own, (at least in their own eyes) now that they don’t have a job they expect to get looked after for life.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Billy J Smith died last year

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

Wonder what Bill Anderson is up to these days? Still with us?

And another who comes to mind is Ian Maurice - the bear.

 

[WillKavFromMelbourne]

Wonder what Bill Anderson is up to these days? Still with us?

And another who comes to mind is Ian Maurice - the bear.

I think they’re both still alive.

 

[roofromoz]

Bill Anderson is working for Randy Petes in Sydney grade cricket

https://www.randwickpetershamcricket.com.au/club/gallery/committee-members/

 

[Perth Red]

Has there ever been anything more cringe worthy that having to watch the nsw coach whoring for betting companies on every fox show?

 

[davi]

Mark Geyer and Ben Ikin calling Raiders v Panthers on Nine when Vossy fell ill... I'm sure that happened.

It did happen, but I'm pretty certain it was Mark Geyer and Matthew Johns. I remember them talking about it on the now axed show The Sunday Roast. I remember Ben Ikin on Nine as a panelist (The Sunday Footy show etc), but I don't remember him ever working there as a commentator.

The Sunday Roast was an awesome show. And it was so much better when they had an hour of The Sunday Footy show and then an hour of The Sunday Roast. Apparently Nine decided to scrap the show when Andrew Voss departed Nine which led them to incorporate the show into The Sunday Footy Show as a shorter segment rather than airing it as a separate show. They eventually axed the segment completely.

I agree with the sentiment I wish Andrew Voss was back at Nine. Apparently Voss and Nine didn't leave on the best terms so it may not ever happen.

 

[The Mad Hatter]

I can't see Voss ever back at Nine.

Would take a wholesale clean out and a shedload of dollars.

 

[Perth Red]

It did happen, but I'm pretty certain it was Mark Geyer and Matthew Johns. I remember them talking about it on the now axed show The Sunday Roast. I remember Ben Ikin on Nine as a panelist (The Sunday Footy show etc), but I don't remember him ever working there as a commentator.

The Sunday Roast was an awesome show. And it was so much better when they had an hour of The Sunday Footy show and then an hour of The Sunday Roast. Apparently Nine decided to scrap the show when Andrew Voss departed Nine which led them to incorporate the show into The Sunday Footy Show as a shorter segment rather than airing it as a separate show. They eventually axed the segment completely.

I agree with the sentiment I wish Andrew Voss was back at Nine. Apparently Voss and Nine didn't leave on the best terms so it may not ever happen.

The Sunday Roast was like NRL360 but one thousand times better! Who wants to watch News Ltd scummy Journos arguing with each other and Ikin as ref in the middle?

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

The Sunday Roast was like NRL360 but one thousand times better! Who wants to watch News Ltd scummy Journos arguing with each other and Ikin as ref in the middle?

The Sunday Roast was awesome, I also loved Boots n All. And check out the intro below...

The former was an informative but genuinely funny show - a reason to stay in on a sunny Sunday and/or navigate your way through a hangover from a monster Saturday night. Boots n all was pretty much an original version of The Fan but with Gus involved.

Best two shows on League IMO. I’d now include the MJ podcast in that category now.

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

Apparently Voss and Nine didn't leave on the best terms so it may not ever happen.

Indeed it was volatile. Stemming from comments Voss had made about the Ray Warren statue which Ray Hadley went beserk about. Don’t think Warren had any issue...

Hadley n Voss both were at 9 at the time and Voss was finished up.

And well before that, Hadley and Voss had worked together in radio (think 2ue?) and Hadley had an issue with him back then also, can’t recall what.

Now both are gone from 9 and I think there’s more chance of Freddie Mercury joining the 9 commentary team than either of these two. And he’s been dead for decades.