Journalists/Commentors with credibility?

[Pedge1971]

Buzz
Bulldog Ritchie
Creepy Crawley
Danny Weidler
Massoud

In no particular order. All teriffic blokes and masters of their craft.

 

[taipan]

Channel 10 had the good sense to punt Rabs and have Hughes as thier head caller. His calls of the early 90s finals on youtube are quality.

Why can't Nein punt Rabs he's due for the stud farm, and use Hughes instead.
I fear if Hughes and Buzz continue to verbally attack each other on Controversy Cnr on Fox,Buzz will end up with one hell of a walloping.

 

[Rhino_NQ]

Why can't Nein punt Rabs he's due for the stud farm, and use Hughes instead.
I fear if Hughes and Buzz continue to verbally attack each other on Controversy Cnr on Fox,Buzz will end up with one hell of a walloping.

Is it me or would giving buzz a beatdown, once you your fist cocked and ready to pull the trigger it would feel like your about to hit a special needs kid?

 

[big hit!]

This thread seems to be mainly about journos and play-by-play guys.

How about ex-players? JT is currently raw, I'd even say a bit shy in his commentary with C9, but what I like about him is that he actually talks tactics in coaching terms. He does it so much that Joey pulled him up the other week on the post-game show. JT was referring to the "4-man" - the 4th guy in on the edge of defence, so basically your backrower which the attacking half attempts to bait in good ball - and Joey pipes in with "the audience aren't going to understand that". Well, f**king help the audience to understand it! JT will also reference "good ball, get to gold," etc, all these terms that coaches will use in preparation which I reckon is great for analysis.

We really get some dumbbed down analysis in rugby league which is a shame. Only Gould will come close to opening up, but he's more concerned with 'trying' to be funny half the time. Compare it to commentary in soccer or american football, we get very little insight into tactics in the same way it's presented in the inner sanctum.

the rest of the media? mostly concerned with salacious side stories

 

[LeagueXIII]

I've heard Ryan Girdler talk tactics he is very articulate.

 

[Travitoh]

When he's not playing the clown, i like Brett Finch's comments. He's a smarter bloke than he lets on.

 

[Brutus]

Less Rothfield more Voss.

 

[Qapm]

Anyone with the gonads to call Paul McGregor on his years long odessy of excuse making and blame shifting.

 

[mongoose]

Neil Breen has lots of credibility, he also makes interesting films:

 

[Captain Apollo]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Roy and HG. Yes they may have done it as a piss take but they can do quite good analysis of the game between the clowning around.

 

[PARRA_FAN]

Vossy. Never get sick of watching The Fan, a lot of the stuff from the golden years, talks about the most interesting stats in League and the most unusual. Those interviews on the fold out chair are great. He never says a bad word about the game.

Mascord is similar, him and Vossy are quite passionate about the International game.

Mascord would talk about an interesting game he covered say Ukraine Vs Norway and unfortunately would be mocked by some people in the media.

Its good to know we have some people in the media spreading the game world wide.

Also I like listening to ABC, Andrew Moore and Matthew Elliot, good in depth radio commentary

 

[YoHadrian]

Buzz
Bulldog Ritchie
Creepy Crawley
Danny Weidler
Massoud

In no particular order. All teriffic blokes and masters of their craft.

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

I truly think there is a big difference between a journo and a commentator. Or at least there used to be. Both have to be highly knowledgeable and credible of course.

The Commentator calls the action of a game and adds to the theatre of what you're seeing on the TV or hearing through the radio waves. They call the here and now, with both insight and adding to the emotion of the game.

The Journo writes narrative of the match and current affairs of the sport. The backstories, the scoops, the controversies, opinion pieces. They will express their views unashamedly for you to agree/disagree in the pubs with your mates to argue.

For mine....

Credible Commentators. Andrew Voss, Ray Warren, Peter Sterling, Andrew Moore, Andy Raymond, Michael Ennis, There are many other good "presenters" but not commentators as such, eg Lara Pitt.

Credible Journos. Andrew Webster, Neil Breen, Barry Toohey spring to mind.

I personally can't stand when commentators turn journo's throughout the call in a contest to be "outraged" at refereeing decisions. Happens so much these days and it's the biggest turn-off to watching modern day NRL for mine. Anasta & Johns are the worst here. Many others aren't far behind.

The only bloke who I think has/can transcend the boundaries between the two is Phil Gould. Although lately in commentary he's erred towards being the journo too much.

A divisive guy is Paul Kent, I gotta say I really like him on the Matty Johns Podcast and Triple M's NRL when I've listened. But then when he gets on NRL360 all of a sudden the voice goes up 3 octaves and everything that seemingly happens in the NRL is a farce.

 

[TonyT6]

Erin Molan is WSFM’s league “expert” & has numerous gigs in the industry.

Her summary today of the TItans vs Dragons game was:

“The Titans have a great roster and should be higher on the ladder”.
“The Dragons players will want to owe it to Mary so I am tipping them”.

FMD that is laughable analysis.

 

[madunit]

Anyone with the gonads to call Paul McGregor on his years long odessy of excuse making and blame shifting.

Puts up hand.

You're welcome

 

[taipan]

The biggest issue with 9's commentary ,is the complete lack of enthusiasm or vigour in calling the games.You could get an Iranian drone with more exciting impact.
Voss has that in spades.
Throw in the negativity that emanates from Gus's throat time after time, you're left feeling at the end of the game, you've just had root canal therapy at your local dentist.Swearing ,I'm not gonna take this sh*t anymore.

 

[madunit]

The biggest issue with 9's commentary ,is the complete lack of enthusiasm or vigour in calling the games.You could get an Iranian drone with more exciting impact.
Voss has that in spades.
Throw in the negativity that emanates from Gus's throat time after time, you're left feeling at the end of the game, you've just had root canal therapy at your local dentist.Swearing ,I'm not gonna take this sh*t anymore.

This is spot on. Lots of old men whinging all the time and not one of the younger brigade having an ounce of balls to dare argue with them or question the comments by the dinosaurs.

 

[no name]

This is spot on. Lots of old men whinging all the time and not one of the younger brigade having an ounce of balls to dare argue with them or question the comments by the dinosaurs.

Look what happened when Vossy piped up.
He wasn’t even really having a go at anyone beside the sculptor and still got rissoled.

 

[madunit]

Look what happened when Vossy piped up.
He wasn’t even really having a go at anyone beside the sculptor and still got rissoled.

He's still got a gig though...

 

[ram raid]

Commentators and journalists are different professions ... Vossy wins all day every day as a commentator but his journalism is pretty superficial .. I estimate he dictates to his phone while commuting and forwards it to his editor. Giddy up!

As for Journalists .. they're all compromised, to one degree or another. Any of the guys working in big media have editors and guidelines.

Bloggers like Steve Mascord can write interesting thinkpieces over at The Roar because they don't have bosses. Their output is more organic, but they don't have the contacts that the guys working in MSM do.