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There have been two very significant changes to key Fox and Channel Nine personnel since last NRL season – Yvonne Sampson and James Bracey.
Fox pinched Sampson from Nine, Nine retaliated by pinching Bracey from Sky.
Fox, who have bolstered their league coverage with the addition of a dedicated NRL channel, got by far the better deal with Sampson outstanding, the first woman to host a State of Origin rugby league series in 30 years.
Sampson did a superb job, handling the highly experienced panel of Peter Sterling, Wally Lewis, Darren Lockyer, Paul Vautin, and Andrew Johns.
The Sampson secret?
She pays her interviewees the respect of listening to their answers which has become a lost art, especially among political interviewers who have made interrupting endemic.
By listening, Sampson invariably has the next question, making the interview flow smoothly.
Bracey is an interrupter, and in addition is making the same mistake on Nine he made on Sky, trying to fit 100 words into the space that only has room for a maximum 50.
Besides, Sampson will team up with kindred spirit Matty Johns, which will be a huge plus for Fox.
There was another switch possibility in the wind involving pinching Andrew Johns from Nine to team up with his younger brother.
Thankfully for Fox, rugby league, and especially Matty, the move fell through.
Matty is a quality professional on rugby league with an infectious laugh and a sharp sense of humour.
Andrew was the better footballer of the two, but for television, he’s dull and boring with precious few communications skills.
Fox keeps winning for 2017.
The next best pros are Ray Warren and Peter Sterling.
Warren is still the king of callers in his 50th year, which may – repeat may – be his swansong. Filling his shoes will be an awesome task.
Sterling is an excellent week by week game proposition as an on-air expert, but hosting “Sterlo” mid-week is where the champion former halfback excels.
His one-on-one interviews with household names of the past are compulsory viewing.
Like Sampson, Sterling listens to answers, and the result is obvious.
Others on the top shelf of rugby league commentators are Greg Alexander and Mark Gasnier, both on Fox, and they get better every season with their expert analysis before, during, or post game.
Brad Fittler is there as well in a different role, mainly on touch with quality comments, or interviews during or post game as another who listens to answers.
The callers, apart from Warren, are led by Fox’s Andrew Voss who was pushed by Nine three years ago. He would have been the automatic replacement for Warren when the maestro calls it a day.
The other callers, Warren Smith, Ray Hadley, and newcomer Mathew Thompson, who started with Sky in racing, do a top job.
Hadley has often been criticised for calling a television game like radio. But when he’s been the top caller on radio for 30 years, it’s easy to see why old habits are hard to change.
The next shelf is led by Wally Lewis, Darren Lockyer, Phil Gould, Gorden Tallis, and Gary Belcher with the ladies doing an excellent job through Erin Molan, Lara Pitt, Danika Mason, and Megan Barnard, who has blossomed since she left Sky for Fox.
Nathan Hindmarsh and Bryan Fletcher would be included in that group if they stuck to genuine comments, using their vast experience.
But when they turn into a two-way comedy act, they earn zero points out of ten.
The three who need to lift their game are Matt Shirvington, Braith Anasta, and Matt Russell. All three look like rabbits in the headlights at times while those around them are so at ease.
I’ve left ‘NRL 360’ on Fox until last as the show to rival Matty Johns and Yvonne Sampson.
Hosted by Ben Ikin and Paul Kent, their concept is great, providing Ikin and Kent don’t get too involved with hard to follow stats and unimportant matters.
Last year on three successive nights, they had as guests retired Geoff Toovey and Billy Moore, current players Michael Ennis and Benji Marshall, and Origin coaches Laurie Daly and Kevin Walters – brilliant.
If they do the same this season in longer segments, and if Ikin and Kent don’t interrupt too much, NRL 365 will be a ratings winner with the Matty Johns-Yvonne Sampson show.
Which will simply prove Fox has the wood on Nine when it comes to rugby league coverage in 2017.