Rugby league is a fast-moving game that produces a kind of passion among its fans that few other sports can replicate.
To bring this excitement to the radio listener and to enhance the pictures for the television audience rugby league needs a commentator who can bring out what they see on the field.
Ray Warren is the doyen of world rugby league commentary. After being sacked by Channel Ten in 1986 he reinvented himself on the Channel Nine coverage of the game and is still going strong into his 70s. Rabs is the standard all others try to emulate.
(AAP Image/Jason McCormack)
Rex Mossop took over at Channel Ten when Ray Warren left but had a rich heritage with Channel Seven before that. With pipe in hand he was the master of the tautology. You either loved or hated Rex, but the Manly great could not be ignored.
Frank Hyde famously broadcast from the sidelines in the old days with sidekick Col Pearce. A North Sydney premiership winner, Frank was a standard all others in radio looked up to.
Ray Hadley has used the sideline card table gimmick when calling games from the underused SCG for effect. Hadley started the famous Continuous Call Team in 1986 with Ray Price and later John Gibbs but fell out with both. A decorated caller of most sports, Ray Hadley had success at 2UE and effortlessly transformed that when he went to 2GB. So good was the show that they constantly won the radio ratings even when they didn’t have the rights to call the game.
Peter Peters and Greg Hartley were the kings of radio rugby league calling pre-Hadley, starting on 2UE. Full of bluster, the former Manly forward and the referee were highly entertaining and had a very loyal audience.
Ray French is an icon of rugby league broadcasting. The BBC legend played 330 games and represented Great Britain in rugby league and rugby union. A talented broadcaster on both radio and television, he retired in 2019.
Eddie Hemming was a long-time Sky Sports commentator in the English Super League. The pay-TV broadcaster had a long-time partnership with Mike Stephenson, who spent the off-seasons in Australia, where he had a stint as a player.
Tiger Black was in the Frank Hyde mould but played only two games for St George. A rival to Hyde on Sydney stations 2UW, 2UE and later 2KY, Black was one of the great callers in the 1950s and 60s.
Darrell Eastlake was the voice of State of Origin in the 1980s. Also know for his excitable weightlifting calls, Eastlake had a memorable calling partnership with the super coach Jack Gibson.
Steve
Guest
Bit late here but why did they shaft Hammo? And whatever happened to Richard Svenson?
SydGeoff
Roar Rookie
I grew up in that same era and Lovejoy was the best. Once the footy came on TV, I really liked George Doniger who I think was on Channel 0 (now 10) and loved his call when a player was flattened in a high tackle...."How's the head Fred?"
SydGeoff
Roar Rookie
Kerry Cooper I think.
MudgeeBulldog
Guest
Is he related to the NSW Cup caller Curtis Woodward? I have heard him a couple of times last few years and he goes good.
Mark Scarfe
Roar Guru
Thats how I remember them.
Stevo
Guest
Your 100% right. Tiger was at 2KY when he retired. I didn't consider him a great caller and rarely listened to him, as unlike Hyde he could not hide his bias when he called St George games.
GWSingapore
Roar Rookie
Tiger Black was on 2KY. When he retired 2KY expanded their racing service to Saturdays. Frank Hyde was on 2SM and Col Pearce on 2UE. However, after Frank Hyde retired from 2SM, he did work with Col Pearce on 2UE fora couple of seasons.
Steve Franklin
Roar Rookie
I think Andrew Voss is the best at the moment and the worst by a long way and always was the worst is Ray Warren. I think all the older commentators like Mossop, Hyde etc etc were far better than anything of today.
Cam Stokes
Roar Pro
Dan Ginnane should be the next voice of rugby league...
Stevo
Guest
Col Pearce was never Frank Hyde's sidekick. Hyde was on 2SM, while Pearce replaced Tiger Black on 2UE. Frank also won a premiership with Balmain in 1939.
Timmypig
Roar Rookie
1.5m it says a lot about the quality of the TV commentators we've been stuck with that 2 blokes on 2JJJ pulling the p1ss are more informative than the so-called experts....
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
True.
Nic Testoni
Guest
1989... Warren Boland commentating on ABC TV with Peter Jackson (RIP) Boland: “... and he’s (tackled) just six inches short” Jackson: “story of your life” ????
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
For me, Andrew Voss is the best. I remember him calling the Arrive Alive Cup back in the day and his quirky nature makes it a joy to watch games. Sterlo is the best when it comes to analysis. Rabs has been in decline for 10 years. The game has passed him and he has struggled to maintain a once high standard
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
I was going to suggest Jack Newton. No offence intended. I can recall a Wests player years ago with one arm. Can anybody remember who he was?
JGK
Roar Guru
Boland used to do the Saturday Sydney premiership games on the ABC TV as well in the late 80s. He might have even done it with Morrow.
JGK
Roar Guru
Not if you were a nudist!
matth
Roar Guru
Yep it was the same guy. He moved north in retirement and commentated the local Brisbane Rugby League for the ABC. And it was John ‘Dallas’ Donnelly.
Mark Scarfe
Roar Guru
What ever happened to peter Wilkins. I knew he left the ABC to go to 2GB, then what?
Mark Scarfe
Roar Guru
Great stuff. Thanks for the insight.