Mathew Thompson debuts as Origin commentator following in Ray Warren's footsteps

Mathew Thompson said he was “ready to rumble” before State of Origin kicked off in 2022 after he was handed commentary duties in place of idol Ray Warren in the Channel 9 hot seat.

Thompson is the play-by-play caller for Nine after Warren announced his retirement, ending a record-breaking streak of commentating on 99 consecutive Origins.

The 40-year-old posted on Twitter that he was “ready to rumble” and also paid tribute to Warren, describing him as “a wonderful man, mentor and colleague”.

“Rabs, you’re the best there’s been. I wouldn’t have pursued my dream of sports broadcasting were it not for you. You’ve inspired many and entertained all.”

Thompson has been Nine’s main commentator all season after Warren took a leave of absence while he tossed an turned over whether he should continue behind the microphone.

The 78-year-old NRL Hall of Fame inductee has not called a match since Penrith’s win over South Sydney in last year’s grand final at Suncorp Stadium.

Thompson has built a reputation as an understated caller alongside the sport’s legends who also commentate for Nine like Andrew Johns, Billy Slater, Brad Fittler, Cameron Smith and Phil Gould.

He made headlines for the wrong reasons in 2017 when he crashed his car near a childcare centre and witnesses claimed he fled the scene, which he denied at the time.

It will be the first time in 34 years that Warren will spend Wednesday night’s State of Origin talking at his television, rather than to millions of fans.

For almost every rugby league supporter, the game’s showpiece will have an undeniably different soundtrack.

Warren has called all 99 games since 1989, be it in combination with Darrell Eastlake for his first few years or as the sole play-by-play caller ever since.

Warren has even surprised himself at how comfortable he has become watching from the couch this year.

“I sit there talking to the television,” Warren told AAP. “I will sit here and say: ‘God that has gone forward by a mile, c’mon’.  

“Saying, ‘sir he’s offside, please’. Or ‘why did you pass, you had a two-man overlap on the outside’. I’m just like every other viewer, sitting here on my own talking to myself now.”

Set to turn 79 on Saturday, the veteran caller has long spoken about his desire not to go on too long and ruin his legacy. But still, there remains a tinge of sadness.

It is not lost on Warren he has been commentating on sport since age seven, when he began rolling marbles down a hill and imitating race caller Ken Howard as his family bet on races.

“For 72 years I have either pretended to be a sports commentator, practised to be a sports commentator or been a sports commentator,” Warren said. “It has actually been all my life.”

Warren’s treasured Origin memories are vast. The Mark Coyne ‘miracle’ try in 1994 remains his favourite moment, with Billy Slater’s 2004 effort a close second.

Ray Warren.

Thanks to COVID-19 Warren finished his career calling from a studio, stuck in NSW for last year’s Origins and grand final.

Even that presented the biggest challenges of his career, having always had the mantra his call should rise and fall with a crowd that was then non-existent.

“That was a scary ending,” Warren said. “I got through all three Origins in Queensland last year. And then the grand final. And that was a full stop. I thought ‘what else is there for me to do’?”

Some would argue Origin No.100 would have been a fair goal. But for the man affectionately known as Rabs there was no temptation. Warren’s retirement marks the end of an era in Australian sports broadcasting. Bruce McAvaney no longer calls the AFL, Richie Benaud is missed in cricket, and now rugby league has lost its voice.

At times in the past week, Warren has even become teary in reflection, particularly when asked by one radio host if his parents would have been proud. “They had this kid at home rolling marbles down the slope trying to sound like Ken Howard,” Warren said. “They probably used to go to bed thinking ‘there is something wrong with this kid’. 

“So at the end of the day they would be pretty happy with what we’ve done.”