The Commentators!

[Number 16]

I have Watch NRL for the games and it has the Fox commentary. And love it!

Simple question, but is the commentary for games done from the ground or from a studio in Sydney?

Does Vossy and Blocker do the distances or are they one studio down from the Video Ref? 

[Anita Bath]

Blocker might physically be at the ground but mentally he is on Mars.

[Farmduck]

7 hours ago, Number 16 said:

I have Watch NRL for the games and it has the Fox commentary. And love it!

Simple question, but is the commentary for games done from the ground or from a studio in Sydney?

Does Vossy and Blocker do the distances or are they one studio down from the Video Ref? 

Generally they go to the grounds. If you watch the full pre-game shows you see them at the grounds. Sometimes I'm not sure about the NZ games, they often used to have the SkyNZ commentary.

We can't get Watch NRL here so I don't know how much of the Fox Sports feed they take. Do they have NSW and Q Cup games? This week's game in Auckland starts a 2pm OZ time but the Fox coverage starts at 11.30am with the NSW Cup and then NRL pre-game.

[Number 16]

9 hours ago, Anita Bath said:

Blocker might physically be at the ground but mentally he is on Mars.

Yeah, back in the day he must have had plenty of undiagnosed Grade 1 head injuries!

[Number 16]

8 hours ago, Farmduck said:

Generally they go to the grounds. If you watch the full pre-game shows you see them at the grounds. Sometimes I'm not sure about the NZ games, they often used to have the SkyNZ commentary.

We can't get Watch NRL here so I don't know how much of the Fox Sports feed they take. Do they have NSW and Q Cup games? This week's game in Auckland starts a 2pm OZ time but the Fox coverage starts at 11.30am with the NSW Cup and then NRL pre-game.

WatchNRL takes the full live feed from Fox, plus archives and highlights of all the games and shows, so we get Q Cup and NSW games. The only time we don't get the same broadcast is when Fox shows SL and CC matches and it clashes with tv deals here. 

TBH, I don't watch too much of the pre-game shows as with some of them I'd need to get up before I go to bed!!!

I did wonder because the panel are locked away in a studio, whilst SL and Premier League soccer have them live from one of the days venues.

[R L Winger]

The best one in my opinion of the current crop of commentators is Fox Leagues Dan Ginnane. The worst is Andrew Voss he twitters on most of the time with utter garbage when he should be calling the game.

As a kid way back in the 1960's growing up on Sydney's Northern Beaches about the only games that were shown live on black & white TV were the odd NSWRL Sydney Competition Grand Finals, won by only 3 teams back then, 1960 to 1966 by the St George Dragons, 1967 & 1968 the South Sydney Rabbitohs & 1969 the Balmain Tigers. The rest of the season all you mainly got on TV were delayed games edited down to an hour in duration. Saturdays on ABCTV commentated by Norman May & Sundays on ATN7 commentated by Rex Mossop.

I used to go to all of Manly's home games at Brookvale oval only a suburb away from where I lived at Harbord (now Freshwater) and watched Manly Warringah Sea Eagles play just about every other team in the 12 team competition of the time or sometimes when I was lucky enough I got to go to The SCG to watch the St George Dragons play in what they called back then the Match Of The Day.

Other times I would listen to games being called on the radio on 2SM with legendary commentator Frank Hyde calling the game. All that seems like a lifetime ago to me now......But eh I got to see most of the Immortals play except for Dally Messenger, Frank Berge, Dave Brown & Clive Churchill, a bit before my time those players. The 1960's & 1970's was defiantly the golden age of Sydney Rugby League.

Edited May 24, 2023 by R L Winger

[George Watt]

19 minutes ago, R L Winger said:

The best one in my opinion of the current crop of commentators is Fox Leagues Dan Ginnane. The worst is Andrew Voss he twitters on most of the time with utter garbage when he should be calling the game.

As a kid way back in the 1960's growing up on Sydney's Northern Beaches about the only games that were shown live on black & white TV were the odd NSWRL Sydney Competition Grand Finals, won by only 3 teams back then, 1960 to 1966 by the St George Dragons, 1967 & 1968 the South Sydney Rabbitohs & 1969 the Balmain Tigers. The rest of the season all you mainly got on TV were delayed games edited down to an hour in duration. Saturdays on ABCTV commentated by Norman May & Sundays on ATN7 commentated by Rex Mossop.

I used to go to all of Manly's home games at Brookvale oval only a suburb away from where I lived at Harbord (now Freshwater) and watched Manly Warringah Sea Eagles play just about every other team in the 12 team competition of the time or sometimes when I was lucky enough I got to go to The SCG to watch the St George Dragons play in what they called back then the Match Of The Day.

Other times I would listen to games being called on the radio on 2SM with legendary commentator Frank Hyde calling the game. All that seems like a lifetime ago to me now......But eh I got to see most of the Immortals play except for Dally Messenger, Frank Berge, Dave Brown & Clive Churchill, a bit before my time those players. The 1960's & 1970's was defiantly the golden age of Sydney Rugby League.

Lucky enough to see Clive Chuchill play for Aus against Hull at the Boulevard back in 1948 when I was 10 years old.

Hull put out an iconic souvenir programme for the match which on the folding front cover had the Kangaroos colours featuring the Sydney Harbour bridge. Had it for over 50 years before losing it in our last house move in 2000.

Think you mean Frank Burge as another immortal.

Back on topic my preference as commentator is Warren Smith then  Dan Ginnane followed by Vossy(agree with your comments on him).

[StandOffHalf]

I have to admit to finding Warren Smith incredibly droning and monotonous as a commentator.

I like Vossy's fun - I think he's better when he goes overboard! - and I also like Matty Russell, who I find fun and pleasant to listen to. Ginnane is OK.