Almanac Footy: Bemoaning Today’s AFL Commentary
Being a St Kilda FC tragic, I recently received a You Tube video of the Team of the 70’s.
It was, for this 60 year old, a trip into a childhood that was simple, uncluttered and full of passion for the game of Aussie Rules.
70’s Sunday nights in WA during winter meant only one thing, The Winners on the ABC.
Although the WAFL was strong in those days with good crowds, the sight and magnitude of the Victorian crowds would blow my younger brother and I away.
The football was physical, players threw themselves in recklessly and there were a few stark differences regarding footy in those days versus today.
- The grounds were soft and in the case of grounds like Moorabbin, there was barely a blade of grass. Almost all of them had cricket pitches which transformed the entire area inside the 50m square into chocolate ice cream in winter.
- Playing on surfaces such as these required a different level of skill to the players of today who play on pristine grounds. You inadvertently acquired a strong core during training in order to stay balanced then drag your feet out of the mud to deliver the footy.
- The ball became heavy very quickly on a wet day without the luxury of rotating ten Sherrins a game these days. The only benefit of the conditions was that the ball would stick to your hands easier due to the sand, as opposed to the cake of soap players put up with today.
- The players were part time in the 70’s. They trained a minimum three nights a week plus Sunday mornings recovery for little money compared to today. Can you believe Michael Tuck played 426 games plus 70 odd reserves games whilst working as a plumber?
- Today’s game relies heavily on powerful interval running and contested ball. No set positions and masses of players running back and forth, requires players who can win the ball in close and get it out to whatever space they can find. Footy up until the 2000’s was very much one on one.
If you look at the attached video, even if you’re not a Saints supporter, you’ll notice what I feel is the biggest difference in today’s footy culture….the commentary.
The Winners was hosted by Drew Morphett who was a fine commentator in his own right but it was the two Doug’s, Bigalow and Heywood who were pure, authentic, passionate and minimalist in their art. They respected the viewer and understood us as football lovers.
No irrational histrionics, name dropping, boys club antics, sponsorship mentions and heaven forbid they didn’t go roaming around changerooms after a game.
There were no ‘in’ jokes in those days. The first 30 minutes of the Sunday Footy Show on channel 9, is dedicated to ‘piss taking’ and focussing on which coach is the next to be sacked.
It’s all about click bait and audio grabs now. The actual game is an afterthought. The past players that are constantly employed to deliver us the stream of negativity, think that justifying their knowledge through spewing out endless statistics will impress us.
When I hear the commentary of today especially on Channel 7, I can’t help but think of Basil Fawlty and his Mastermind shot fired at his wife Sybil, “special subject, The Bleeding Obvious”. I’d listen to the radio with the TV sound down but it’s on delay. I just mute now.
Please remove the self-interest and the gambling ads and just let us enjoy the game.
Oh how I would love to hear the dulcet tones of Lou Richards, Jack Dyer, Peter Landy or Mike Williamson again. No nonsense, just comforting and fun, the way the game should be.
As one of these great men would say, “You can put down your glasses, there’s no two ways about it.”
Finally, this video contains some brilliant footage. They may not have been the athletes of today but the expectations were vastly different. They played the entire game unless they were injured or dragged and had two on the bench. The footage captured here of Trevor Barker is priceless to a Saints fan.
More from Ian Wilson can be read Here.
To return to the www.footyalmanac.com.au home page click HERE
Our writers are independent contributors. The opinions expressed in their articles are their own. They are not the views, nor do they reflect the views, of Malarkey Publications.
Do you enjoy the Almanac concept?
And want to ensure it continues in its current form, and better? To help keep things ticking over please consider making your own contribution.
Become an Almanac (annual) member – CLICK HERE
About Ian Wilson
Former army aircraft mechanic, sales manager, VFA footballer and coach. Now mental health worker and blogger. Lifelong St Kilda FC tragic and father to 2 x girls.
- Web |
- More Posts
Couldn’t agree more Ian . The last bastion of good commentary died when Dennis Cometti put down his binoculars and left a declining Bruce to the mercy of BT , Brayshaw etc
thanks Hayden much appreciated
I think we overthink how good the commentary was in those days. Mike Williamson was deemed not good enough to partner Lou Richards in 1977 and was replaced by Peter Ewin, whose voice was so irritating that he was replaced by Peter Landy a year later. Landy and Richards fanboy keenness for Hawthorn and Collingwood irritated neutral observers for years. On commercial radio it was worse, with infamous fanboys Jack Dyer, Ted Whitten and Tim Lane.
Then there was the TV commentary wars of 1987 to 88. We lost World of Sport when channel 7 lost the TV rights. Lou went to channel 9 for more money. Drew Morphett and Dennis Cometti joined channel 7 from the ABC.
Meanwhile, in the middle of this chaos, South Australia was plotting a terrible revenge against all Victorians who slighted them. In the 1983 SANFL grand final, who was that strange little man with a peculiar obsession with Jackie Love. We were soon to find out to our horror, who else but Bruce…
Ian couldn’t agree more the quality of commentary now is horrendous in general both male and female
Thanks George and Malcolm. The benchmark for me especially growing up with The Winners were the two Dougs. I had no awareness of who barracked for whom other than Lou of course. Bruce became excruciating in his last years particularly after Dennis left. His descriptions were borderline homo-erotic! Having said that he is incomparable when it comes to athletics.
Surely the TV commentators shouldn’t overstate the bleedingly obvious, let alone raise their voices, indulging in hysterics.
I grew up on Lou Richards, Bob Davis, Jack Dyer, Jim Cleary, etc , feeling quite spoiled by them. Of course we had Drew Morphett, Doug Bigelow, Jeff Leek, etc on other channels. I don’t recall too many raised voices being a way of communicating.
I mentioned in the start commentators shouldn’t overstate the bleedingly obvious. In a different sporting field Richie Benaud was superb. Why scream your comments, why use 100+ words,when 20 will suffice. A lot of modern footy commentators could well take a page from Richie’s book of commentating.
Glen!
Et tu brute
At laast Ian Wilson has opened up wide the can of worms that us “old farts” detest. The commentary of both major sports AFL football and cricket on TV and radio.
Ian, you so succinctly put it and if only (a) cricket commentators could be like Richie Benaud but that is asking the impossible and (b) the football commentators stopped talking about themselves or worse still showing vision of themselves and then talking.
Paint the picture (on radio)and leave it to our imaginationand on TV just shut up or as I do never have the sound on. This even comes to the interviews which one nearly knows what the questions and answers will be.
I certainly agree with GLEN about the commentary of the late, great Richie Benaud. I find the AFL commentary from some, especially Kerri Underwood, who insists on giving a player’s life history instead of just calling the action, quite irritating. I have the perfect solution, I just remove my hearing aids – it works well.
thanks heaps gents. Glad to hear from some equally frustrated brethren out there! You’re so spot on with Richie. He was the classic minimalist we crave now. The other one who is a golden tonsil is Martin Tyler. I rarely watch soccer these days but whenever the World Cup is on his voice is like an old friend’s. Cheers
Ian,
You had to get me stated, didn’t you? Haha.
Anyone who follows me on Twitter knows that footy commentary is a massive bugbear of mine. Our game is more poorly served by its match-callers and analysts than any sport in the world. It is sad.
From BT’s blustering nonsense, to Brayshaw’s “in good shape” boys’ club stuff it is simply a disgrace. And I hope that whoever hired Luke Darcy is now unemployed.
https://www.footyalmanac.com.au/scg-test-australia-v-india-day-two-good-blokes/
And along similar lines, here is a piece from many years ago.
The commentary box is an exclusive club into which you nor I will ever be invited.
Cheers
Oooh, this has been a controversial talking point in my household lately too. My husband was bemoaning where Dennis was when we need him!!
Thanks Smoke. Perhaps we should catch up and have a rant off! They all drive me nuts. Love your article. Despite what they say, you’re a good bloke. :)
Thanks Nicole. Loved your post also. My partner Lynda has just written book on teaching which has just been through the editing stage so perhaps she could send you a copy when it’s done? Its called ‘Other People’s Children’ Cheers
I’m going to be an outlier here: I love it when Brayshaw and Luke Darcy commentate – for me they inject enthusiasm & excitement into the contest – a bit like those old WWE broadcasts – I get caught up in it. And I like Richo too. Personally, I think Anthony Hudson is the best going around. But I suspect we all have different opinions on these matters. Not sure about some of the new special comment guys though – I don’t think Watson and Burgoyne have the right voice for their roles – not questioning their knowledge of the game though.
The most irritating commentator I’ve heard of late is Matthew Hayden – he just doesn’t shut up. He did the ICC final, but thank goodness is not doing the Ashes.
Thanks Ian and as a fellow West Australian of similar age, The Winners along with Countdown was much watch Sunday evening telly and religiously discussed at school the next day.
Not sure I agree with the things were better in the good old days argument but certainly agree that the current crop of Ch 7 footy commentators are mostly shit. Especially the roaming buffoon and Brayshaw. Agree with a lot of what has been said by you and fellow almanacers and I’ll add an especially mind-bending numbskull part of their commentary. That is, when someone is going for goal from a mark, free kick or great run. We can see the ball travel and mostly already know its direction but mouth-breathers like Brayshaw try to pump up the chance it’ll be a goal and probably the BEST GOAL EVER!!!!!! Even as we can see where the ball is heading, where the umpire is standing and the immediate reaction of fans behind the goal line. That unnecessary over the top commentary really gets my goat.
On a lighter note, you may recall the furor when Dennis Cometti left the ABC for commercial telly. In WA everyone had a view, which went from he’s a sell-out to much, much worse. At that time, he wrote an essay for The West Australian or Sunday Times to explain his decision. It was clear, considered, deeply personal and very witty. Much like his commentary. More than that, he quoted Jimmy Buffett’s song A Pirate Looks at 40 and in doing so, he was a legend forever.
Cheers
We’ll agree to disagree DB but I do agree with you about M Hayden. He suffers from what most of the others do, the constant need to ‘fill’ and ‘pad’. Just let the optics do the talking. Yes Rick The Winners and Countdown were mandatory growing up in WA on a Sunday night. I remember seeing Dennis playing as captain/coach of Maddington at my local Medina Oval! He was always a deep thinker and loved independent music and community radio. He’s definitely missed. Thanks heaps gents.