Football Commentators

[westbulldog]

My two bob's worth is : Basil-everywhere is a motor mouth, Cometti was far more insightful. Dwayne is the pits. Brad Hardy is very good with special comments. McAvaney just gushes all game long. I thought Doug Heywood, (anyone remember "The Winners" ? which was for me compulsory viewing) and Don Hyde were masterly commentators in their day. Smoky Dawson was also entertaining to listen to. The doyen of commentators in any sport imo is Phil Liggett who covered the Tour de France.

[craigsahibee]

My two bob's worth is : Basil-everywhere is a motor mouth, Cometti was far more insightful. Dwayne is the pits. Brad Hardy is very good with special comments. McAvaney just gushes all game long. I thought Doug Heywood, (anyone remember "The Winners" ? which was for me compulsory viewing) and Don Hyde were masterly commentators in their day. Smoky Dawson was also entertaining to listen to. The doyen of commentators in any sport imo is Phil Liggett who covered the Tour de France.

Doug Heywood was great. He would only use 6 words when 6 words was enough to describe what was happening.

Showing my age here but I used to like Jack Edwards too.

[AshMac]

The second they moved away from pure commentators and toward ex-footy players commentary went down the loo

[bornadog]

Doug Heywood was great. He would only use 6 words when 6 words was enough to describe what was happening.

Showing my age here but I used to like Jack Edwards too.

That is the way you commentate on TV, or should commentate. The special comments should be insightful and tell us what is happening off camera, like an injury report, or a tactical move.

[merantau]

Doug Heywood was excellent. Great voice, great insight. Great tennis commentator too. And that's difficult to do on radio.
Anyone remember Craig Kelly on Channel 10doing the VFA? I once heard him say: "Both teams have been playing for 10 minutes in the last quarter." Which, I thought was eminently fair. I used to like Peter McKenna (TV) and Phil Gibbs from 3DB??? Jack Dyer was unique and loveable. If Tommy Layoff hadn't have been born, someone would have had to invent him as he added so much richness to life.
Cannot abide Bwuce in any way shape or form.
In defence of BT, I thought his call of the 2016 Prelim was sensational. I think he must have wagered 10K on us.

[merantau]

I liked "Bones" Edwards too. And Chicken Smallhorn was all class. Used words sparingly and his analysis of the game was spot on.
Jim Cleary (VFA) on World of Sport was once accused by Lou Richards of "never having seen a bad game of football."
Harry Sullivan had a dry wit. When Polly Farmer's crook knee had been all the news for a couple of weeks Harry began his post match summary of a Geelong game with: "Polly Farmer sneezed this morning at 8.37.....

[Twodogs]

Add me to the Doug Heywood. Usually just called the players names, you had to do something really special or be Robert Flower, to get Doug's attention.

[merantau]

You have a great memory TD. I'd forgotten about how Doug used to rhapsodize about Robbie Flower.

[ledge]

EJ and Micheal Williamson were my favourites.
Landy was enjoyable,Richards and Dyer were hilarious even Rex Hunt was good until he lost the plot, of recent ones I liked Cometti, not sure I like any now it’s gone downhill so bad.

[Twodogs]

You have a great memory TD. I'd forgotten about how Doug used to rhapsodize about Robbie Flower.

Actually I was only watching a Melbourne game yesterday that Doug commentated. It was against us in R4 1985 and Flower and Doug were at their artistic best.

EJ and Micheal Williamson were my favourites.
Landy was enjoyable,Richards and Dyer were hilarious even Rex Hunt was good until he lost the plot, of recent ones I liked Cometti, not sure I like any now it’s gone downhill so bad.

Don't forget Butch Gale. "Oh, I'm going to have a heart attack in a minute, Mike!"

[westdog54]

If not for Clinton Grybas' untimely passing he would surely be the foremost caller in the game right now.

[Remi Moses]

Loved Doug Hayward
Jack Dyer was great
I think the only time Dougy was called Douglas was Doug Hayward

[Twodogs]

Loved Doug Hayward
Jack Dyer was great
I think the only time Dougy was called Douglas was Doug Hayward

I don't even think that Dougie's mum called him Douglas.


I was coming back from Moorabbin on the train back in the day when a St Kilda supporter happened to say something about the Hawk. The thing he didn't know was the old lady sitting across from him was Doug's mum! She let fly with a continuous string of invective that must have lasted 4 stations before she stopped to take a breath. I could see people on the platform walk up to the carriage doors about to get on the train when they heard as the doors opened "You *!*!*!*!ing *!*!*!*!, you aren't fit to *!*!*!*!ing tie my *!*!*!*!ing son's *!*!*!*!ing boots. You're nothing but *!*!*!*!ing scum, you're *!*!*!*!ing lucky his *!*!*!*!ing dad isn't here ya useless *!*!*!*! or you'd really..." and the door would shut again as they turned around and decided to wait for the next train. Then we'd pull up at the next stop only for the same thing to happen with the next lot of people who were thinking of getting on the train.

[ledge]

I don't even think that Dougie's mum called him Douglas.


I was coming back from Moorabbin on the train back in the day when a St Kilda supporter happened to say something about the Hawk. The thing he didn't know was the old lady sitting across from him was Doug's mum! She let fly with a continuous string of invective that must have lasted 4 stations before she stopped to take a breath. I could see people on the platform walk up to the carriage doors about to get on the train when they heard as the doors opened "You *!*!*!*!ing *!*!*!*!, you aren't fit to *!*!*!*!ing tie my *!*!*!*!ing son's *!*!*!*!ing boots. You're nothing but *!*!*!*!ing scum, you're *!*!*!*!ing lucky his *!*!*!*!ing dad isn't here ya useless *!*!*!*! or you'd really..." and the door would shut again as they turned around and decided to wait for the next train. Then we'd pull up at the next stop only for the same thing to happen with the next lot of people who were thinking of getting on the train.

There’s your proof he was a true braybrook boy :-)

[Twodogs]

There’s your proof he was a true braybrook boy :-)

Those people walking up to the door and then deciding to turn around and wait for the next train is close to the funniest thing I have ever seen.