The A to Z of the NRL – B is for Rugby League Broadcasters

Thanks to the ultimate killjoy Coronavirus, the NRL is now suspended, but a lack of on-field action won’t stop our A to Z of the NRL – this time it is B is for Rugby League Broadcasters.

We have previously brought you the A to Z of Obscure NRL, which has proven quite popular, but this time we are slowing it down for 26 weeks of NRL A to Z. Well, the plan was weekly until the game was put on hold.

After a traditional start with the letter A (for NRL Advertisements), this time it is onto the letter B, and a celebration of the fine work of the rugby league broadcasters. Not the channels, those with the microphone.

Of course, it is heavily influenced on who we like, but what else is there to do in our Coronavirus spare time?

But ultimately you get the chance to vote and tell us who is the best of the Rugby League Broadcasters.

A to Z of the NRL – B is for Rugby League Broadcasters

WARREN SMITH – FOX SPORTS

Warren Smith has been the voice of rugby league on Fox for some time; a bloody good one who, in our opinion, is quite underused on Fox League.

While Andrew Voss gets his own TV show, and Matty Johns supplies 60% of Fox League content, Smith gets through the games without too much fanfare but loads of quality.

Still, we prefer Smith to everyone on Fox League, and of course it goes without saying that he is better than anyone at Channel Nein.

His best work is below: one of the great all-time rugby league broadcasting passages. Apologies for the lack of quality in sounds and vision.

RAY WARREN – CHANNEL NEIN

You couldn’t have a list of rugby league broadcasters without the Australian voice of rugby league.

Sure he isn’t in his prime, sure his banter with Phil Gould is painful, and sure Channel Nein stink, but you have to include him regardless.

He’s been doing it for a long time, with the occasional flashback clip from a few decades ago enhanced with Rabs’ voice, and so few can speak with such authority. Unlike most long-term rugby league media, who are jerks, Ray Warren comes across as a genuinely good guy.

And he does have some good moments, but they’re on Channel Nein where I only venture four times a year. But the video below does some justice.

ANDREW VOSS – FOX SPORTS

Andrew Voss has had a second coming on Fox League, after a Ray Hadley-inspired hiatus from mainstream NRL which saw him calling in NZ, for the Intrust Super Cup in Queensland, and elsewhere.

Voss has a distinctive style, a little over the top, and light humour always nearby. But he is a polariser, with some happily tuning in and enjoying, and others bemoaning him carrying on too much with bullshit.

His TV project The Fan is quite good.

He provides a good compliment to Warren Smith as main caller and is still better than watching Channel Nein.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Tf6UseuG_s

REX MOSSOP – ALL CHANNELS

Before Ray Warren, there was the larger-than-life figure Rex Mossop.

He was not just one of the more legendary rugby league broadcasters, but he also played in the NSWRL, and played for NSW and Australia in both rugby league and rugby union.

A professional broadcaster, his more famous stuff happened away from the field with the Controversy Corner shows or an appearance on Steve Vizard’s late night TV show.

A decent tribute below, but YouTube has more Mossop gold to absorb.

FRANK HYDE – ALL CHANNELS

A bit before our time, and if anyone deserves to be here in the list it is the legendary Frank Hyde.

You have to respect someone who’s good enough to commentate 33 consecutive grand finals between 1953 and 1983 (including the replays of 1977 and 1978).

For added respect, he released his own music albums, the best being Frank Hyde Sings.

GRAEME HUGHES – CHANNEL TEN / FOX LEAGUE RETRO ROUND

If you can remember that Channel 10 had the rugby league coverage in Australia, then you might recall Graeme Hughes’ distinctive voice. 

As a loyal reader of our website put it better than we ever could “Graeme Hughes has a beautiful commentary voice and knows when to get excited. When he made a comeback a couple of years ago, most footy fans wet themselves with excitement. ”

That return to the Commentary Box for Fox League’s Retro Round certainly did prove to be popular enough to feature in other Fox League shows. Usually giving it to Buzz Rothfield, which is a very good thing.

Another one to think back on fondly, with YouTube’s help below,

ALAN THOMAS – CHANNEL NEIN

Please allow a little indulgence here, as Alan Thomas is a pretty obscure choice.

This is from back in the day when State of Origin coverage was split, with Channel Nein deciding to be outright biased for each state, unlike the current setup where it is all just biased towards NSW.

Alan Thomas, Mick Veivers and Andrew Slack completed the Origin line up in the late ‘80s, in an interesting combination of Queensland focus. It helped that Queensland won a lot through this era.

Mainly though, I have chosen Alan Thomas on the basis of the favourite piece of Origin commentary, where he is speaking on behalf of Wally Lewis. “He had the Ball said Wally”. Gold.

Great racecaller too.

PETER PSALTIS – CHANNEL NINE QLD and QRL/NRL

Another Queensland-based rugby league broadcaster, but arguably the Sunshine State’s finest, and very underrated.

Psaltis does the Intrust Super Cup, and various NRL live streaming commentary too.

Good general knowledge too, if you are lucky enough to be awake for his Sportsbet Breakfast show.

And has a little bit of cheek in him. Who else would dare an On the Buses reference mid-commentary?

Once, for pure indulgence, this video is a favourite: Peter’s call of the 2017 Intrust Super Cup won by the PNG Hunters.

MIKE STEVENSON – UK SUPER LEAGUE

It’s not all NRL, hence why it is great rugby league broadcasters.

Many who have followed the UK Super League would remember the duo of Mike Stevenson and Eddie Hemmings calling much of the action.

Stevenson is our favourite of the duo, a straight talker who looked like he genuinely liked rugby league. He is even accommodating for a rugby league chat if you happen to catch him walking from the train towards the Twickenham Stoop.

He retired recently, followed by Hemmings a few seasons later.

A decent account of Mike’s work can be found here on his farewell from commentary.

BILLY J SMITH

The host of the legendary TV show It’s a Knockout was also a very fine rugby league broadcaster.

Billy J Smith was a big name in the Brisbane rugby league circus but did get a taste of the big time when Channel 10 / 0 stole the rugby league coverage for a few seasons.

We have already dived into his career in our tribute from his recent passing.

ABC SATURDAY AFTERNOON CALLING TEAM

Remember when the ABC had the Saturday TV game? For some reason the mind seems to recall that North Sydney played a lot. Which is a good thing.

The heady mix on the ABC screens was made up of David Morrow, David Wright, John Peard, Arthur Beetson and, our favourite, Warren Boland.    

CRAIG HAMILTON – ABC GRANDSTAND

So far we haven’t recognised the importance of the radio as a beloved method of getting our rugby league fix. There’s hardly a more distinctive voice than Craig Hamilton coming out of car radios, from the beaches of Bribie Island to a backyard BBQ in Newcastle.

Usually if you are listening to the ABC Grandstand’s call of the game you are doing something else, or on your way from something, but it doesn’t take long to get engrossed in the coverage, and Hamilton’s infectious calls were the best.

A recent story about his demotion on the ABC is here.

SO, WHO IS THE BEST RUGBY LEAGUE BROADCASTER?

As we progress through the A to Z, we’ll keep a tally of who wins each A to Z for the definitive A to Z of the NRL by season’s end, or September, whichever comes last.