Bruce McAvaney retires from commentary

[simba_]

He didn't go too long in the context of our league and our commentary situation. He was the last one. Who is left? I don't think I'll ever have the TV volume on again.

 

[Pollywaffle]

Long overdue don’t you think?
Needs the next goal..

 

[Rusty Brookes]

Race callers are the true pro’s. Why I’d like Peter Donegan to be Bruce’s replacement. And they must get rid of Brayshaw; he is brutal.

Peter Donegan is a terrific caller of any sport but particularly football. When Pay TV first started he was a regular caller - didn't put himself over at the expense of the players or the game, didn't try and come across as chummy with the players, didn't crack inside lightweight jokes, didn't barrack for any team (he follows Collingwood but you'd never know it from his calls). He called the game straight, got excited when the game warranted it, criticised when it was needed and actually added to the telecast.

He carried the ABC's coverage of the VFL where he was head and shoulders better than anyone on the AFL telecasts. But he's obviously not in the boys club. Good enough to call the Olympics but not AFL.

 

[Pistol Night]

who is going to tell us which highschool all the players attended now?

his obsessions got a bit weird/creepy at the end but a magnificent career overall, thanks Bruce.

Jake Stringer?

 

[footyfan1978]

Race callers are the true pro’s. Why I’d like Peter Donegan to be Bruce’s replacement. And they must get rid of Brayshaw; he is brutal.

Donegan used to do the footy back in later 80's I think.
The main game would be covered by Peter Landy, Lou Richards and Bob Skilton and then you might get Peter Donegan, Peter McKenna and someone like Jack Edwards team up together for another game. Then Sandy Roberts, Don Scott and someone else for the third game.

 

[Angus Young]

So much passion and professionalism.

Thanks for your service Bruce.

Legend.

 

[HPKS]

I see Brayshaw is taking Bruce’s spot on Friday nights.

 

[GastevsBeard]

90s McAvaney & post-2010s McAvaney are completely different commentators

Was one of the all time great callers of the sport

But f**k me his 2020 GF call was meek & lackluster. Especially when compared to some of the radio calls

 

[JackFlash]

Yeah that's what i came on to find out, Dennis got a year long swansong which I'm sure Bruce would have been keen for, not like he doesnt like the attention. Getting pushed was my instinct soon as i saw the headline

I can only put it down to a disagreement with the hierarchy. It's definitely strange this call was made 2 weeks before the season? Hasn't this been worked out long before this? Health? Travel? The need for new 2021 callers? After all, it's a totally different game than it was in the 80s and 90s. He probably doesn't know what he's calling himself these days?

 

[Bostonian]

Hopefully Eddie gets more footballing gigs now, I can tolerate him as a caller.

 

[HPKS]

One of the things that highlighted the deterioration in his calling and how inept some commentators are is the fact that their normal commentary on match days is at the venue but 2020 most of the commentary was performed in a studio. It showed the lack of insight into what’s going on out on the field being delivered to the paying audience. I mean basically most people wouldn’t have known the difference unless you were told this.

Total lack of professionalism by the producers imo like I said previously commentary is delivered like it’s going to a couple of drunks at the local pub half cut playing a game of pool and trying to keep them interested so they’ll keep glancing at the game. Imo this only exacerbated Bruce’s decline from his best. Now we have to put up with James pretending to be one of the boys when really you can see he’s the prick that most of the boys at the pub wouldn’t like and try to avoid.

 

[raymond35]

Well done, managed to get a WAhhhh into the Bruce retirement thread.

Particularly good as the Damn Vicco rant was directed at a South Australian.

 

[Billy ray]

Did he ever call a SUNS game?

 

[Billy ray]

 

[Kanga Commando]

You’ll all miss him once we start getting more Luke Darcy

Exactly. The talent pool for good commentators is awfully shallow.

 

[parsons nose]

Peter Donegan is a terrific caller of any sport but particularly football. When Pay TV first started he was a regular caller - didn't put himself over at the expense of the players or the game, didn't try and come across as chummy with the players, didn't crack inside lightweight jokes, didn't barrack for any team (he follows Collingwood but you'd never know it from his calls). He called the game straight, got excited when the game warranted it, criticised when it was needed and actually added to the telecast.

He carried the ABC's coverage of the VFL where he was head and shoulders better than anyone on the AFL telecasts. But he's obviously not in the boys club. Good enough to call the Olympics but not AFL.

He’s also a good interviewer. I have zero interest in horse racing but I would listen to his ‘ This racing life’ religiously; a testament to his skills as an interviewer.

 

[footyfan1978]

Exactly. The talent pool for good commentators is awfully shallow.

Emphasis of awfully too.

 

[Joffaboy]

Did he ever call a SUNS game?

Yes and it was the creepiest most cringweworthy commentating I have ever heard.

His sexualising commentary on Rankine was disturbing. Rankine will be an excellent, top line talent, but McEvaney's deep throated growl of yes, Yes, YES when Rankine kicked a goal was really off putting. A 70 year old man literally making climax noises about a 20 y.o was the time I thought Bruce should hang them up.
Was one of the best for decades, utter professional, but the last couple of years were getting cringy and a bit worrying.

 

[carloss]

Peter Donegan is a terrific caller of any sport but particularly football. When Pay TV first started he was a regular caller - didn't put himself over at the expense of the players or the game, didn't try and come across as chummy with the players, didn't crack inside lightweight jokes, didn't barrack for any team (he follows Collingwood but you'd never know it from his calls). He called the game straight, got excited when the game warranted it, criticised when it was needed and actually added to the telecast.

He carried the ABC's coverage of the VFL where he was head and shoulders better than anyone on the AFL telecasts. But he's obviously not in the boys club. Good enough to call the Olympics but not AFL.

Stawell Gift as well

 

[Jesse Custer]

Thanks for your services Bruce. In your prime you were magnificent, a great caller of footy.

 

[Iago]

Time to bring back from the wilderness, Hilton Donaldson. Been missing from the airwaves for far too long.
Knows how to frame a market too.

 

[The Punter]

Bruce's downfall late in his career was the fact he is a generous broadcaster. He was forced to work with others who did not have his capabilities, and chose not to show them up, but rather involve himself with their inane stuff. It was beneath him, but he never acted like it was.

I will miss the Friday night drinking game - a shot whenever Bruce calls Wayne Carey "Duck".

His best call was the Maxfield goal (and the lead-up) v Essendon in 1995. One of the all time best (off the top of my head, Huddo with Nick Davis, Williamson's call of the Jezza mark and Landy's call of the Harmes goal in 1979 are at the top, along with Sandy's "what more can you say").

I think he was not a natural caller of footy, in much the same way Bob Costas was not a natural commentator on basketball, but they both did it pretty well. I preferred Sandy to Bruce pre-2002, and when 7 came back we entered the proper era of Dennis, whose last 10 years of commentary were exceptional. Bruce probably just say below the top echelon of footy TV callers (IMO Landy, Roberts, Cometti & Hudson).

As long as there are commentators, there will be someone who dislikes what they do.

 

[Nostradumbass]

A Shame he was pushed.

 

[Kappa]

Anytime an indigenous player went near the football Bruce would focus on them like they were the main character of the show and everyone else was the supporting cast

 

[Scorpus]

Awesome! Now we get to hear more from the excellent remaining commentators such as...

*checks notes*

Brian Taylor
Luke Darcy
Cameron Ling
James Brayshaw
Jobe Watson
Eddie McGuire
Dwayne Russell
Jude Bolton

Jude Bolton

Age

44

Ht

181cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.9

4star

K

9.6

4star

HB

8.4

5star

M

3.1

3star

T

4.6

5star

CL

3.3

5star

No current season stats available

D

11.8

3star

K

7.2

3star

HB

4.6

4star

M

2.0

3star

T

1.6

4star

Daisy Pearce