Opinion Worst caller of the game currently?

[GingerDocker]

Zempalis and Underwood had/have a similar overbearing style. Their words suffocate your imagination. They don't seem to create any space in their broadcasts for a fan's fear and expectations of what might unfold as they're watching. They trap you in their head which is full of annoying information and trite phrases, and you quickly realise that its a place you don't want to be.

 

[SupermanCapes]

Underwood's entirely cooked call of the Darcy Fogarty

32

Darcy Fogarty

Age

25

Ht

194cm

Wt

100kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.5

2star

K

5.7

2star

HB

2.8

2star

M

3.7

4star

T

1.7

4star

G

1.2

4star

D

6.3

1star

K

4.0

1star

HB

2.3

2star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.3

3star

G

1.0

4star

D

8.0

2star

K

5.4

2star

HB

2.6

3star

M

3.4

4star

T

2.6

4star

G

1.0

4star

holding free/missed snap was one of the most painful experiences of the game - seriously saying something given the 3rd quarter we all had to sit through.

 

[Piggy Smalls]

Underwood by a mile. All the things said already. Plus she can't keep up with the action and needs to finish some long-winded spiel about something which happened 20 seconds ago, rather than what is actually happening. Straight from the Basil textbook, but she is even worse.

The best commentators are the likes of Papalia, Bennett and Hudson (and Grybas RIP) ... the ones who are outside the ex-player / boofhead boys club. And the one who is in that boys club and is the best (Montagna, based on AFLW games I have heard him call) doesn't get any AFL games to call.

Grybas’ death was so tragic. How unlucky do you have to be to suffer a catastrophic head knock while sleepwalking. Similar to Bob Saget but Clinton was so young.

 

[stax on the mull]

The calling off TV coverage from another state isn't helping. Because we're on the arse end of the fixturing we'll likely get a lot of studio calls this year.

 

[Nevillle Monkeyrod]

Play callers need to know names. BT, Underwood, Darcy just get it wrong time and time again.

Brayshaw saying 'POUNDS IT IN' over drives me insane.

Silver spoon Hamish can get stuffed.

 

[Nevillle Monkeyrod]

You would have however no doubt listened to Percy Johnson (RIP) - he was great and pro freo!

Percy knows footy and was the best at providing comprehensive analysis of games he didn't watch.

 

[stax on the mull]

What do people think of Brayshaw? I used to hear bits of him on MMM and found him too blokey amongst all the ex-players and his voice range would get a bit out of control (ie shouting).

I still find his voice annoying and can't really handle him as a cricket commentator, but I think he's either improved his calling on 7's footy coverage or i'm becoming more tolerant. Last couple of times I've heard him I thought he sounded accurate and unbiased and a fairly acceptable meat and potatoes commentator.

 

[BarbieITFC]

Underwood, Dwayne, JB and Basil for me.

I quite like BT for about three quarters and then realise that I've got a headache - at least he gets himself up for every game and tries to make it exciting.

Dream team would be Paps with Dunstall and Pav on the boundary.

Unlike many I quite like Dermie - just because he's so random.

 

[freo84]

Underwood is horrific...the voice. The terrible attempts at puns. Just stop.

Zemplearse is horrific. As above....forever ruined Pavs goal with " He's allllllll clllllllllaaaaassssssss" ...it was Gross.

And whomever said " Freo fans would be used to that" when one of our players missed their target while handballing. I was filthy when i heard that.

The rest are meh. I dont actually mind BT. He makes me laugh with his antics.

 

[Purpletown]

Dermot Brereton is pathetic, starts on his spiel and is still dribbling on but the play has moved on.

Jobe Watson comes over as a bit thick, not sure why he is anywhere near a microphone.

Kelly Underwood is however the absolute pits.

 

[wayToGo_]

Underwood is far too good to be used for our measly Fremantle games. With quality like her, she should be exclusively used for games where two Victorian teams battle it out. Hope the AFL are listening and realise the gold they aren't getting maximum value out of.

And whilst on that topic it is a bit the same with Eleni umpiring. Why are the AFL wasting such a brilliant umpire on Fremantle games when she could be used in far more important Vic v Vic games?

 

[cardamon]

I just wish they'd all stop shouting

A voice is an instrument, and you can create excitement in a million different ways that arent just yelling

Not to mention the australian accent is one of the ugliest accents in the world when screamed

Dennis only yelled at the most exciting times

 

[StingBitten]

I know not everyone liked Cometti but the dude has range - yes it was the era he grew up in but a lot of his stuff was like a 90's Simpsons episode, full of cultural references and decently layered.

Many of the current commentators just don't have the vocabulary, the culture and personality to really give justice to the role - that's why you get people like Underwood repeating the same one-liners over and over again (Get behind yo couch, get out behind yo couch, is yo behind yo couch) - they literally have nothing else to provide or pull from.

Great speaking has been declining across so many platforms for a number of years now - could be a range of reasons for it but I sure don't like it.

 

[Square Peg]

I don't mind Underwood really. Prefer her on radio for some reason.
In fact as a rule, as long as you can sync it, you're always better listening to ABC radio commentary and turn the TV sound off.

Basil is the biggest ****wit currently behind a microphone

 

[Sully90]

Underwood deservably getting alot of callouts here but to call her the worst I think is recency bias. Alot of the issue with her commentating on the weekend was the fact it was phoned in from the Vic studio (more to do with Fox' universal contempt for interstate games than her)

Would still rather her than the following:
Darcy
Basil
Dwayne
BT
Hamish
Carey
Ling
Brayshaw

Just reading that list though makes me despair for how far Football commentating has fallen in this country. NRL tv callers are much better, hell friggin ALeague tv callers are streets ahead of channel 7 and Fox footy commentary teams.

Papalia and Bennett should get much more opportunity than they usually do.

 

[Shaymuhz]

We had the quinella on the weekend, but Basil and Hamish are right up there too.

Favourite caller is probably Huddo or Gerard Whately, while Daisy Pearce and Jason Dunstall provide the best special comments

 

[Shaymuhz]

Underwood deservably getting alot of callouts here but to call her the worst I think is recency bias. Alot of the issue with her commentating on the weekend was the fact it was phoned in from the Vic studio (more to do with Fox' universal contempt for interstate games than her)

This is a covid-era policy that has to end, especially with a game like football

 

[holy diver]

I'd take Pepper Brooks over Kellie Underwood.

 

[freo1997]

Anyone saying Underwood isn't the worst.. C'mon man!!!!!

 

[Sully90]

This is a covid-era policy that has to end, especially with a game like football

They can keep their precious Victorian commentators their if they want, just stop being cheap and pay some dollars to local commentators to get them behind the mike.

Anyone saying Underwood isn't the worst.. C'mon man!!!!!

Can you honestly tell me with a straight face that you think Basil is better than her?

 

[Freo Big Fella]

(Treating this as a referendum on second place, as BT and Brayshaw remain the absolute gold standard in ear cancer)

It's still Duh-wayne for me. The worst possible combination of biases, lack of general knowledge and inability to identify players. Darcy not too far behind.

Underwood was woeful at the weekend but isn't the worst generally. She's developed the Gerard Healy style habit of clearly having 3-5 preconceived talking points ready to go at the start of each game, then sticking to them religiously despite what actually happens.

 

[Dockeroo]

I'd take Pepper Brooks over Kellie Underwood.

Cotton McKnight would also be acceptable!

 

[YoYoFreo]

There are very few commentators I enjoy listening to, as they try to be bigger than the game.

Mark Howard is by far the best footy commentator I've heard. I remember him commentating a couple of our games and he was fantastic. It's a pity he doesn't get much of a run

On SM-G781B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Boppo]

I like Dwayne and BT. Doing the heavy lifting is not easy over multiple games each weekend so good on em for trying to make it exciting. We’ve been spoilt with Cometti.

 

[Dockeroo]

Good sports commentary is so important to the enjoyment of the game, in any sport. It’s such an underrated talent.
The best in the world in my opinion is the British football commentator Peter Drury. He’s just a genius, and has called some of the biggest moments in soccer to absolute perfection. Here he is calling a brilliant Mo salah goal from a couple of years back