Enough is enough

[Yuri H]

Re: Mixing up of players, it is irritating but I do it myself with Mattner/Grundy, Bevan/Hanners all the time and I can forgive the commentators that.

I confess with embarrassment to mixing up Pyke and Mummy at times in the heat of the action. Big, tall, curly dark hair ... I dunno. After about my third blurt of "aaaand Pyke's back on the f- ...err no, it's Mumford!" I've learned when in doubt and the number's obscured to look at the legs - Mumford's are quite a bit bulkier/brontosauric. He's a bit more solid than Pyke. But then, I am not being paid to inform tv audiences with my expert running narration of the game (that's free to whoever is suffering it in my immediate presence), so I'd expect better from the pros.

As for the commentary, I totally agree they'd better get some slightly more Sydney-knowledgeable-if-not-biased-our-way commentators if they want to "grow NSW's market" etc etc (to use hideous business-speak). And really, I sort of liked Underwood's cheering on Jetta's goal (for all my complaints of anti-Sydney bias, it was a welcome surprise to hear her heartfelt voice rasping "take the mark Jetta! Take the mark!") - so at least at that moment I wasn't bothered. I haven't heard Lloyd's commentary; all I did when I got home from the game was fast-forward to Jetta's goal and have yet to re-watch the rest. Feh on him. Feh, I say.

[magic.merkin]

AFL 360 on Fox Sports 1 on Wednesday Nights, normally choose two moments within games and replay them 4 times with 4 different commentaries, one from TV and the other three from Radio. I'd expect Jetta's goal to get this treatment! Can't wait to hear it from a radio point of view.

You should here The Ox, and Kevin Bartlettt's call of it. They went nuts, it was classic. SEN is a great station.

[Tooth Fairy]

Sydneycentric thread. Move along, nothing to see

[Tooth Fairy]

Sydneycentric thread. Move along, nothing to see

Aaaah but it does get better towards the end.

[jono2707]

Sydneycentric thread. Move along, nothing to see

Hmmm last time I checked we were called the Sydney Swans?

[Primmy]

Hmmm last time I checked we were called the Sydney Swans?

Absolutely. Sydney Swans. Sydney Swans Members and Fans have a problem. On a Sydney Swans Fan Site.......why would this not be Sydneycentric? Your point Tooth?

[Glenn]

You should here The Ox, and Kevin Bartlettt's call of it. They went nuts, it was classic. SEN is a great station.

Ox got out more than one Syllable.???

[jono2707]

Hmmm last time I checked we were called the Sydney Swans?

Although of course we treasure our fans from outside of the Sydney area as well, in particular those in Melbourne that have stuck solid with the team for years :-)

[teddys mum]

I reckon when GWS comes into the league one of the channels should get some Sydney based commentators to regularly call the GWS and Swans home games.

Additionally, are there any non-Victorian based field umpires in the AFL? When the league goes to 18 teams (8 being non-Vics) then perhaps they could get some umpires based interstate (not necessarily Sydney, maybe Adelaide/Perth).

[laughingnome]

Additionally, are there any non-Victorian based field umpires in the AFL? When the league goes to 18 teams (8 being non-Vics) then perhaps they could get some umpires based interstate (not necessarily Sydney, maybe Adelaide/Perth).

I don't want to be tagged an umpire sympathiser but...
Of the 2010 umpires that publically disclose their State of Origin, 15 are Victorian, 5 from WA, 3 from SA, 3 from Tasmania and 1 from NSW (Albury).
See their profiles here.

Presently there are 37 Field Umpires employed by the AFL, including the supplementaries. 24 officiate on the weekend, 8 are emergencies and 5 are not used. Sometimes emergencies are rostered a full game for that round as well, depending on availability (injuries and sanctions affect the total number in the pool). When there is an extra game per round I imagine 4 spots would open, possibly 5. This would be in addition to any spots vacated by retiring or demoted umpires (turnover is usually very low from year to year. In 2010 it was one).

The process to become an AFL umpire is not as simple as it sounds. Any registered umpire is welcome to apply, but most come from the top tier state leagues. This is because the VFL, SANFL and WAFL are the highest echelons outside of the AFL and hence provide the most rigorous conditioning. Applicants are interviewed, their performances taped and analysed and their fitness measured.

I say all this because I don't want to give the impression that the AFL can pick umpires on a whim based on which State they are from. While we all bemoan them on Match Day and forget, these are the best people for the job chosen in a competitive manner. It's only natural that the States that supply the most talent on the park (Vic, SA, WA) also have the best umpires in the system.

[Swansongster]

And really, I sort of liked Underwood's cheering on Jetta's goal (for all my complaints of anti-Sydney bias, it was a welcome surprise to hear her heartfelt voice rasping "take the mark Jetta! Take the mark!") - so at least at that moment I wasn't bothered.

Flame away but I have to say I quite liked the Kelli Underwood call of Jetta's goal when I saw it on replay. Very close to what I was screaming from the Red Zone. I haven't taken to her running calls fully as yet, but I will defend the lass and think she's doing OK. My foe in the gender wars do make up over 40 per cent of footy fans (according to the AFL), so I wouldn't dismiss their right to contribute from behind a microphone. It will take us some time to get used to the genetic difference in vocal chords but hey, we did let them vote and it has all been a can of worms since then.

IMHO the Sunday twilight team on Fox (led by Gerard Healy) are the best of the lot and the ABC coverage is the best on radio (here in Melbourne).

[Big Al]

Enough is enough

Swansongster, I have no issue with a women leaving the kitchen and calling a game as long as she knows what's she's doing. Unfortunately with 3 stations covering football the talent is spread pretty thin at the moment.

[Chookbilly]

I too don't have an issue with women commentating.

It's just that Kelli Underwood sounds (or tries to) like a bloke. A bloke that can't commentate.
She just tries waaaaay to hard to be one of the boys.

[goswannie14]

Except Commetti's not from Melbourne.

Re: Mixing up of players, it is irritating but I do it myself with Mattner/Grundy, Bevan/Hanners all the time and I can forgive the commentators that.

Lloyd's just terrible. His comments are littered with verbal mistakes. His comment about the Sydney crowd has been mentioned but did anyone else notice when he was talking about the lack of form of a Swan (i think Jesse White) Lloydy said perhaps Roos should send him back to the Sydney competition... C'mon. C'mon. SOME RESEARCH PLEASE. Don't appear completely ignorent of my team, that's all I'm asking for, you can still be biased... Even Underwood who seems pretty astute said Jetta turned 19 this year.

Yes I heard that too, but as it was Lloyd I just put it down to him being a moron.

[goswannie14]

AFL 360 on Fox Sports 1 on Wednesday Nights, normally choose two moments within games and replay them 4 times with 4 different commentaries, one from TV and the other three from Radio. I'd expect Jetta's goal to get this treatment! Can't wait to hear it from a radio point of view.

The ABC call, I have heard a few times and they all went nuts. It was fantastic for a Swans supporter to hear.