Top 5 TV League Guys
Posted 20/01/2012
By Shaun Maher
How big is the beat up in the papers about Matty Johns v Fatty? Surely no serious league fan cares.
The power brokers may like them because they appeal to kids, female fans, Queenslanders (in the case of Vautin) and people who never watch Four Corners, but neither of them are in the Top 5 TV League Guys - here is the list.
Ray Warren
We are only talking about commentator Rabbs here, we are not as fussed on the panel show version of him or his grumpy old man work he on the radio, but based on the premise that the role of the commentator is to enhance the fans experience of the game - then Rabbs is clearly the best in the business.
Nobody else has the voice, experience nor the sense of occasion that he brings to the game so he is a clear number one in the commentary box.
Andrew Voss
While Vossy is clearly an apprentice to Rabbs in the commentary stakes, he is currently doing his best work outside of game time. The Footy Show is no longer a must watch program, but Vossy's "Things you may have missed" segment is the only part of the show that doesn't make you wish you had something better to do on a Thursday night.
When Mark Geyer isn't speaking, The Sunday Roast is the best league show we have and Vossy does a good job as host. He provides the voice of the fan on a network heavy with ex-State of Origin stars.
Warren Smith
Wazza would be the poor man's Vossy, except he's on pay-TV which kind of makes him the rich mans version, but either way he's the best commentator Fox have.
Like Vossy, he's a committed fan who loves the game and you can tell he loves the players too by how close he leans in when he's talking to them. He does his best to cut through some of the ex-player drivel (yes Gary Freeman you know who you are) on the Wednesday show, but unfortunately they couldn't quite get the balance right for the League Lounge which won't be back this season.
Andrew Johns
Was a deer in the headlights when he first started, but has relaxed and has become the best TV analyst in the game (bar Gould who is no longer eligible). Many ex players have trouble communicating what is happening on the field but Johns has developed the ability to break down the play action for the viewers at half time in a way that is both interesting and educational.
He has obviously given a lot of thought to how the game is played and his work as a halfback coach seems to have distilled that knowledge further and he is now able to serve up tasty morsels of football information for the fans.
Darrell Brohman
Long form radio is clearly his best medium and he doesn't seem to quite fit on the Footy show panel - which has less to do with his size than it does with the lack of rapport that he has with his fellow panelists.
But the Big Marn is a naturally funny guy who, along with Blocker, make weekend traffic bearable.
