Isaac
Years ago

Fox Sports confirm NBL commentators

Roy Ward:

.@FOXSportsAUS confirms @NBL commentators. #AFL Dwayne Russell, Anthony Hudson plus #NRL Andrew Voss, Warren Smith, Matt Russell. #Hardball
.@FOXSportsAUS will also use @ShaneHeal Derek Rucker, CJ Bruton, James Harvey and Andrej Lemanis for @NBL special comments #hardball

Topic #38119 | Report this topic


Wookiee  
Years ago

I've voiced my concern elsewhere about having footy-focused commentators doing basketball games as in the past they've always gone on and on about AFL especially...

But these guys seem to be pro play-by-play guys, so hopefully it can work out if they stay focused on the sport they're actually watching...

Reply #552644 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

I can't believe that Andrew Gaze isn't on that list, especially given he's employed by Foxtel for footy shows.

Reply #552646 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Maybe Andrew Gaze is not on the NBL basketball program because of his very public views about how the NBL should be run. Stopping the league for 12 months seems now a long way from what Larry has delivered.....

Reply #552649 | Report this post


RMQ  
Years ago

The AFL style of commenting play-by-play suits AFL and horseracing - I don't know how well that will transition to basketball.

I much prefer the NBA style of play-by-play.

Will wait until the end of the first round before making judgement.

Reply #552650 | Report this post


Happy Days  
Years ago

I think you'll find Gaze was a no go for a number of reasons: morning radio gig,corporate work and wasn't great coin.

Reply #552652 | Report this post


Wilson Sting  
Years ago

Gaze still gushes anytime someone does a dunk so I'm pleased he's not commentating.

Reply #552653 | Report this post


KET  
Years ago

I actually love that commentating team. Good to see Huddo and Russell on board from AFL. I don't watch NRL but in the highlights I know Warren Smith is a prominent voice, and a decent one at that.

These are big name voices, these are the types of voices that will get the casual channel flicker to pay attention.

Reply #552656 | Report this post


KET  
Years ago

Would have liked to see John Casey back though.

Reply #552657 | Report this post


Maybe Gaze isn't on the list because he has been a fixture on the NBL commentary scene for the past decade and they've decided to stop making the same mistakes over and over again.

Reply #552658 | Report this post


Baller#3  
Years ago

There just aren't any basketball first commentators in Australia, its something that just always going to be.

However, it would be good for the guys who are taking it on to watch a few NBA games to research how they go about it over there. Dont focus on calling the plays as such, but more conversation unless its a huge play.

Reply #552660 | Report this post


daneo  
Years ago

Good coup getting Warren Smith. Definitely the best commentator going around in rugby league.

Reply #552668 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Andrew Voss is actually very quirky , he sees the ridiculous side of things in the NRL but not sure how this will translate to the NBL.

Anything different has to be better doesn't it ?

Reply #552672 | Report this post


Matthew  
Years ago

I remember when Dennis Commetti used to call the Basketball.

Reply #552673 | Report this post


Mark-e-Mark  
Years ago

I don't mind the team, but I was under the impression that Corey Homicide Williams would be involved due to a conversation a friend had with the Townsville Crocs owner. Maybe he has a yet-to-be-disclosed TV involvement of some kind.

Other than that, I don't mind the team. They are renowned in their respective sports, but they need to remember that this is basketball - not just the game people play during an AFL off season. They need to give the game the respect it deserves by bothering to research it.

Reply #552687 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

I might be in the minority but I like Carfino

Reply #552689 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Corey Homicide Williams would probably be best suited to a sideline gig.... 1/4 time 1/2 time interviews, etc.

Reply #552691 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

I'm worried about these commentators.

The main comms are eggball people who weren't working the full year round so now Fox are giving them something to do in the off months. They don't know basketball. They also can't resist talking about AFL/NRL i.e. Dwayne Russell during last Fox season.

Secondly the colour guys are ex players with no commentating experience or if they do they've sucked at it like Heal.

:s

Reply #552694 | Report this post


scott  
Years ago

remember colour guys will have to get experience somewhere, so we will have to wait and see if they are any good.

as other people have mentioned there arent many commentators that a basketball trained first

gives these guys are chance and we will see if they are any goods

Reply #552695 | Report this post


Thunder Jam  
Years ago

Doesn't matter,do you need to listen,you can see what's happening cant you?
Better off without the biased ex player commentary anyway.

Reply #552697 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Thunder Jam good point about mute button

Reply #552699 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

FYI: Andrew Gaze is not commentating cause he was told by Foxsports that Larry doesn't want anyone that was involved with Tigers doing games, chris anstey was also told this. That is why they"ll have afl & nrl commentators.
Gaze is probably the best voice of basketball in the country at the moment, why not have him. Its ridiculous. 'SMH'

Reply #552710 | Report this post


Hanging Round  
Years ago

What!!!
No Steve! Who said they don't read Hoops, or are influenced by this forum?

Reply #552712 | Report this post


Benno  
Years ago

1 season in they may struggle early but can only improve think of how the commentry would be after 3-4 years of calling it! Gotta start somewhere, have faith relax and enjoy the game!

Reply #552714 | Report this post


KET  
Years ago

Benno has a point.

I'm actually pretty keen to listen to these guys, especially huddo, will be interesting how his voice goes with bball.

Reply #552717 | Report this post


Haz  
Years ago

Pretty happy with that as long as the football first commentators keep the AFL/NRL references to a absolute bare minimum!

Will have to accept that they will mention the football codes at various stages. Just hope they don't use the NBL as a promotional tool for the AFL/NRL.

Reply #552725 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Hudson at least looks like a real journalist/media guy unlike most of the AFL/NRL commentators who are ex boofheads and can't string a sentence together and should be nowhere near a mic.

Reply #552738 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

the curled club logos on the graphics look crap

Reply #552772 | Report this post


gelder  
Years ago

Gaze at 7 for Olympics, not sure abt continuing Foxtel gig ATM.

Reply #552833 | Report this post


paul  
Years ago

Hudson struggled terribly tonight. About as bad a start as you can get. Let's hope he gets to work and does some homework on the league and how basketball is commentated in other competitions.

Reply #552848 | Report this post


KET  
Years ago

Wasn't his finest couple of hours, i'd imagine he'll develop fine as he goes

Reply #552850 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

It's what I was afraid of. I rate Anthony Hudson, but he and most of these NRL and AFL types are really going to struggle given their unfamiliarity with the game. And it's not a short-term fix either. We need people in that role who understand the game and call it appropriately. And they are out there.

Reply #552852 | Report this post


koberulz  
Years ago

I didn't think he was that bad, other than getting really confused about a jump ball call.

Hammer rattling off a list of names at one point and mispronouncing half of them was amusing.

Reply #552856 | Report this post


Speed44  
Years ago

Out of curiosity, where is Clinton Grybas these days?

Reply #552860 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

If you're not trolling Speed44, prob best a quick google.

Reply #552862 | Report this post


Speed44  
Years ago

Oh crap. I had no idea about that. Very sorry to find out, he was a really good b'ball commentator.

Reply #552866 | Report this post


Dunkin' Dan  
Years ago

I thought Huddo was fine, all things considered.

Reply #552869 | Report this post


paul  
Years ago

If you want to convert people to the NBL, you can't have commentators with no idea what is actually happening out there. Thankfully it's on FSN for the first few rounds so that by the time it gets some wider exposure he will have improved.

Reply #552876 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

It was always the fear Fox would flood the commentary box with their footy commentators again.

I know there is some beef there re: Tigers vs United but very strange not to sign Gaze up the voice/face of basketball in this country, stranger again given he's already on Foxtel's payroll.

Happy for John Casey to stay with Ch 7 for the SANFL, he was getting nice an excited even doing the Slowdown this past Monday!

Reply #552877 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Watched the WNBA after it. WNBA far better.

Reply #552878 | Report this post


Sirjump  
Years ago

Getting non-basketball people to commentate basketball makes absolutely no sense at all. Imagine the reverse - getting Carfino / Gaze commentating AFL or NRL. It would be ludicrous.

Reply #552887 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Sirjump - Play by Play commentators, what about John Casey commentating AFL (which he did) or NRL or maybe even SANFL games

Reply #552896 | Report this post


Dazz  
Years ago

What? No Carfino?
Basketball is such a slow-moving and boring sport, you need somebody like Carfino to fill in all those empty hours prattling about some minor incident in the 1st quarter.

Reply #552899 | Report this post


koberulz  
Years ago

If you want to convert people to the NBL, you can't have commentators with no idea what is actually happening out there. Thankfully it's on FSN for the first few rounds so that by the time it gets some wider exposure he will have improved.
FSN is available to more people than FS1-5 are, and I can't imagine it'll be advertised any more/less depending on which of those it's on.

Other than the jump ball I mentioned, I don't recall Huddo ever seeming like he didn't know what was going on. What specifically didn't you like about his call?

Reply #552903 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Know he is something to do with AFL therefore hate him in basketball context regardless of actual performance. It is not possible to understand more than one sport.

Reply #552905 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Here is the article which has all the names.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/basketball/shane-heal-new-face-of-nbl-on-fox-television-with-afl-and-nrl-callers-joining-the-fray/story-fni2u9cl-1227560644545

Reply #552922 | Report this post


LC  
Years ago

I thought Huddo did a good job first up.

Reply #552927 | Report this post


NBL #1 Fan  
Years ago

Hudson seemed lost. Didn't know his players, and doesn't know the terminology to call a basketball game. Shane Heal did a far better job than him.

Should get better as the season wears on though as he is usually a quality commentator.

Reply #552939 | Report this post


Bear  
Years ago

My personal preference would be to have an American accent in there somewhere, but unless we can get one we have to accept what we have.

I know there was some dislike for Carfino but I for one miss the American pizzazz calling an NBL game.

How much better is it when the A-League have that EPL style of calling during the soccer games by including a commentator from England, just saying...?

Horses for course!

Reply #552950 | Report this post


paul  
Years ago

"FSN is available to more people than FS1-5 are"

But watched by far fewer, which is prob a blessing for Hudson games. Dwayne Russell was pretty solid a few years back so looking forward to hearing him, just a shame John Casey isn't the other play-by-play guy.

What didn't I like about Hudson's call? He didn't know the players. He didn't understand the game. He often missed the moment of big plays. He didn't provide a solid call of the game, having long pauses when something happened because he didn't know who made the play or understand how to call it.

You would think he'd have the ability as a pro commentator to fill while figuring out who made the play, or just to hand smoothly over to Heal to fill the gaps, but he just left pauses or made noises a fair bit of the time.

There's a test for me with commentators, is the game better to watch with the sound down? Last night it certainly was with Hudson, as it was for Carfino doing play-by-play (but not special comments).

Hopefully Hudson knuckles down, studies, practices and improves, as Bill Woods did last season after a very shaky start.

Reply #552954 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

We need commentators who know at the very least are 1.) familiar with the sport and 2.) the league.

Without #1 as a bare minimum it is a massive fail. The problem is Fox are using their stable of staff who have nothing else to do during the offseason of eggball.

Reply #553089 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Bear - wouldn't hurt having some Americans. I think Rucker is commentating?

Watching Taipans-Hawks and CJ is AWFUL!!! argh

Reply #553126 | Report this post


hm  
Years ago

Cj Bruton isn't a commentator.... No offence meant to him

Reply #553137 | Report this post


koberulz  
Years ago

Neither of them tonight are much good at all.

Reply #553140 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Cairns had the best nbl.tv commentary team in the league last year.

I hope the app comes with switch cj off functionality.

Reply #553142 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Obviously no media training provided to CJ. At least if you aren't given any prepare beforehand note down some points you can make don't just come into it empty handed.

Barely said two words about Brisbane team when given the chance.

What is it with the media in AU it's a "she'll be right" attitude, lazy, no research etc. when clearly she won't be right.

Reply #553144 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Anon #142 true Matt Smith was a character. These Fox ppl are downgrades to the NBL.TV Cairns pair. Can't recall the main comm guy with Smith but he also knew his bball.

Reply #553145 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Also last night the team abbreviations were correct surprisingly (ADL, NZB not ADE or NZL). But sadly tonight Cairns is wrong. The standard used has always been CNS not "CAI" for Cairns. 3/8 so far.

Reply #553151 | Report this post


koberulz  
Years ago

Tom King did play-by-play in Cairns. I think Smith worked far better for NBL TV than he would in a more mainstream product, but surprised King hasn't got a gig.

Reply #553199 | Report this post


NBL Fan  
Years ago

The play by play commentator for Fox was really good tonight in my opinion. Seemed to know enough and even did some research on the past.

Reply #553210 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Tomorrow is Townsville. Hopefully not CJ. Come to think of it maybe Rucker since it is his old stomping ground. Looking forward to it if Rucker is there as he is articulate. He did the odd playoff game here and there for Fox back in the day.

Reply #553237 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Play by play commentator tonight did well with no support at all from CJ. Last night the play by play was weak but held up by Heal. Luckily last night's play by play guy and CJ weren't paired up or it would of been a disaster.

Reply #553238 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Who was tonight's play by play?

Reply #553260 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Matt Russell, NRL commentator

Reply #553262 | Report this post


paul  
Years ago

Agree Matt Russell did a solid job, hopefully more of him and less of Hudson. I also agree Tom King was excellent, would be great to see Fox and the NBL open their eyes a little and cultivate a talent like his.

Similarly with guys like Bruton and Bradtke for special comments, their previous efforts have shown they aren't great in that role yet they're being rolled out here, is it just a lack of research on Fox/NBL's behalf? Bruton needs to find some of the excitement he showed on the court and take it into the commentary box.

Reply #553276 | Report this post


NBL #1 Fan  
Years ago

Cairns v Hawks games was much better from a commentary point of view. Colour commentary of the moment goes to Shane Heal though, he is much better at it than CJ Bruton. Shane Heal knows basketball, is a very smart basketballer and has experienced all levels.

Reply #553287 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Matt Russell was atrocious. Anyone who thinks otherwise is kidding themselves. Not a caller at all and that was borne out. Either Tom King or Matt McQuade should be brought in, because at least they are knowledgeable, present well and call games very well. Oh, and CJ was awful. No surprise there.

Reply #553292 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Matt Russell was atrocious. Anyone who thinks otherwise is kidding themselves. Not a caller at all and that was borne out. Either Tom King or Matt McQuade should be brought in, because at least they are knowledgeable, present well and call games very well. Oh, and CJ was awful. No surprise there.

Reply #553293 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Think you are being harsh, the guy was left hung out to dry with CJ saying nothing.

If Matt Russell who clearly researched the league was atrocious then what was Anthony Hudson on Wednesday night?

Reply #553329 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Continually calling Jarrad Weeks 'Jordan' Weeks is clearly researching the league??? Yeah, right. Give me a break. Not to mention some of the lame sayings he was coming up with.

Reply #553352 | Report this post


paul  
Years ago

That was his only real mistake, albeit a bad one. I'll take a commentator getting one players' first name wrong in the first game over someone not knowing the league at all!

Reply #553353 | Report this post


Mark-e-Mark  
Years ago

For me, commentators are secondary to production, and the production so far has been half assed.

Reply #553374 | Report this post


NBL #1 Fan  
Years ago

Anthony Hudson is pretty good at football, so with a few more games he should be OK here.

I am disappointed that they can't get the ticker (score) working for the entire game. They can do it for the AFL, yet they can't here.

Regarding this forum, how do you go to the latest post in a thread quickly? I have to scroll down the page to the very bottom to see the latest posts.

Also, how do you add a quote from a poster when replying?

Reply #553376 | Report this post


hikikomori  
Years ago

The conversational style commentary that the nba uses is the best style of commentary for basketball. and Carfino had a little bit of that

because the key moments in basketball are in the last 2 minutes of quarters, the commentators need to have a good rapport to talk about team prospects, injury updates and season contexts as opposed to "on-the-nose" commentary.

Andrew Voss has a good way of understanding the tempo of games, he does adjust if there is a fast/ frenetic start, but he does have a conversation with the 'colour commentator' when games are in a state of stalemate

Reply #555302 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Gee, I thought the guy who did the Wildcats-NZ game in Perth last night was outstanding. Hopefully he gets a regular gig.

Reply #555722 | Report this post


Matt  
Years ago

That was Adam Papalia has called the games on radio a couple of years ago also very good AFL caller.

Reply #555726 | Report this post


paul  
Years ago

Yep, he was good, and Robbins was solid, no amazing insight but just kept it simple and did that well. I enjoyed the Hudson-Greer combo do, Hudson still with some work to do but a big improvement over opening night.

Reply #555727 | Report this post




You need to be a registered user to post from this location. Register here.



Close ads
Little Streaks - The fun and interactive good-habits app designed especially for kids.
Serio: Tourism photography and videography

Advertise on Hoops to a very focused, local and sports-keen audience. Email for rates and options.

Recent Posts



.


An Australian basketball forum covering NBL, WNBL, ABL, Juniors plus NBA, WNBA, NZ, Europe, etc | Forum time is: 7:04 pm, Fri 29 Mar 2024 | Posts: 968,026 | Last 7 days: 754