Anonymous
Years ago

NBL Commentary Team

Shane Heal, Corey 'Homicide' Williams, Shawn Redhage, Jenni Screen, Cam Tragardh and Jeff Van Groningen.

Dwayne Russell, Anthony Hudson, Matt Russell, John Casey, Liam Santamaria, Lachy Reid, Louise Ransome, Candy Hertz, Seb Costello, Cam Luke, Jack Heverin and Peter Hooley, will also be part of the commentary team.

There’s a bunch in here that are shocking picks. Cam Luke is horrendous, and we get the two Russell’s and Hudson again?? Awful. Interesting no Rosen, no Worthington, no Forman and no Strempel.

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Jack Toft  
Years ago

Some of those guys "have a head for radio"

I thought Oscar Forman did an excellent job being a recently retired player and gave a lot of insights. Brett Maher hasn't done it for a few years but he was great when he did too.

No BT, but I wonder if they plan to have a BT style "roving reporter" going into the locker rooms and in the stands?

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Anon16  
Years ago

Gaze there as well. And no Carfino.

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A.  
Years ago

I love watching the NBL but I can just can not listen to Dwayne Russel commentating, he is a basketball Idiot.
Please NBL, don't bring Dwayne Russel back.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Second that^^ both Russell's are a stain to our sport

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cosby  
Years ago

Geez Dwanyne and Matt Russell are both terrible. Will be as unbearable as those first ever ads. Where is Gazey and carfino?

Reply #765206 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Heal isn't much better

Reply #765207 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Wow no Rosen as well. He has been there for a while. I like his insight and knowledge. What is going on with all these changes????

Reply #765208 | Report this post


Rod  
Years ago

My A Team would be Casey Heal Gaze and Liam Santa on the sidelines

Reply #765209 | Report this post


cosby  
Years ago

A roaming brian segmant would be great but not sure who could do it like BT. I mean corey homicide williams is cringey enough in simple after game interviews.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Who the hell has picked this team. Some Of these names are ridiculous. No Rosen, Carfino and even Worthington who are all bloody good

WTF is going on.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

I look forward to several commentary whinging threads throughout the season.

Reply #765213 | Report this post


Justin  
Years ago

Matt Russell is woeful

Reply #765214 | Report this post


ME  
Years ago

Yeah, we really need more Matt Russell reminding us of things that have or haven't happened in history. Massive eye roll. He pissed me off majorly at the world cup

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Ben  
Years ago

I don't know half the people listed in that secondary group.

Happy with no Rosen/Wortho. No Carfs is strange though.

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AngusH  
Years ago

I'd like to have seen Carfino. Lots of names there I'd rather not listen to, but some good ones too - glad to have Gaze as a commentator rather than coach of my team, in particular!

Oscar was a natural and seems like a lock at a commentary gig if that's something he wants to do. I also thought Josh Garlepp did a good job when I've seen/heard him do various gigs and he'd maybe be another fresh injection of talent into the commentary pool at some stage.

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Rich  
Years ago

I assume by the press release that the commentary will be from the Melbourne broadcast hub off a TV??

Only the sideline reporter will be at the arena??

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Wortho is the biggest omission, Carfino as well. We need insightful commentary not screamers and boys club members. I don't get it, so many advancements in nbl but still so many bad commentators.

Please make Gaze do most of the games. Send Heal to Perth.

Reply #765230 | Report this post


Luuuc  
Years ago

Please don't send Heal here

Reply #765232 | Report this post


koberulz  
Years ago

Nobody will be sent here. The commentary will be done from a studio in Melbourne.

What an utterly idiotic move.

Reply #765233 | Report this post


Luuuc  
Years ago

Now really doesn't feel like the time to be taking a big backward step in the broadcast production. That sucks.

Reply #765234 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

"With the exception of NZ games, all games during the 2019/20 Hungry Jack's NBL Season will be broadcast from a new centralised hub in Melbourne. The hub will enable the NBL and new production partner IMG to deliver an enhanced production and better broadcast experience for all NBL fans."

Read, we don't want to pay to fly people around the country, so we're flying them to Melbourne to commentate off a TV screen.

Reply #765235 | Report this post


koberulz  
Years ago

I look forward to a lot more of the "I'm not sure what the call is, the referee is out of shot" that we constantly got during the World Cup.

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Rich  
Years ago

Bit of a disappointment but can understand as they are paying for all production costs. SBS and ESPN are not providing any funds for this.
Quite a few of the commentators listed already based in Melbourne.

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Luuuc  
Years ago

Quite a few of the commentators listed already based in Melbourne.

I would hope so. It'd kinda defeat the purpose of the system if they had to fly commentators from all over the country to the "hub"

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KET  
Years ago

That is most definitely a huge step back - commentators feed off the atmosphere.

Silly, silly, silly. It's very very obvious when commentators aren't at the stadium. Networks have tried this BS for Winter Olympics etc.

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Rich  
Years ago

Does seem illogical tho if Lachie Reid and Shawn Redhage fly into Melbourne to call a game from Perth Arena

Reply #765241 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Surely the commentators will be in the stadium for the Perth games. Doesn't make sense to fly Lachy to Melbourne

Reply #765242 | Report this post


KET  
Years ago

Surely they can manage some home-based commentary?

John Casey/Brett Maher in Adelaide?
Lachy Reid/Redhage in Perth?
Heal/Carf/Huddo in Sydney?
Russell/Gaze in Melbourne?

etc etc

Reply #765243 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Is huddo from Sydney or Melbourne?

Reply #765244 | Report this post


Rich  
Years ago

Anthony Hudson from Melbourne

Reply #765245 | Report this post


Perthworld  
Years ago

Heal and Homicide headline the list. That really says it all - how awful.

Wortho gone is great but apart from him all the other spuds kept their gigs.

The AFL and NRL drongos remain.

JvG oh how awesome (sigh) - another massive ego who will keep reminding us what he has done in his NBL executive career. Argh.

Heal will probably commentate daily if there is no travel requirement. Got to pay those bills.

This is the #1 area NBL are regressing in. Such a shame.

Reply #765250 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Wortho and Rosen are glaring omissions.

Heal.... well, clearly the NBL is willing to turn a blind eye...

Reply #765258 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Rosen is a massive loss. You can tell he has no agenda and just calls the game the way it is (like Tragarh)

My non basketball fanatics loves his calls as he explains it and does not sound like a tool. Massive loss

Sounding like job for the boys

Reply #765260 | Report this post


rjd  
Years ago

Will they at least be in the stadium for the Melbourne games?

If I were the NBL, I'd put Casey, Gaze and Heal together as often as possible.

How is Dwayne Russell on the list? The only situation I can think to use him again is if he is volunteering his services. I take that back, dead air performs better as a commentator than him.

Reply #765263 | Report this post


Mimas987  
Years ago

They aren't getting any money for the broadcast deal, and this is the result. Loeliger trumpeted that the commentary team would be 'a dedicated basketball commentary team' and what do we get? The same old same old, with three football guys, none of whom are any good at calling the game, two egomaniacs in Shane 'to be able to' Heal and Corey Williams and a bunch of second-raters including Cam Luke, who was dreadful at the Blitz. You'll have the callers in-studio and then people on the ground in every city as sideline commentators, presumably (e.g. Lachy and Shawn wouldn't be calling games from Perth as such, they'd be doing sideline plus pregame and postgame interviews). This whole thing is a massive step backwards no matter how they try and spin it.

Reply #765264 | Report this post


koberulz  
Years ago

They aren't getting any money for the broadcast deal, and this is the result.
The NBL hasn't got money for a broadcast deal since what, 2010?

Reply #765265 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

They have the right to re prioritise their spending. I will reserve judgement until I have seen the results. It might turn out to be smart budgeting.

Reply #765266 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

"They have the right to re prioritise their spending. I will reserve judgement until I have seen the results. It might turn out to be smart budgeting."

Yeah, I don't think it will make a big difference to the average viewer. The World Cup commentary was fine.

Reply #765267 | Report this post


Perthworld  
Years ago

If I were the NBL, I'd put Casey, Gaze and Heal together as often as possible.

Bring back the old school Fox Sports combo of Casey, Carfino and Gaze and have them do at least three games a week.

Reply #765269 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

I'm not against what they are doing, just who has missed out and some of the same old losers. JVG, what’s he know about basketball, other than salary cap rort back in the old times and being good mates with Gaze.

Reply #765270 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

"Bring back the old school Fox Sports combo of Casey, Carfino and Gaze and have them do at least three games a week."

This is the problem with hard-core fans. They just want to like it was "back in my day" and aren't willing to move with the times.

Reply #765272 | Report this post


KET  
Years ago

I'm a little concerned we haven’t heard about who’s broadcasting the nba x nbl

Reply #765273 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

"I'm not against what they are doing, just who has missed out and some of the same old losers. JVG, what's he know about basketball, other than salary cap rort back in the old times and being good mates with Gaze."

Not knowing much about the subject matter is a near pre-requisite to be a TV pundit. It makes it more interesting.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

It's strange not having the commentators at the game but it might be a good thing maybe less screaming into the mic (cam Luke) and less distractions. The broadcast team can’t be any worse than last year can it?
Who would be better at the commentary job?

Let’s just get this season started already

Reply #765275 | Report this post


Perthworld  
Years ago

My idea was more about having a recognisable core team rather than a hodge podge of characters.

On budget. If money's too tight to mention why not downsize back to two commentators per game rather than three plus a sideline reporter? They've doubled the amount of personnel for no improvement. It worked for over two decades on Fox Sports with Casey and Carfino paired up with the latter leaving the commentary seat at the end of each period to interview a player on-camera. When playoffs began they would add a third commentator like Gaze, sometimes a current player who got knocked of contention to provide a current opinion.

Just downsize the amount of people rather than calling games from a booth.

Reply #765276 | Report this post


koberulz  
Years ago

I wonder if it's about wanting to do a studio pre-game/half time show without needing to have two crews.

Reply #765279 | Report this post


Zodiac  
Years ago

Or makes it easier to send the feed into the US allowing them to put American commentators voices over the top of it. It's a cost cutting exercise for the most part which isn't good.

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AngusH  
Years ago

Good point re: making it easier to put other commentary teams over the top. Maybe a little cost cutting was also in order to help the league foot the bill for Ball, Hampton, and the other rising stars.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

"This is the problem with hard-core fans. They just want to like it was "back in my day" and aren't willing to move with the times."

I'm in my 20s: the recent additions like Corey and Russell's X2 are HORRIBLE! Nothing "back in my day" about it, just idiots with a microphone.

I'd happily listen to Gaze and Casey for SA/East coast games and Lachy Reid for WA.

Reply #765284 | Report this post


Greggo  
Years ago

How would it make it any easier to put different commentary over the top?

Reply #765286 | Report this post


PeterJohn  
Years ago

Greggo - maybe you aren't relying on the commentators' mikes for the crowd and other stadium sounds? i.e., you can cut out the local commentary without also losing live stadium background.

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koberulz  
Years ago

They don't use commentary mics for crowd audio anyway - the commentary mics aren't supposed to pick up the crowd which is why the headsets allow them to hear each other. They can show highlights and replays without the commentary that accompanied them at the time, so it should be trivial to cut in other commentators.

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Zodiac  
Years ago

It's not trivial though if you're actively trying to appeal to the US market as the NBL is currently doing. Americans often say they find our accents hard to understand so rather them putting them off maybe part of the idea is to allow them to put American voices over the top of the feed to make it more palatable for them.

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koberulz  
Years ago

I have no idea what you think I meant, so I'm not sure how to clarify it. Clearly you've completely misunderstood though.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

"How would it make it any easier to put different commentary over the top?"

The package from the stadium is going to be produced in the studio, rather than the usual way of producing from an onsite OB van with commentary included. This means the package without commentary can more easily be passed to various broadcasters without commentary, which then becomes an add-on.

Reply #765305 | Report this post


KET  
Years ago

Shane Heal - Controversially a tick for colour commentary & panel expert
Corey 'Homicide' Williams - Cross, if necessary, panel expert
Shawn Redhage - Cross, not a fan
Jenni Screen - Newbie, jury out
Cam Tragardh - Cross, sorry trigger
Jeff Van Groningen - Another cross
Dwayne Russell - Controversially, a tick as anchor commentary, albeit annoying
Anthony Hudson - Tick for anchor commentator
Matt Russell - Controversial tick as anchor commentator
John Casey - x1000 tick, plz be anchor commentator and anchor on panel show, do everything please
Liam Santamaria - Tick for expert commentator, panel expert
Lachy Reid - Tick for commentary anchor
Louise Ransome - Tick for courtside coverage, panel host
Candy Hertz - Newbie, jury out
Seb Costello - Tick
Cam Luke - Tick for panel show, cross for commentary
Jack Heverin and Peter Hooley - Juries out
Gaze - Tick

Disappointed to be missing:

Abbey Gelmi (I know she's doing cricket, still disappointing though)
Steve Carfino
James Harvey
Brett Maher
Rupert Sapwell

Wish NBL would pay massive amounts of money for a token few games:
DENNIS COMMETTI

Reply #765306 | Report this post


Ben  
Years ago

+1 Abbey Gelmi / James Harvey.

Just realised no Simon Kerle. I really liked him, spoke well enough and always spoke his mind rather than sitting in fence.

Reply #765308 | Report this post


Hoopie  
Years ago

I don't believe the NBL hierarchy really cares about the fans any more - it’s all about selling the 'product’ for maximum profits.

Either the commentators selected were available and cheap, or available ‘characters’ to stir people’s interest (for good or for bad). Plus, you need a few anchors who are the face of basketball, such as Gaze and Heal who everyone in Oz and the US know.
I expect that the better commentators probably priced themselves out of the market.

Perthworld, for once I agree totally with your thoughts.


And I consider BT a bigger f@#kwit than any of the Russell’s. He used to play - I’m sure I played summer comp against him - but when he commentated alongside Gaze, all he wanted to see was biffo, and he’d complain about players who played by the rules.

Reply #765340 | Report this post


Mark  
Years ago

commentators need to be at the court side commentating ! That's what they are for.
To describe and explain the games closeup without relying solely on tv views.

Reply #765347 | Report this post


ME  
Years ago

"I don't believe the NBL hierarchy really cares about the fans any more - it's all about selling the 'product’ for maximum profits."

To say the NBL doesn't care about its fans is kind of ludicrous. You're talking about an organisation that makes absolutely no money yet, run by a man who invests millions of his own money. What are you suggesting they do care about if not the fans - fans who should actually be thankful we even have a league at this point. If you cast your mind back 4 years we were on life support. They're not just selling the 'product' for maximum profits. They're selling the 'product' to merely break even on the millions of their own money they've spent so that people like you can complain about something as petty as where commentary happens from.

"Disappointed to be missing:

Abbey Gelmi (I know she's doing cricket, still disappointing though)
Steve Carfino
James Harvey
Brett Maher
Rupert Sapwell"

Yes, Abbey Gelmi is just lovely to see on camera with her big, beaming smile. Definitely a character that is missed. Carfino used to cop a lot of crap so it's interesting how the tides have turned in his favour among the basketball community in his absence.

---


As far as I understand it there is meant to be sideline reporters for these games as well as the commentary anyway. If the NBL needs to cut some costs to bring this product to more people, then so be it. Most people didn't love the commentary before so I am not sure what is being missed if you also don't love it now. I agree we could all do with less Russells and Hudsons, but if we move completely away from footy commentators what are we left with, Matt McQuade saying "WROAOWOAOWAORW" after an open Cam Gliddon lay up, or a bunch of regional ex NBL TV nerds nerding up the place?

I expect the production value on these games will take another step up with ESPN. We're getting more pre and post game content. And we're getting more games LIVE on FTA then we ever have had in history. Be glad you're in the position to complain about exactly where the commentators are.

Reply #765363 | Report this post


Hoopie  
Years ago

ME

I'll concede on the maximum profits versus breaking even or even trying to recoup losses, but I disagree that LK is trying to satisfy hard-core fans. Do you think he’s setting up eXciting stuff such as NBL vs NBA to please the true fans, or is it to just sell to a bigger TV audience regardless of who’s actually watching?

As for what LK has done in the last 4 years, thank god that he’s been so generous with his time and his money. He’s brought me back to live games and watching it on TV, which is why I want to see the game sold well through competent commentators and quality production, not taking the cheap & nasty approach. If I have to choose between a dying NBL and one run on the smell of an oily rag, of course I’ll go for the cheap version, but only if it really needs to come to that.

Reply #765371 | Report this post


KET  
Years ago

Apparently they have broadcast deals in Europe and Asia, wonder what they are

Reply #765377 | Report this post


ME  
Years ago

We haven't even heard the commentary yet to judge it. I don't see it being much different to before. And I'm not even sure if it's the commentary that is based just in Melbourne and not just the producing and editing.

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Red84  
Years ago

Can people give examples of GOOD bball commentators - whether they be overseas based or local; past or present?

Reply #765384 | Report this post


KET  
Years ago

Clinton Grybas, Dennis Cometti, John Casey, Mike Breen

Boom.

Reply #765386 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

I've never understood the John Casey hype. He has some quirky phrases, but they wear thin after a while, and aside from that he just spits out random stats about FT %’s or whatever he thinks is relevant.

Reply #765392 | Report this post


KET  
Years ago

Is it hype or are you just a hater?

Perspective, perspective

Reply #765395 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

So everyone needs to know that commentators will be at every game. They won't be calling the games from a screen in Melbourne. The game will be produced from Melbourne. Not once does it say in that article that they will be commentating the game in Melbourne. What will be happening is there will be a hub in Melbourne that produces it all and packages it in a way that is uniform with graphics etc to match every game. Having commentators at the game is still happening. It is more cost effective to have local callers at the game. Every game has commentators there courtside.

I have spoken to one of the interstate callers and this is true

Can’t believe people in the thread have got this so wrong.

Reply #765396 | Report this post


KET  
Years ago

There is also a guy in Perth that has commentated the SBL for a while who is pretty good. He did the SBL Grandfinals this year but can't recall his name?

Reply #765397 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

"Is it hype or are you just a hater?"

It's both. I don't like him, for reasons listed above, so I don't understand what people think he brings to the table.

Reply #765398 | Report this post


ME  
Years ago

KET, I thought that was the case. Good clarification.

Reply #765406 | Report this post


KET  
Years ago

Haha that wasn't me, someone playing a nickname stealing prank

Reply #765434 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

"So everyone needs to know that commentators will be at every game."

"Can't believe people in the thread have got this so wrong."

If this is the case it is welcome news, but rest assured the NBL's original plan was to have the callers in the studio in Melbourne. They got push back from a number of the guys they wanted to commentate who didn't like the idea, so hopefully that has swung their decision back to common sense.

Reply #765437 | Report this post


koberulz  
Years ago

They won't be calling the games from a screen in Melbourne. The game will be produced from Melbourne. Not once does it say in that article that they will be commentating the game in Melbourne
Brad Rosen and Lachy Reid have both specifically said all commentary will be done from Melbourne.

Reply #765438 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Thought Garlepp was good at Perth games

Reply #765440 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

I have a handy tip for NBL commentators. The ring is a thing. Therefore when the ball slams into the ring before going through the net that's not "nothing but net" it is "a thing then net". Perth rings are especially rattly and even have their own microphones so there is no excuse for missing it.

A real nothing but net is a sweet sweet sound and deserves to be celebrated. Please understand the words spewing from your mouths.

Reply #767482 | Report this post


Roy Gilbert  
Years ago

It is extremely difficult watching NBL games on TV when Jenni Screen is in the main commentary team. Her voice is so irritating, so nasal (she speaks through her nose rather than her mouth). Yesterday I had to turn the TV off. i couldn't stand her screeching voice any longer. Please make the necessary adjustment.

Reply #786335 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

"Please make the necessary adjustment."
"Yesterday I had to turn the TV off."

It sounds like you already did.

Reply #786336 | Report this post




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