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Hey CK,
What's your most memorable call of an SANFL game?


Surprised a certain North v Glenelg game at Prospect didn't make the list

PhilH wrote:Hey CK,
What's your most memorable call of an SANFL game?


Surprised a certain North v Glenelg game at Prospect didn't make the list

Haha - good point, Phil, yes that would have to be right up there.

In 2006, I was at Prospect Oval watching North v Glenelg for 5RPH (Around The Grounds), when I was advised that the RPH equipment at their match at Elizabeth was experiencing technical problems. While they were trying to get on the air at Elizabeth, I offered to call the North v Glenelg match on RPH, using my mobile phone, until they were able to get to air at Elizabeth. Bearing in mind that while I had fully charged my mobile before going to Prospect, I was there just to observe so didn't have my regular notes or books there, just a Football Budget.

To cut a very long story short, the equipment at Elizabeth never worked that day, so the team was unable to call the match there, which resulted in me calling the entire North v Glenelg match over a mobile phone at the top of a grandstand, next to the Umpires Observers (one of whom gave me soup throughout the day to keep the voice warm on a blizzardly cold day), and being fortunate that the majority of the match was played grandstand side (having not packed binoculars, which are normally among the first items packed each match).

The match was notable for then-Crows ruckman Matthew Clarke registering around 65 hitouts for Glenelg. Certainly a great learning experience, and from that match forward, the third thing packed in my bag on match day after binoculars and my daily Stats book, is a mobile phone charger.

CK - Who was the most memorable SANFL interview you've had and why?

Was this a pre-game interview with a certain Team Manager who stated his plan was to take over as Coach of his team, while the coach was standing behind him?

Big Phil wrote:CK - Who was the most memorable SANFL interview you've had and why?

When hosting the C44 (formerly C31) show “SANFL Insight” in 2006, we conducted a number of 30 minute interviews with SANFL greats of the past, as well as a couple of broadcasters who were household names. Among these were Paul Bagshaw, Lindsay Head, Ken Eustice, Peter Darley, Barrie Robran and John Cahill. To be able to speak at such length with so many gentlemen who had such a massive impact on the SANFL over such a period of time was very humbling and an amazing insight into their careers, a number of incidents that were not widely known and clarification on some urban myths about purported incidents in their time.

One of the most special was with legendary broadcaster Max Hall, who sadly passed away some weeks ago. To hear Mr Hall’s perspective on the evolution of TV and radio broadcasting from a man who had been a major facet of it in the 1960’s and 970’s was a very special time, particularly given my co-interviewer that day, Dennis Browne, had worked at length with Mr Hall in that era. Hearing two legends of broadcasting recounting stories was excellent and it was one time I largely took a back seat and allowed the guest and interviewer free rein to just talk and reminisce.

Interviewing coaches during games, when their team may be ten goals down, always presented special challenges and I I am very happy to say that in all of that time, only two coaches ever declined to be interviewed at a match break, and one went to great lengths to apologise personally after the match for their oversight. Interviewing players after a grand final win has its own joy and perspective, particularly for some players who had never won a flag before, or who had returned to SANFL in the hope of a premiership. Ben Warren in 2012 and 2013 comes to mind in this instance, seeing the sheer joy for him after leaving a South team that had failed to reach the pinnacle, then playing in a flag with Langhorne Creek before returning to SANFL, was great to see.

There have been many, many memorable post-game interviews with players and can happily say only one dropped the magic word to live TV – although in apologising for doing so, he said it again, which was fun to work through. All in all, though, a great number of good times on the interview side

Lee wrote:Was this  a pre-game interview with a certain Team Manager who stated his plan was to take over as Coach of his team, while the coach was standing behind him?

I can confirm that on a blooper reel for that season, footage exists of that interview, with a wide shot panning to reveal a grinning coach appearing in shot on cue.

While nearly all coaches are/were excellent to deal with in the interview situation, a couple really stood out for their candid nature, willingness to go the extra mile, be more than co-operative and give excellent insight before, during and after a match. Andrew Collins certainly stands high in that list, while Michael Godden, Roy Laird and Ron Fuller all presented fantastic examples of making life a lot easier for the media, even at times when the pressure cooker was right on. In saying that, the pressures of coaching would have excused many for not being at their best, but SANFL coaches, almost without exception, are outstanding for their work with dealing with the media.

C.K wrote:

Lee wrote:Was this  a pre-game interview with a certain Team Manager who stated his plan was to take over as Coach of his team, while the coach was standing behind him?

I can confirm that on a blooper reel for that season, footage exists of that interview, with a wide shot panning to reveal a grinning coach appearing in shot on cue.  

While nearly all coaches are/were excellent to deal with in the interview situation, a couple really stood out for their candid nature, willingness  to go the extra mile, be more than co-operative and give excellent insight before, during and after a match. Andrew Collins certainly stands high in that list, while Michael Godden, Roy Laird and Ron Fuller all presented fantastic examples of making life a lot easier for the media, even at times when the pressure cooker was right on. In saying that, the pressures of coaching would have excused many for not being at their best, but SANFL coaches, almost without exception, are outstanding for their work with dealing with the media.

i would think all coaches would realize in this day & age they have an obligation to the game, the competition as well as their own supporters & members & therefore do the right thing by ''selling the brand'' for all concerned

CK - If you could pick one SANFL commentator from the past to call with, who would it be and why?

Big Phil wrote:CK - If you could pick one SANFL commentator from the past to call with, who would it be and why?

Hi Phil,
That is a very tough question with many great commentators that are at mind. There were many legendary callers such as Tom Warhurst Snr, Max Hall, Wally May and a number of others who are part of SANFL folklore, but I have not heard enough of them to really comment at length on them (although Mr May could have asked “Comment, CK”, of course).

I’ve been very fortunate in calling with a number of commentators that I regard very highly in SANFL, and have relished the chance to do so, but probably the one that really stands out among those I haven’t called with, is Peter Marker. It can be very difficult for a player to step quickly from playing into a commentary role, for a variety of reasons (particularly calling/commenting on former teammates/opponents), but his style was accurate, articulate, at a very good “level” throughout and without the hysteria that does creep into some – particularly AFL – callers. As a fan, you knew it would be a very good call if it was him and Ian Day on the Big Replay on Seven. Even watching old replays now, it is really interesting to see just the difference in style back then of commentary and how some commentators call the game now.

hi CK, if a local or country league invited you to broadcast their grand finals over the local radio & if it doesn't interfere with your league commitments, would you consider it ?

Thanks for the reply, CK...

bayman wrote:hi CK, if a local or country league invited you to broadcast their grand finals over the local radio & if it doesn't interfere with your league commitments, would you consider it ?

Hi Bayman,

My apologies, I never saw this question until today - sorry for the delayed response! Yes, absolutely. Growing up in the Hills, and having played and coached in that league for ten years, it would be great to call a HFL Grand Final and as a place that remains my favorite on earth, would love to call the Kangaroo Island FL Grand Final if asked to do so.

CK, how much homework do you do before calling a game? How essential is it? Do all commentators do homework, or are some so 'experienced' they don't. If there are, does their work suffer?

Lee wrote:CK, how much homework do you do before calling a game?  How essential is it? Do all commentators do homework, or are some so 'experienced' they don't.  If there are, does their work suffer?

Hi Lee,

For the average match, around four hours at least of studying match/season/individual stats, viewing footage (to see if a player I haven't seen in a few weeks has changed boot colour, hairstyle etc, which can help pick them in a pack situation better) and making detailed notes. For me, I would not call a match without undertaking that research as it is beneficial for the audience and is only fair on those taking the time to listen to the broacast, and pays both them and the players their due respect.

I can't speak for how much preparation other commentators do, and it would not be fair for me to speculate on their methods or how they prepare for a game. Each commentator does things differently.

To a lot of people football commentating would seem to be a reasonably easy job
Some people will be  critical of a caller 
This in particular if a commentator calls the wrong player

I can understand the degree of difficulty in calling a game
To put things in perspective , we should all go to a game and view the match with the binocs
Then try and call the players involved , and see the degree of difficulty

Sometimes callers have to try and call a player from side on , a player who has mud on his number , or a player obscured by other players from a vantage point
The caller needs to make a decision on who it is , sometimes within a split second 
That callers could be so accurate so often is quite an achievement

If anyone questions a caller
Ask yourself this question
How often do you check the footy budget to see who the player is?
Yep how often do you see a guernsey number and check the form guide?
I do 

CK 
You may not want to answer this question
Whats the biggest ballsup you have made , calling the wrong player ?

Scrappy wrote:To a lot of people football commentating would seem to be a reasonably easy job
Some people will be  critical of a caller 
This in particular if a commentator calls the wrong player

I can understand the degree of difficulty in calling a game
To put things in perspective , we should all go to a game and view the match with the binocs
Then try and call the players involved , and see the degree of difficulty

Sometimes callers have to try and call a player from side on , a player who has mud on his number , or a player obscured by other players from a vantage point
The caller needs to make a decision on who it is , sometimes within a split second 
That callers could be so accurate so often is quite an achievement

If anyone questions a caller
Ask yourself this question
How often do you check the footy budget to see who the player is?
Yep how often do you see a guernsey number and check the form guide?
I do 

CK 
You may not want to answer this question
Whats the biggest ballsup you have made , calling the wrong player ?

Hi Scrappy,

No worries answering this, we all make some blues in commentary. Calling the wrong player for a goal (particularly in a night match, when it can be at the other end to a commentary box) has happened in the past, and I remember an ABC-TV game at Prospect well, an early season match of North v Glenelg, when I inadvertently called Josh Trembath kicking across his attacking goal - to a lovely mark, taken by...Josh Trembath. That was one of those where the audience could see the blue and a few Bays fans reminded me of it!

Last season, called a big hanger in a North v W/WT game at Prospect, south western pocket, and incorrectly called the wrong player taking the mark. Corrected it in time, but not before it became part of the 2014 Marks Of The Year highlights reel at the Magarey Medal. The player who actually took the grab (no names, no pack drill) did come up to me on the night, chuckling that I had allocated one of his biggest marks to a teammate. I replied that it was on the few times in his career I had seen him with both feet off the ground, which he took in good spirit.

It happens to all of us at some point and can stick in the commentator's memory for a long time, and I know I tend to focus on that error for a while after the match. As you rightly point out, however - and I think many people forget this - we are often calling play a long distance away, with guernsey numbers obscured, in pack situations and in night conditions, or very wet conditions, when there is a split second, "real time" moment to name them. We don't have the hindsight benefit of a replay, from an angle we aren't watching from. That said, it again comes back to that level of research, to try and minimise those mistakes.