Not one to savagely berate the Sky coverage but watching NRL before, the difference in commentary is so distinctive.
In the NRls coverage the main commentator is allowed to call the game and has around 70% of the time. The co-commutator only speaks when required.
On Sky Barry and Terry spend the whole game taking, having a conversation like two mates down at the pub. So annoying and makes the coverage sound amateur.
Doesn't help that the lead commentator is so poor...
Doesn’t help that the lead commentator is so poor…
Of course, you need the lead commentator to command the respect of the broadcast. At present, Barry and Tez dominate the broadcast, overpraising every player.
Said before that I always try to avoid the build up with the terrible trio Clark, Wells and Carney. The Irishman's 'a' this and 'a' that coupled with his dated 'Take it away, Jenna!' does my head in. The actual commentary is very average and, if you compare it to the streamed games that we had, really suffers. Don't particularly like Tony Rea because he doesn't like Widnes but his tactical pointers and pointing out clever plays makes the game more interesting.
Barry and Tez just got in at the right time. If Pryce had got in before them they wouldn't have got a job!
The NRL is typically sharp, pointing out tactics where appropriate.
Don't need 3 commentators.
Don't do it in football and it works fine; even Sky Cricket have 2 commentators at one time rather than 3.
Wouldn't do any harm to Sky to split up Barrie and Terry or use them in the studio or for features.
There are pundits on the NRL won more than the sky team put together. The call of 'falcon' is the greatest thing ever.
The Oz commentators and pundits are light years ahead of Sky. I like Barrie and Terry and am interested in their views on the game but that doesn't mean I like their input to the commentary. It should be one lead commentator and one expert/pundit in the box. I mean, I don't expect every commentator to be a Ray Warren, but it would be nice to have some getting somewhere near that level, the current crop are miles away.
It's a pity Andrew Voss doesn't fancy a year sabbatical over here - I'd probably pay more to Sky if they did that, I still remember fondly his stints with Brian Noble at the World Cup years back.
Back at the start of the year I bought a few of those our league weekend passes and watched a lot of games. Whilst the commentary wasn't the most professional (to say the least), I actually enjoyed it more that Sky. Not saying we want that sort of approach on National TV, but the fact that I preferred it, even whilst knowing it was fairly amateur, says all you need to know about the Sky crew. They really should do better.
I think the Sky commentary team and ‘experts’ are of the opinion that they have ‘a job for life’ and are just going through the motions most of the time.
A bit of a shake up in personnel wouldn’t be out of place imho, although given Sky’s apparent waning interest in SL a lifetime job might only be another 3 years or so.
I love Ray Warren and Peter Stirling as a team. I remember a forward called Matt Hilder playing for Cronulla, I think it was and Sterlo saying to Ray Warren, ‘His mates call him Waltzing’ and Ray Warren saying something like ‘Why’s that ?’ About half a second before he cottoned on.
Got to agree re- Warren and Sterlo! A double act indeed.
Remember someone asking what made Freddie Fittler so good and someone (iirc it was Sterlo) said 'have you seen the size of his a**e ? You can't get hold of him!'
No apology for language of course.
I thought Sterlo had been given the bullet? Am sure I read somewhere he was gone/going in favour of some younger analysts.
Seems to have been 'retired' along with Rabbits.