Favourite Pundits

[Loobs]

Watching the game yesterday and hearing Pennis say AFB had too much grub in his game got me thinking about my most and least liked pundits or commentators. I don't watch FTA so mine will skew Foxsports heavy, but regardless, here are mine:

Favourite

• Warren Smith - best caller of a game
• Brandy - best pundit
• Brett Finch - taken a real shine to Finchy's work. Best self deprecating sideline guy. "Former Newcastle ball boy..."

Least

• Hodges - can barely speak
• Ennis - complete lack of self awareness
• Walters - offers very little other than Queensland bias

 

[Disco]

Agree with your 3

On free to air I like Fittler, not that he is particularly good, he is just a likeable guy.

I like Matty Johns when he seriously talks footy, not so much his comedy

I also like Kent haha, going to cop it here

 

[chuckee]

Agree with your list. Brandy is by far the best pundit in rugby league. Talks sense and is unbiased as well as being a genuine nice guy.

You can add Corey Parker and Danny Buderus to your list of crap.
Parker just states the obvious and tries too hard to be liked. And as good of a bloke Buderus is, he sounds like he’s having a chat down at the pub and will add nothing insightful.

 

[Waz13]

Agree with your 3

On free to air I like Fittler, not that he is particularly good, he is just a likeable guy.

I like Matty Johns when he seriously talks footy, not so much his comedy

I also like Kent haha, going to cop it here

Kent can be a prize w***** at times but I do like how he sinks the boot into the nrl every chance he gets

 

[Ranga]

Warren Smith, Brandy, Braith and Finchy are the A-Team. The rest fall away pretty markedly, although I don’t mind Vossy at times.

I like Kenty too. He says what he thinks although I disagree often. He isn’t interested in being Todd’s lackey, so he gets credit from me for that. I like listening to Paul Crawley too.

Parker and Noddy are flogs.

And Foxsports, I plead with you, please do not have former commentators commentating their former teams! It completely ruins the experience, even when watching neutral games. Only Brandy, Braith and Finchy are professionals and capable of objectivity.

 

[Sue]

Agree totally with that lot. Ennis is a strange one. He has really good insight but comes up with stuff like the AFB call that given his past sounds ridiculous.

He said the Panthers were way overrated before a ball kicked, questioned the wrap on Cleary and said the Cowboys woukd struggle as no speed out wide. Knows his stuff but every now and then he reminds you he is a dickhead.
Finch is great. Good insight despite the class clown. That’s why Nine and Fox stood by him with all the rehab stuff. Braith and Brandy real pros.

 

[BOZO]

Agree with your 3

On free to air I like Fittler, not that he is particularly good, he is just a likeable guy.

I like Matty Johns when he seriously talks footy, not so much his comedy

I also like Kent haha, going to cop it here

Kent can be Ok . He has his moments

 

[stoodamire]

I dislike Walters, Slothfield, Roach and Parker.

They can't pronouce Trbojevic. It ****s me to tears.

They job is to commentate the game and pronouce players names. It's not like Trbojevic is some obscure player either.

Clearly shows those above take no time out to actually improve in their profession. Such a boys club.

 

[Loobs]

Yeah Braith is an honourable mention for the fave list.

PK is good value. He hates everything so there is usually something you can get on board with haha

 

[SeaEagle21]

For a QLD'r i think Ben Ikin is pretty good. But Smith, Brandy and Braith are the best from the bunch.

 

[Ranga]

Agree totally with that lot. Ennis is a strange one. He has really good insight but comes up with stuff like the AFB call that given his past sounds ridiculous.

He said the Panthers were way overrated before a ball kicked, questioned the wrap on Cleary and said the Cowboys woukd struggle as no speed out wide. Knows his stuff but every now and then he reminds you he is a dickhead.
Finch is great. Good insight despite the class clown. That’s why Nine and Fox stood by him with all the rehab stuff. Braith and Brandy real pros.

The thing with Ennis is that he genuinely tries and is a thinker. The problem is that he has a credibility problem because we all remember Ennis the player!

The guy who I reckon will be a great commentator/pundit when he retires is Benji. He says it as he sees it.

 

[maxta]

Most push their own agenda and Ennis is a great example...he is like a dog with a bone and keeps reiterating his point like the audience is stupid.
Generally will talk about the players who are in the position they were as players and the amount of times he is on about "Ruck recognition"....must have repeated it 64 times in 5 minutes....yes we get it - the dummy half needs to recognize his surroundings.....he is the hypocrite from hell also, talking about players interacting with the crowd, back chatting refs, sledging opposition - Ennis made a career out of this and now points the finger of judgement at players who are out of line - Ennis must have no mirrors at home !!

 

[mickqld]

I actually think that Gasnier has improved as a commentator. Still hard to understand at times. Smith and Brandy are top, Finch, Braith ,Vossy are ok. Can't stand anyone on Ch Nein except Fatty and maybe Billy if it's not the Purple scum or Donkeys playing but that's a rarity on Ch Nein Fri night. Parker, Pennis, Tallis, Noddy are just dribblers.

 

[Tomay]

Brandy and Warren are the best. Finch and Braith are ok given how pathetic the rest of the field is. I don’t mind Vossys enthusiasm. Sterlo is equal to Brandy.

As much as I dislike him, billy slater appears to have some potential - he knows the game well and breaks things down coherently. Andrew Johns can be the same sometimes, but he definitely has an agenda and always sounds depressed.

Heard once from someone at channel 9 that Freddy is a nightmare to work with, he also seems to be a bit off sometimes.

 

[Disco]

I forgot Sterlo......have a lot of time for Sterlo

 

[R3]

Yeah Braith is an honourable mention for the fave list.

PK is good value. He hates everything so there is usually something you can get on board with haha

Spot on, Braith has proven himself now. He wasn’t a natural straight away but he seems more comfortable and settled now that he’s gained more experience

Kenty is my favourite. It’s impossible to agree with every other person (including fellow Manly supporters) but PK’s as ruthless, unbiased, passionate and impartial as any man can practically be in Rugby League. To me his heart bleeds Rugby League and he’s ‘one of the good ones’ involved in the game

 

[Ralphie]

Spot on, Braith has proven himself now. He wasn’t a natural straight away but he seems more comfortable and settled now that he’s gained more experience

Kenty is my favourite. It’s impossible to agree with every other person (including fellow Manly supporters) but PK’s as ruthless, unbiased, passionate and impartial as any man can practically be in Rugby League. To me his heart bleeds Rugby League and he’s ‘one of the good ones’ involved in the game

I love that I’m taller than Kent

 

[Shoe1]

I love noddy and soward

 

[MissKate]

I read somewhere last week that ennis is the untouchable golden child. Apparently on that professo’s show they took the p*ss out of him being a total hypocrite re his comments about AFB, he and his manager complained and the show got pulled up and told to lay off him. Precious much

 

[Shoe1]

The telegraph’s “reporter at large” Phil Rothfield is well respected and insightful.