gotta get that local angle you see, Sydney journos can’t cover AFL like Melbournians and visa versa
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yes, I agree, but they usually do it the other way around.
Darren Curtis flying solo this weekend in Queensland.
Tim Gilbert filled in for Ken Sutcliffe on Sydney sport tonight.
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Ken Sutcliffe, unfortunately, has been struggling lately. I think he probably needs a break and suspect that retirement is on the horizon. I hope the replacement, whenever it is Ken moves on, is either Erin Molan or Yvonne Sampson, not Tim Gilbert.
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Tim didn’t do too badly tonight though, but yes, he just doesn’t really have that on screen ‘presence’.
Nine may well be wishing that they had kept Tim Sheridan as a replacement for old “Blue Eyes from Mudgee” when he goes.
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It makes me wonder why Nine News Melbourne does not yet have a rugby league reporter, even though the Storm has been competing since 1998 and Nine has held the rugby league rights even longer.
I don’t think it would get enough coverage to warrant it.
Similarly in Sydney, Nine doesn’t often produce reports on the AFL - they are mostly voice over items towards the end of the sport segment, and I would imagine it would be the same scenario in Melbourne for Storm/NRL coverage - if that even.
I agree that Ken Sutcliffe has been showing some On-Air signs of fatigue lately and probably could do with a decent break. As for the talk of retirement, didn’t he sign a new five year deal only this year? Mind you that could be just Nine trying to avoid another Ian Ross scenario as much as possible.
In any case, can we all agree that it will be a very sad day when Kenny finally retires? He’s probably one of the most iconic sports presenters that Sydney TV news has ever seen and certainly someone that can be very strongly associated with Nine News in Sydney. Although when you get the honour of presenting alongside such Australian TV royalty as Graham Kennedy and Brian Henderson, you kind of have to become a legend or icon in your own right at some point! 
…or Cameron Williams! 
Personally, I hope either Erin Molan or Yvonne Sampson (heck, even Danika Mason) is chosen as the successor to Sutcliffe over Tim Gilbert or worse still Neil Breen. By now, I’m sure (or at least hope) that traditional Nine News Sydney viewers are willing to accept a female sports presenter on a regular basis after seeing the likes of Molan and Sampson as part of Nine’s NRL coverage and the football shows.
Obviously AFL reports dominate Nine News Melbourne sport, but do Storm reports (or any NRL reports for that matter) usually get a look-in during the regular season?
I agree with Radiohead, there wouldn’t be enough coverage/interest to warrant a fulltime Melbourne based reporter for NRL and the same with a Sydney based reporter for AFL (even though they have two local teams in Sydney vs just the one in Melbourne for NRL).
Kate Creedon presenting Monday Early News.
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isn’t that the truth - watch him on the 4pm news and it’s stuff-up after stuff-up. Has been like that for a few months
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It’s sad to watch his gradual decline,he really needs a long holiday to hopefully refresh him.
the most noticeable thing for me is his squinting when reading autocue - why not just wear glasses?
The Melbourne-based NRL reporter does not need to be full time, he or she can cover other sports as well. The reporter just needs to have excellent knowledge of rugby league.
It has been a wasted opportunity for Nine to include more NRL reports in Melbourne even after the news is extended to one hour.
Samantha Heathwood ( who I believe will become Queensland’s local news presenter for SCA) is presenting Queensland’s local Morning and Afternoon News this week.
SCA?
Southern Cross Austereo
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Where’d you hear that?
I didn’t hear it, it is just an assumption. However a few months ago a report went around, saying Heathwood is being prepped to be the next anchor for 9 News Brisbane.