Good question!
I think Ray will do the Test match, and Mat Thompson will probably get the Mudgee game.
Mat Thompson will call the Intrust Super Cup match along with Scott Sattler and Peter Pstalis at Langlands Park when QLD play NSW.
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Do you mean City vs Country?
I donât know if itâs a new thing or not, but there is a Qld v NSW game before the City Country game. I think its the players from the NSW Cup and the Qld Cup (aka the âreserve gradeâ).
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If Rabs doesnât like flying, iâd see if Peter Pstalis was available. Of course, thatâs if Hadley leaves Nine
There are rumours that Hadley would go to Fox Sports.
I wouldnât want him on Fox Sports to call the matches as he will get into an altercation with Andrew Voss in the commentary.
KANGAROOS VS KIWIS
JILLAROOS VS KIWI FERNS
The two premier male and female rugby league nations in the world face off when Nine presents the annual ANZAC Test Match LIVE and FREE from GIO Stadium in Canberra tomorrow night.
The star-studded Australian Kangaroos will be on high alert against a New Zealand Kiwis outfit laden with attacking weapons and quietly confident of scoring an upset win against the world champions.
Nineâs exclusive test match coverage will pit Australian stars Johnathan Thurston, Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith against the New Zealand excitement machines Shaun Johnson, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Jason Taumalolo.
Channel Nine rugby league expert and former Australian captain, Darren Lockyer, believes the Kiwis will fancy their chances against the Kangaroos.
âIt should be a wet and dewy night in Canberra so I think the weather will play into the hands of the Kiwis,â said Lockyer.
âWith the slippery surface the kicking game of each halves pairing will have a major outcome on the result, and there is none better than Cooper Cronk in this department. But the Kiwis wonât be let down by Johnson and Kieran Foran, who are striking up a strong combination at club level.
âIn the opening exchanges Australia needs to shut down the Kiwi forward pack and their damaging ball runners â Taumalolo, Jesse Bromwich and Martin Taupau.â
Lockyerâs player to watch: âAndrew Fifita â after being left out last year heâll make the most of the chance given to him by Mal Meninga to wear the green and gold again.â
Straight after the Kangaroos vs Kiwis, Nine will telecast the Harvey Norman Jillaroos and Kiwi Ferns test match.
âI love calling this game every year. The girls donât hold back at all and the entertainment factor is always high when the Jillaroos meet the Silver Ferns,â Lockyer said.
Lockyerâs player to watch: âSimone Smith â she was outstanding earlier this year playing for the Indigenous Womenâs All Stars and I canât wait to see her line up at halfback on Friday night.â
Broadcast Times
Friday, May 5
Australian Kangaroos vs New Zealand Kiwis
Sydney 7.30pm LIVE on Nine
Brisbane 7.30pm LIVE on Nine
Melbourne 7.30pm LIVE on 9GEM
Adelaide 7.00pm LIVE on 9GEM
Perth 5.30pm LIVE on 9GEM
Jillaroos vs Kiwi Ferns
Sydney 10.10pm on Nine
Brisbane 10.10pm on Nine
Melbourne 10.10pm on 9GEM
Adelaide 9.40pm on 9GEM
Perth 8.10pm on 9GEM
RUGBY LEAGUE ACTION THIS WEEK ON NINE
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SIX TACKLES WITH GUS â Nineâs James Bracey talks the biggest rugby league issues of the week with NRL legend and expert commentator Phil Gould on Six Tackles with Gus.
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This week: Rep Round, City vs Country memories, and Why international test matches are good for the game. -
THE NRL FOOTY SHOW â Tonight, May 4. Fatty Vautin, Erin Molan, Beau Ryan and Darryl Brohman are back at 8.30. Laurie Daley and Billy Slater join the panel, rock bands The Screaming Jets and Baby Animals perform LIVE, and Beau hits Hollywood to chat with Amy Schumer and Goldie Hawn. Available LIVE in every city across the country on 9NOW
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SPORTS SUNDAY â Sunday, May 7, at 10.00am AEST, LIVE on Nine. Frank and open debate on all the big issues in the week of sport. This week Laura Geitz and John Steffensen join the show alongside Peter FitzSimons, Neil Breen and Emma Freedman.
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THE SUNDAY FOOTY SHOW â Sunday, May 7, at 11.00am AEST, LIVE on Nine. Our experts dissect all the representative round action on the panel with Darren Lockyer, Glenn Lazarus and Adrian Lam joining James Bracey. Fiji international Korbin Sims, Jillaroos star Sammy Bremner and City and Country Origin coaches Brad Fittler and Craig Fitzgibbon will be guests.
**Check local guides for details. Times will differ.
The Jillaroos v Kiwi Ferns match will be streamed live for subscribers of NRL Live Pass on their mobiles and tablets.
RAY WARREN AGREES TO NEW FIVE-YEAR DEAL WITH NINE
Wide World of Sports today announced a new five-year agreement with the voice of rugby league, Ray âRabsâ Warren.
This will see Warren staying with the Nine Network until the end of the current rugby league rights deal in 2022.
Announcing the agreement, Nineâs Director of Sport, Tom Malone, said: âRay Warren is an icon of sports broadcasting. He has brought us some of the greatest moments in sport for more than 50 years, and his contribution to the profile of rugby league and swimming in Australia cannot be overstated.â
Ray will provide his inimitable voice for promos and production, and contribute content across WWOS mobile platforms including columns and podcasts.
âWhile Rabs is yet to decide for how long he will continue to commentate, this new deal is recognition of his special place at Channel Nine and Wide World of Sports,â Malone said. âAt a network that invented the star system Rabs is one of our greatest, and sits alongside people like Ken Sutcliffe and Richie Benaud as someone who is synonymous with WWOS and Nine.â
Warren said: âThis is a wonderful opportunity for me remain a part of Nine even though I am undecided about the calling aspect. It was always my dream to work for Nine. I called greyhounds for them back in the 70s and then came the swimming for a decade or more, but it was rugby league where they gave me a second chance to cover the sport I love so much.
âI have been part of that coverage since 1989 and they have been good to me. For them to want me to remain a part of WWOS for another five years is very humbling.â
In typical understated Rabs style the new contract was sealed over a sausage sanga this week.
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CITY V COUNTRY FAREWELL
Sunday 7 May
Viewers will be treated to a piece of rugby league history on Sunday Football when Nine broadcasts the final City-Country clash LIVE and FREE from Mudgee in regional New South Wales.
This Sunday the last City-Country Origin game ever will feature NSW Blues hopefuls such as Matt Moylan, Tyrone Peachey and Cody Walker, along with former NSW captain Paul Gallen.
Channel Nine rugby league expert Andrew Johns, a former NSW Country halfback, is looking forward to players being given free rein to put their skills on show.
âYou can expect a really enjoyable, fast and open game with a lot of tries being scored. Neither side would have had much time to work on defence in camp so theyâll both throw caution to the wind.
âBrad Fittler will make sure the City guys enjoy the week, and the style of football he lets them play will encourage them to follow their instincts. Country coach Craig Fitzgibbon has put a major focus on embracing the regional community out west, which will have a profound effect on the players.â
Johnsâ player to watch: âAdam Elliott â he has impressed with his form lately for the Bulldogs and is a player on the up. Keep an eye out for him on his senior representative debut.â
Nineâs unprecedented LIVE and FREE Sunday Football coverage follows Sports Sunday and The Sunday Footy Show.
Broadcast Times
Sunday 7 May
Country Origin vs City Origin
Sydney 3.30pm LIVE on Nine
Brisbane 3.30pm LIVE on Nine
Melbourne 3.30pm LIVE on 9GEM
Adelaide 3.00pm LIVE on 9GEM
Perth 1.30pm LIVE on 9GEM
**Check local guides for details. Times will differ.
Looks like the five-year deal will be Ray Warrenâs last contract with Nine before retirement. Nine really, really should use the period to nurture new commentary talent instead of trying to poach callers from radio or Fox League.
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I know that Ray Warren will call Origin Game 2 in Sydney. However, he has a fear of flying to Brisbane. Not sure whether Ray or Mat will call the match 1 & 3 in Brisbane.
There is no reason why he couldnâtâ drive or get the train to Brisbane if he didnât want to fly, and he definitely has flown over the years, so we will wait and see.
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Just retire Rabs. Another fucking five year deal. Mine really donât like change do they.
LOL. He has called origin for like 20+ years and managed to get to Brisbane despite his fear of flying for over 50 games, donât see why itâs an issue right now - he will get there. Last year he caught a plane.
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Aside from the possibility of unforseen issues, I think Ray Warren is pretty much guaranteed to be commentating all three State Of Origin games this year.
As for what will happen with Nineâs commentary team after he retires (I honestly wouldnât be surprised if that happens before the new contract ends in 2022, especially given his age and recent health issues), well Iâd probably expect talent to be raided from radio or Fox League.
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Ray gets to cherry pick which games he wants to call which is good for him. I have not heard Ray on Triple m this year on the weekly 6pm show he use to host at least once a week (Rush Hour now known as Dead Set Legends)
If Nine sees Mat Thompson as the successor to Ray Warren, I think he should call at least 1 State Of Origin game this year.
I think some big match calling would benefit him, and Nine donât want to risk havig to put an inexperienced big match caller into something like SoO given Rayâs seemingly increasing reluctance to call games.
I can still see Nine buying someone in. And I know the previous history but I would not be surprised if Andrew Voss returned.
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Ratings for tonightâs Test Match should be up given no Fox simulcast.
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