I have a quick question regarding Ray Warren and the Rugby League Broadcast.
I remember Ray Warren with Peter Sterling and Fatty Vautin on Channel 9 commentating in the early 90’s( Before this Victorian got interested in RL with the Storm).
I know Ray Warren was at Channel 10 before hand but did he people colour commentator of the game like Sterlo and Fatty? and who where they?
Thanks from a Victorian that enjoy Both AFL and NRL.
When Nine had the State Of Origin rights in the 1980s, Ray was co-commentator alongside Darrell Eastlake and with Jack Gibson as expert analyst/special comments role.
Ray also called Saturday games for 10 in the early 80s, but can’t recall who else was involved in that.
When 10 had Sunday night replays from about 86 to 91, Ray was not involved in that. He still did Origin and Tests for Nine in that period, and also commentated on swimming and horse racing.
Big Darrell Eastlake. HE WAS HUUUUUUUUUUUGE.
The 12th Man’s pisstake of Big Daz was great. As was Eric Bana’s.
Was it Bill Anderson and Graeme Hughes with Ray at 10 in the early to mid 1980s?
I think Bill and Graeme were only on 10’s league coverage from 86 to 91 (along with Rex Mossop).
I’ll have a look through some old guides for more info on the early 80s coverage when I get home on Sunday.
10 had Sterlo and Wayne Pierce as well
Fatty started on ABC where he infamously said fuck live on air and got the sack, he then moved to Seven before going to Nine.
This is the Nine’s Wide World Of Sports closer from 2003.
This is the Nine’s Wide World Of Sports opener from 2005.
Think that’s my fav one from Nine
It’s a awesome opener mate.
I don’t know how true this is so correct me if i am wrong. But Ray was let go from Channel 10 cause he didn’t want to work on the Seoul Olympics coverage cause of his well documented fear of flying.
That is correct, I’m pretty sure I have an article on that at home. I’ll post it tomorrow. And I think also because Ten had a preference for Rex Mossop.
I thought it was after LA in 1984 but I’m not certain
According to this article, thats what Warren had thought:
His career progressed nicely until 1986, when Ten suddenly sacked him. “I got a tap on the shoulder and a bloke said, ‘There’s a cheque at the front office - it’s your last cheque’. I said, ‘What have I done wrong?’. He said, ‘I can’t say, but the programmers want Rex Mossop instead’. I walked out numb.”
With hindsight, Warren believes his star began to fade at Ten when he declined to go to Los Angeles to cover the 1984 Olympics. Warren had (and still has) a serious phobia about flying, and he told Ten: “I’m absolutely bloody petrified - I just can’t do it.”
I still remember Rex being stitched up on “Tonight Live With Steve Vizard” by having Julian Clary as a guest. Rex was very much “anti gay”, something you couldn’t say these days
Rex of course was in the chair for 1987 initially solo in the commentary box with Graeme Hughes on sideline (Bill Anderson was coaching Balmain that season). He then suffered a stroke in a midweek cup game in Newcastle, and from mid season Hughes joined him the box doing “special comments” with David Fordham on the sideline, before Rex was demoted to host/colour with Hughes and Ian Maurice calling for 3 seasons.
I wonder if that stroke was the reason why Rex was demoted to host/colour although he did call a few games in the 90s for Prime involving the Raiders. Was Rex also doing 2GB then too?
