Opinion AFL Commentary 2026

[austinnn]

		Being a sadsack, I spent a couple of hours reflecting on the AFL commentators we have this year. I asked Chat GPT to create a list of them so sorry if it's incomplete. I erased the names I didn't know and gave the remaining ones a score out of 5, 5 being the best, plus a little summary. Agree, disagree, ignore, whatever...
		Play-by-Play Callers
Gerard Whateley	5	The Gold Standard. His voice harks back to the black and white era of commentary, his vocabulary in the heat of play-by-play is unrivalled, he is adept at staying interesting and focused in low action moments, as well as glazing during the hero moments. It's a pity his more long-form opinion stuff is so unbearable.
Brian Taylor	4	I used to hate this guy, but his funny over-articulation and bat-shit nuffie-ness during pressure moments has won me round. A bit clueless, but a guilty pleasure to listen to.
Alister Nicholson	4	Like Whateley, an old-timey radio voice. Doesn't do anything wrong, usually keeps it pretty simple and not about him.
Leigh Montagna	3.5	One of the best of the up-and-comers, it's rare that you get ex-players go for the play-by-play role, he does it pretty well, capable of astute analysis, quick thinker, just wish he wouldn't SHOUT ALL THE TIME.
Jack Riewoldt	3.5	I really don't mind him; I think he's still learning, probably at the stage David King was at first, but I disagree with the general consensus that he's painful to listen to. He is at the least articulate and seems capable of analysis.
Matt Hill	3.5	He's a newcomer, but he's got the timbre right. Can he please please please expand his vocabulary? I'm sick to the back teeth of hearing him tell me two players are "in concert" like he thinks it makes him an academic.
Dwayne Russell	3	If Dennis Cometti was the Salvador Dali of AFL commentary, D'Wayne might be the Jeff Koons; he may lack the artistry and subtlety of the master, but he is such a prolific punster and as a man who tends to play with words myself, I appreciate his fanatic imagination. He has a very annoying boorish voice but he gets the calls right most of the time, and age seems to have worn off a lot his hubris. Like BT a bit of a guilty pleasure.
Kelli Underwood	3	Getting better. I don't mind her overdone Strine to be fair, it seems pretty authentic. Everyone's had an "Orange Team" moment, and I've heard plenty of callers refer to a team by their colours, I think it's just that because she's a woman, some blokes think that she's some ditz who doesn't even know anything about the sport.
Corbin Middlemas	3	To be honest, I barely recall his work, but that's probably a good thing. Seems OK most of the time.
Hamish McLachlan	3	Not a massive fan, pretty irrelevant and not a fan of his shouty-ness, but there's worse
James Brayshaw	2	Just an artless shouter with little insight.
Anthony Hudson	1	My least favourite by a country mile. After all these years, he still doesn't sound authentic at all; he's like a upper middle-class suburbanite trying to sound manly and working class, it's pretty sad. He blathers on and on, his timing is terrible, tries to gee himself up, constantly screaming to create iconic moments all the time and is just an old downer in general. Plus he has nothing but distain for the Saints. Time to give it away, Huddo.
		Special Comments
David King	5	Has blossomed from the shadows of the clueless biased old moaner he started off as to become the most insightful analysts in the AFL media today. Still got the naggy voice and can sometimes come off as one of those Brereton types who just wants to tell you how sophisitcated his read on the game is, but he generally gets to the heart of the matter and explains it pretty well.
Jason Dunstall	4.5	A distinguished older voice who knows his role and isn't insecure enough to beat you over the head with his wisdom; nevertheless, like King he reads the game very well. Can also be quite effusive and loves to celebrate the good things in the game, can be fun. Says some obvious stuff and can get distracted with the "in my day" schtik the ex-players tend to chuckle about.
Nathan Buckley	4.5	A pretty switched on and focused reader of the game, haven't disagreed with much of what he's said in game. Balanced, not that entertaining, but that's not his role.
Dermott Brereton	4.5	Another one I've come to respect, he does have a lot of interesting insight into the game, and was the first to use that exaggerated inflection to highlight his point so well, but waffles a fair bit and not as smart as he thinks he is, and goes on with the blokey stuff a bit. His grudging love for the Saints borders on patronising us, typical for a smug Hawthorn person I guess, but he's got that Frankston larrakin deep inside which warms the heart, and he obviously still loves the game.
Adam Simpson	4	In terms of coaching insight, they don't come much fresher, and he is pretty good at getting his point across. A little undynamic.
Matthew Richardson	4	I've always had a soft spot for Richo, something about his earnest deadpan delivery cracks me up.
Nick Riewoldt	4	Pretty knowledgable and capable without really getting too deep into the technical side.
Garry Lyon	3.5	Mostly fair and does the blokey stuff well, can ramble on sometimes.
Ken Hinkley	3.5	He's not bad, nothing amazing, but a good insight into player and coach mentalitiy. Analysis not always considered or astute, but not a bad listen.
Nick DalSanto	3.5	He's getting there, his tendency to try to be funny or do the Brereton/Ling exaggeration grates, but he's pretty cluey.
Luke Hodge	3	Not wrong that often, but not really that insightful either.
Joel Selwood	2	Sounds like a bit of a dummy sometimes but he's still an apprentice.
Jonathan Brown	2	His voice is quite annoying and craps on a bit, not much to say except the usual nostalgic blokey twaddle
Jobe Watson	2	Insight of a crosseyed pigeon but doesn't have an annoying voice at least. He gets so much wrong though, it's frustrating to listen to like a kid that still hasn't stopped shitting himself at age 12.
Cameron Ling	2	Temu Brereton, tried to copy the exaggerated highlight style, but doesn't really have the insight to carry it off; annoying voice
Jordan Lewis	1.5	Ugh, someone once told him he was smart and he believed it.
Brad Johnson	1.5	A basic dummy treading water in front of a microphone, got better recently but offers nothing you couldn't get from a aus-kicker if you asked them.
Josh Jenkins	1	a dumbcnt who is trying to follow the Kane Kornes model of shock jockery and is frankly left flailing.
		Expert / Studio Analysis
Tom Hawkins	3.5	A promising newcomer, he seems to read the game well and is capable of speaking simply but articulately.
Daisy Pearce	3.5	Again, I don't agree with the general consensus that she doesn't know what she's talking about, I think she keeps it pretty simple and not technical, but she seems to think strategically.
Dale Thomas	3.5	I like his calls, got a good voice and is upbeat and lively.
Ruby Schleicher	3.5	Generally fine, can't say I remember much about her but she seems to get the tone right whenever I've heard her.
Eddie Betts	2.5	Not a massive fan of his insights, I think he's got the gig because he's a great bloke, but I can't say his read on the game has ever impressed me and doesn't have a great voice for broadcasting.
Campbell Brown	2	His contributions don't have much value beyond a bit of blokey colour; sometimes it's good to have around, but it's pretty weak stuff.
Kane Cornes	1	Just an insidious shock jock bad faith merchant, he's said stuff I've agreed with, even some negative stuff about us I've found fair, but overall he's hitched his wagon to the Andrew Bolt style of trollery and has become a true master baiter.

 

[Ads734]

Can’t stand Howie.

 

[Train12]

Interesting!

Love Matt Hill and Kellie Underwood would be my least favourite. She is useless!

Also not a dermie fan. Game has passed him.

One rising star - Jess Webster - listened to her call last year vs Dees comeback and she has just started calling tv games via Fox!