Why is Marto employed as a commentator?

[waiopehu oldboy]

just because he is biased doesn't mean he is wrong

Problem is that he's frequently both, far more so than other former captains e.g. Eales, Farr-Jones & Gregan. I don't always agree with those guys but they seldom come out with the utter shite that Kearns does on a regular basis. And that's the guts of my problem with him: people who don't know better will hear what he says & just assume that being a former captain of Australia he knows what he's talking about.

If they're gonna persist with him for entertainment value then fair enough but let's get someone as equally biased the other way (assuming such a person even exists) in there for balance.

 

[cyclopath]

Problem is that he's frequently both, far more so than other former captains e.g. Eales, Farr-Jones & Gregan. I don't always agree with those guys but they seldom come out with the utter shite that Kearns does on a regular basis. And that's the guts of my problem with him: people who don't know better will hear what he says & just assume that being a former captain of Australia he knows what he's talking about.

If they're gonna persist with him for entertainment value then fair enough but let's get someone as equally biased the other way (assuming such a person even exists) in there for balance.

Well, they had Kafer in there somewhere. Though only a balance in that he hates the Tahs as much as Kearns loves them. But he struggled against the onslaught of Kearns' Force 9 Asshattery.

 

[Tahspark]

Problem is that he's frequently both, far more so than other former captains e.g. Eales, Farr-Jones & Gregan. I don't always agree with those guys but they seldom come out with the utter shite that Kearns does on a regular basis. And that's the guts of my problem with him: people who don't know better will hear what he says & just assume that being a former captain of Australia he knows what he's talking about.

If they're gonna persist with him for entertainment value then fair enough but let's get someone as equally biased the other way (assuming such a person even exists) in there for balance.

As a passionate Tahs' fan I don't need to hear someone like Kearns whinging and moaning from the commentary box. I can do that just fine thanks either at the game or share my myopic lens with mates. At one stage last night (it was before the penalty try) Kearns complained bitterly that the Tahs were on the wrong end of every 50/50 call. He takes bias to a new low.

Some people say that he's there for the entertainment/clown factor but he's presented as a serious commentator & I agree with waiopehu oldboy there must be people who are fooled into thinking that he speaks with some authority.

 

[p.Tah]

I don't know Kearns but I have meet him on a number of occasions at charity events and he is a thoroughly nice bloke. At one event nearly everone had left, staff were packing up chairs and collecting glasses and he was getting ready to leave but my friend, knowing I loved rugby wanted to introduce me. It was probably the last thing he wanted to do at the end of a very long night and I was acutely aware of that so planned a quick hi and then head off, but instead he sat down we had a drink and chatted rugby for quite a while. He has done an enormous amount for the Humpty Dumpty foundation. It has been successful because he is so passionate. That is is who he is. He loves rugby and is passionate about it. Rugby in Australia needs that.
His comments during the game mirrored what many said in the heat of the game when watching it. However as a commentator he needs to be impartial, not one of the crowd. He shouldn't lose the enthusiasm but he has to temper it by removing the emotion from his comments, pausing and watching it objectively.
I'm certain Bill McLaren was passionate about Scottish rugby but that never appeared to influence his commentary.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^ ^^^^^ I've heard enough similar stories to accept that he's probably a really nice guy in "real life" which frankly just makes it even more bewildering that he can be such a complete cockhead whenever he's got a mic in front of his gob. At least Kafer, for all his anti-tah bias, makes up for it with some actual insight.........

 

[Ruggo]

Kearns baffles me. He would be an absolute treasure chest of knowledge about the game on and off the field but doesn't use it in his call. Enlighten the masses Phil.

 

[formerflanker]

Kearns baffles me. He would be an absolute treasure chest of knowledge about the game on and off the field but doesn't use it in his call. Enlighten the masses Phil.

Spot on Ruggo. Phil should be the commentary guru on scrum and line out issues. Instead, he simply says what we have already seen on our screens. He should be a lot more informative - rugby viewers would love it.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Spot on Ruggo. Phil should be the commentary guru on scrum and line out issues. Instead, he simply says what we have already seen on our screens. He should be a lot more informative - rugby viewers would love it.

Much like his buffoon Nine cricket colleagues, one suspects he's under instruction

 

[eastman]

Much like his buffoon Nine cricket colleagues, one suspects he's under instruction

Or is it that he doesn't really understand the modern game compared to the version he played?

 

[wamberal]

Kearns baffles me. He would be an absolute treasure chest of knowledge about the game on and off the field but doesn't use it in his call. Enlighten the masses Phil.

He baffles me, too, and always has. Most of the Fox Sports commentary is pathetic, trite, and uninteresting.


Given that we are stuck with scrums as an integral part of our struggling game, I just do not understand why they don't have expert commentary to enlighten the occasional new fan who tunes in.


Kearns never has anything insightful or interesting to say about the technical aspects of the set pieces. He might be the nicest, most generous, wonderful person in the world but he is not earning his keep as a commentator.

Neither is Clarke, either.

No wonder they are struggling for ratings.

 

[AdelaideRugby84]

What's Chris Handy up to these days? It hasn't been the same since 7 lost the rights. Always loved that bloke even though he was a former Red.

 

[boyo]

I wish that there was an option to hear only the ref' and the crowd.

 

[saulityvi]

I wish that there was an option to hear only the ref' and the crowd.

Or players and the ref

 

[ChargerWA]

Kearns baffles me. He would be an absolute treasure chest of knowledge about the game on and off the field but doesn't use it in his call. Enlighten the masses Phil.

But is he? If he was there would be some evidence that would slip through. I just don't see it. I suspect he's what he is, a fan of the game who once played at the highest level. But you don't need to be a master tactician or have an encyclopaedic knowledge of the game to be a skilful player

 

[liquor box]

I wish that there was an option to hear only the ref' and the crowd.

or an option to only hear certain microphones in the booth

 

[Brumby Runner]

good,that means it will burn him that much more when we are still in the semis after the brumbies have ben knocked out.

Well that's Plan A down the drain.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Nah I'm picking Brumbies to do the Stormers and Canes on the road to give them a moral victory when we pound them in the final at a sold out ANZ.

It will make Kafer's bitchy little rubber-faced tears all the sweeter.

And there's Plan B following A down the gurgler. And Marto continues on.

 

[hawktrain]

I'd personally love to see Kearns put his money where his mouth is regarding referees and get his ticket and do a couple of games. They could do it for a segment on Rugby HQ if they wish ala Sean Maloney. It would be interesting to see if knowing the laws improved his commentary at all.

 

[Sully]

Marto is a qualified referee.

 

[Floggn']

They are all rubbish. I have mentioned it a few times. All they do is pick the negative out of situation rather than the positive. In a game you could have a team miss 4 tackles which lead to a try. In league the commentators would say "That's the greatest try ever scored!!" in union. "Oh terrible defence by X they really aren't on song today". Turn that around and our game becomes better for the masses not just us.