I was shocked to read comments on a recent Roar article claiming Ray Warren is past it.

When I think of rugby league I think of Rabs calling the games. He has been calling them my entire life and although his career is nearing its end, it should be up to him to decide when to call it a day.

If he wants to go around again next year, I’m more than happy to listen to him. I understand some people’s concerns that he does call the odd player by the wrong name but we can forgive him for that.

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Those criticising him for plugging Channel Nine shows that no one is interested in will be in for a rude shock if he is replaced, as the new commentator will be forced into those too. I highly doubt Rabs tunes into Big Brother every night or that Richie Benaud can’t wait for the latest episode of The Mentalist.

Despite my obvious love for Rabs, another commentator I have a soft spot for is Andrew Voss, and I was upset when his voice couldn’t be heard on a Friday night or Sunday afternoon anymore.

The thing I found strangest about it was that everyone I spoke to enjoyed Vossy’s calls. I would much prefer to listen to him over Ray Hadley, leaving me bewildered at how Hadley took his job.

Vossy has slowly come back into the fold of late and resurrected his career, his popularity seeing him gain more and more employment. His comeback has been so successful that I predict he will have a major commentary role on Fox next season.

What makes him such a great commentator is his ability to remain unbiased and not push any agendas on his viewers. His commentary is insightful and he even works in the odd bit of humour as well.

Vossy’s rise from the ashes began with Sky Sports New Zealand, calling Warriors home games. These telecasts were broadcast on Fox, ensuring his voice hadn’t been lost to Australian viewers. He was next heard over on Channel Seven calling the Rugby League World Cup.



In 2014 Vossy has continued with the Warriors calls but this progressed to calls of Warriors games in Australia as well. Fox Sports finally saw his worth and last weekend we had the option of listening to Andrew Voss back calling the big games, in this instance it was the Roosters versus Panthers final.

I chose of course to listen to my beloved Rabs, but it is good to know that when he retires I will have a new favourite commentator already lined up.

Hopefully Australian broadcasting companies listen to their viewers to ensure Vossy can be heard for years to come. Otherwise I’ll be forced to fire up the PS2 to hear his iconic voice calling the games on Rugby League Live.

Follow Louis on Twitter: @louismcintyre