Paul Cooke . He’s very articulate, obviously has vast knowledge of the game . Sky need people like Paul Cooke to to reenergise the programme .

He's not been everyone's cuppa tea but you can't knock Eddie for the years he's given and at times he's called games brilliantly and added the excitement. Perhaps he should have gone when Stevo went but it is what it is. Hope he has a happy retirement!

Strange timing.

Pay for an Aussie

Terry O'Connor to take over

Stop it. Stop it now.

Anyone but JJB. That guy sounds like he's got a tortoise shell stuck in his mouth.

John Wilkin? Looks the part and knows how to talk a good game.

No worse than Clarke who sounds like he's got a tortoise shell stuck up his ar$e.

Whoever the new commentator is needs to inject natural enthusiasm - Eddie has almost sounded bored over the last few years, and then when he does try to sound excited, it sounds fake.
Sadly, I think it has to be an Aussie - Vossy or Dan Ginnane would be my choices. Both very good a actually commentating the action, very knowledgeable, very upbeat and engaging and both fun to listen to - they naturally make the game sound upbeat and exciting.

Paul Cooke has impressed me from what I've seen/heard of him, ideally I'd have him as a colour guy with an Aussie lead. Leave Carney to host the studio show and separate the entities slightly with Wells + guest doing analysis.

Yep that’s what I’d do.

I’d also avoid having current players and coaches on. As knowledgeable as they are they can’t say anything too negative about one team or player and half the team appear reticent to say anything negative at all.

May be because of his health? Also let's be honest the game hasn't exactly been that exciting last couple of years.

People suggesting Cooke and Wilkin, they dont call the game, they provide analysis and opinion of it.

What he said. Anyone can give the odd sound bite but none of the names mentioned can call a game

Also agree. Ex-players are good for analysis/opinion, but commentating is a skill honed over years of calling the action and shouldn't really be an ex-player, instead it should be someone who's called sports (with good RL understanding) for a number of years.

I wonder if Dave Woods has ever been headhunted by Sky. I know he's freelance and not contracted to an employer

He's crap.

How can you call Dave Woods crap? He is a very knowlegable caller, is well accented, and has the right modulation of his excitement levels when calling the game.

Do you dislike him because of his posh BBC accent that is so unpopular in Leigh?

He is crap. Always getting things wrong and muddled. 2010 Challenge cup final...he spent the ENTIRE game thinking Warrington were Leeds.

Rumour going the rounds yesterday that Sky want to pair Eddie and Stevo paired up again for Eddie's last game - I think that it's a Cunning Plan to make anyone who succeeds him look good!

Talking of accents, does yours favour the french or the Aus twang just interested, don't know why though.

To be fair, Leeds had their second/away kit in the exact same colours as their home one! Both teams were wearing yellow and blue that day. It was ridiculous

Also, Warrington lifted a trophy. The confusion is understandable

He's probably unpopular in Leigh because he's a Wiganer.


For those mentioning Cooke & Wilkin etc. not being commentators, they don't have to be. Have them as the colour guy who explains why teams are doing certain things as the game is going on, rather than leaving it all to Wells at half time. For anyone who watches the NFL, Tony Romo was a revelation this year doing exactly that, even being able to predict exactly what a team was about to do based on how they lined up.

Use Eddie's departure as a reason to change everything, rather than changing 1 thing and hoping nobody notices.

Thats actually a pretty decent idea as I totally agree with regards Tony Romo. But it still begs the question, who will call it?

You have this information from where exactly?