I don't know Deighton but I quite like Richard Stead. I don't know how long he's been commentating for, I've only noticed him this year, but he's good. Just calls it as it is without complaining about decisions and going off on a tangent every two minutes.

If you just want a no frills commentator to call the game and nothing else then he would do a good job.

I thought Rod Studd also did commentary work for them, or am I confusing him and Bill Arthur?

Jon Wilkin talks a good game: he could be a possible.

Think Eddie is getting some unfair stick. He's no Bill McLaren, Barry Davies or John Motson, but he generally does a decent job. What you have to realise is that part of that job IS to bring in Stuart Cummings for comments at frequent occasions, as Sky have decided they want a ref on the gantry, and so Eddie is obliged to throw regular questions at him and bring him in to the conversation. For the most part he'd probably not bother but doesn't have that option.

Stevo actually talks sense when not on commentary, so why he projects this cliche-ridden know-all trying-to-utilize-clever-words bombast I have no clue. All you can say is that the producer must want him to play that part. It's not like they haven't noticed the Stevo-isms and so I have to assume that they like them. Maybe he even has a script of them that he has to read out every game. Like the bloke on Eggheads who 98% has to parrot out precisely the self-same words and phrases every single show - Eggheads,.who will beat you? - For example I'd bet Stevo's never once used the phrase "second stanza" outside match commentary.

But that"s the problem. The producer(s), in their rude and condescending manner, deliberately 'dumb down' rugby league coverage. Instead, they should 'posh it up' ( just copy BBC's RU coverage style) and they might start to develop the wider and deeper appeal the game deserves as well as retaining all the current viewership.

I'm not sure that copying RU commentators (and many of them aren't all that either) is really what we want either. Personally I'd be very happy with Vossy, or, indeed, Bilko and Joe (is it?) on Wish FM. All three a massive improvement on the Sky crew, and preferable to the BBC too in my book.

Neville Smith is the mastermind as I've said. He has he power to change things.

Lol, the wish fm coverage is utterly appalling.

Indeed. That fella that shouts ALL THE TIME and the other week did an actual impression of a Moose when Mossop came on as a sub... wtf.

I second this. As a "caller" Eddie is good imo. He has the vocal skill s to convey the rise and fall in a games tempo and increase the viewers' emotional involvement with the play.
The [iWide to West[/i commentary is still a classic 12 years on and will be appreciated for years to come because of the addition of his commentary. The problem is that he's spednt 25 years sat next to a bumbling loon as a mentor and is allowed an opinion when he's simply not qualified like a proper analyst.
If he sticks to narrating the action, then he's very good imo.

Cummins in the box is a decent idea, but he's overused. Was that a forward pass? Was that a high tackle? Was that offside? They go to him too often. He should be there to clear up any very technical issues or review periods of the game - "We're 25 minutes in stuart and Hudds have been penalised 4 times for holding down, is the ref setting his stall out or is it lazy play by the Giants?"

I agree re- Cummins.

We should only really be hearing him on the tough calls which need an explanation, which is better than the rest arguing and guessing about what the decision should be.

Cummins just shouldn't be there full stop.

There is a nonsensical level of scrutiny for every decision on Sky's RL coverage and adding a former ref serves only to give them ever more reason to discuss each and every call.

I genuinely struggle to watch the games without getting very frustrated with the coverage, irrespective of who is playing. It really does the sport a great disservice.

I'm based down south and often get texts from southern mates who enjoy watching the RL along the lines of "what on earth is Clarke/Stevo/Eddie going on about" or "what game are these commentators watching" etc.

I agree, though, that when Eddie sticks to his actual job he's very good.

Good to know that the southerners are just as baffled as I am.