Quote: JEAN CAPDOUZE "How could you know that? Are you a friend or acquaintance of the two gentlemen? It is most unusual for a man to be named Eddie at birth. Edward is far more likely.'" How do you know it isn't? Although, given that FreeBMD lists Edward S Hemmings as being born in Liverpool South in Jan-Mar 1950, one would suggest that it is him (68 years old now) Here's a picture of him in his younger days at Radio Merseyside: news.bbc.co.uk/local/liverpool/h ... 242576.stm

Quote: JEAN CAPDOUZE "How could you know that? Are you a friend or acquaintance of the two gentlemen? It is most unusual for a man to be named Eddie at birth. Edward is far more likely.'" How do you know it isn't? Although, given that FreeBMD lists Edward S Hemmings as being born in Liverpool South in Jan-Mar 1950, one would suggest that it is him (68 years old now) Here's a picture of him in his younger days at Radio Merseyside: news.bbc.co.uk/local/liverpool/h ... 242576.stm

I didn't recognise Eddie behind that saxophone.

Started SL with SKY in his mid 40s, which he looked I thought it was obvious he was knocking on 70, he's been around an age.
Put him, cummings, BM & TOC to the knackers yard.

I agree in principle with your selections, although BM comes up with some good stuff, so I would keep him. Your major error was not including Clarke in your list.

Paul Cooke would make a good pundit . I’ve read his autobiography and he as an excellent rugby brain . He talks about “the book” that all clubs have to use calls that have been practiced in training .
I would also use guest summarisers each week, ex players , the likes of Rob “The pocket rocket “Burrows , Luke Robinson .

Sky has let the current format to stagnate , its amateurish , watch the NRL commentary and then you realise how poor ours is . I watched Andrew Voss commentate on the Hull and Wigan matches in Australia this year and he had really done his homework on the English players , speaking about the amateur clubs they had played for etc , he was interesting to listen to .

And that No Try /Try dial for the video ref just about sums things up .....

Ray French was an excellent journalist. It means diddly.

I've heard Cooke co-commentate on Talksport 2 and he was excellent.

They certainly need to bring some fresh voices in on Sky the current mob is becoming unbearable. O'Connor is stealing a living he has to go down as one of the worst pundits to be regularly employed in any sport at any point in history.

You get the sense that they socialise together as a group and have an inflated sense of their worth and importance, like the viewers care about them as much as they do about the game.

It doesn't wind me up as much as some on here but must agree on O'Connor; dreadful. I tend to switch off when he is talking but his best from last week was some garbage like "Great opening set, they made 100 metres", then realised they had kicked it from halfway & added "if you count the kick".

That's because Voss is a proper sports journalist...he puts in the effort....learns some stuff...which is what all commentators should do before any sporting event. Eddie just turns up....unfortunately.

I usually end up turning the sound off when watching Warrington play....the bias against is unbearable.

I totally agree with the original post...time for a big shake up and get some proper talent in...like Voss.

I'd be happy for someone like Voss to do remote commentary from Australia with him just watching it on a screen, like Sky do with the Catalan home games, only better

With a hefty amount of luck and some forward thinking within the RFL, SKY won't be broadcasting ESL after the next contract runs out. But sadly it'll be same old crud and continue to not only drag the game backwards but putting up with Eddie and co not to mention the overall contempt SKY shows the sport.

??? I don’t understand your point . Paul Cooke isn’t a journalist . His autobiography was written by Adrian Durham . And Ray French was an excellent commentator.

Agree with all of that .