'It's painful': NRL fans say same thing as Ray Warren detail laid bare during Origin
The quality of the Channel 9 commentary team has once again come under fire during State of Origin 1 on Wednesday night, and fans couldn't help but feel it's never been the same since Ray Warren retired. For many NRL fans, State of Origin and the grand final are the only times throughout the season that they watch Channel 9 as opposed to Fox League.
Many would prefer to pay up and hear the Fox League commentary crew during games, but State of Origin and the grand final are exclusively on Channel 9. For those who only watch Nine four times a year, it can be a rather grating experience.
Andrew Johns and Cameron Smith usually come in for plenty of criticism, and don't typically try to hide their bias towards NSW and Queensland respectively. On Wednesday night it was no different, with many expressing some brutal opinions about the NRL legends on social media.
There was an awkward moment during the game when lead caller Mat Thompson used the word "superfluous", and Johns didn't appear to know what it meant. 'Err, excuse me? A what?" he replied.
As for Thompson, the play-by-play caller has done a commendable job since the retirement of legendary predecessor Warren. But the general consensus is Channel 9 have never been able to fill the void left by the great man.
Journalist Peter Lang wrote on social media on Wednesday night: "I don't want to be overly critical of Channel 9's State of Origin commentator Mat Thompson last night…but geeze I miss 'Rabs'. Ray Warren was Origin."
However a fan responded: "Be over critical. It's diabolical. Fox Sports need to have the rights. 9 is beyond bad in all aspects." Another wrote: "I thought Matt Thompson was alright. He needs someone in there with him with a bit of energy. Andrew Johns ain't that person."
Another commented: "I watched the game mostly on mute, it's painful…" While a fourth wrote: "It was awful. I have my whinges about Foxtel, but sweet jesus, they are miles ahead of 9."
I watched the game mostly on mute it's painful…
— Dennis Feher (@DrDennisFeher) May 29, 2025
They need to let Fox get rights to showing it live. I watched their coverage for a bit after the game and oh my the quality difference is crazy.
— Oliver (@OliverMulqueen3) May 28, 2025
@NRL You really need to allow @FOXNRL to broadcast the SOO, WSOO & GF at the same time channel 9 does.@NRLonNine are killing the NRL. Tonight's SOO was like watching it in a Library!! The commentary lacklustre and no passion whatsoever!Bring on @FOXNRL please!!!!Please
— MARBROLAY (@marbrolay) May 28, 2025
The commentary is as bad as the game. I miss Ray Warren. #StateofOrigin
— BMC (@BrianMichaelC) May 28, 2025
I get he's passionate, but Joey's bias is insufferable.
— Stephen 😁 (@SJOBrien8906) May 28, 2025
Cameron Smith is certainly not impartial
— 91 03 21 22 23 24 PREMIERS 🐾🏆 (@SnoogThe) May 28, 2025
On Wednesday night, many accused Smith of being too biased towards Queensland, particularly in regard to the controversial sin-binning of Brian To'o for a mid-air challenge on Xavier Coates that officials ruled was a professional foul. And Johns also copped backlash for a bizarre theory he floated about the balls being used.
After Nathan Cleary missed three conversion attempts in a row, Zac Lomax replaced him but also shanked one from close range. Johns said he thought the ball sounded different when being kicked, and suggested it might have had something to do with the sponsorship logos on it.
'Even the sound of the ball when they were kicking it just sounded different," the NRL Immortal said. 'Mitchell Moses kicked one in the in-goal, he never gets that wrong. Sometimes they are a little bit fatter, maybe the graphics on the ball whether that changes it. Zac Lomax, he missed it by a mile.'
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Johns even put his theory to Nathan Cleary after the game. But Cleary said: 'The last one I kicked it was definitely just an F-up. But I don't know, I think I'll reflect on that and I think there was just a bit going on in my brain.
'I had so many things I wanted to do. But I've thought about being back in this arena so often and so many things I wanted to do. Sometimes you just need to calm down a bit and just go through the processes.'
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