Roy and HG's State of Origin commentary
Encyclopedia
Broadcast on the Triple J
radio station
to simulcast with the annual three-game rugby league
State of Origin
series, Australia
n comedians Roy and HG
(played by John Doyle
and Greig Pickhaver
) provide a commentary of the match at hand. An extension of the duo's This Sporting Life
radio program, also on Triple J, Roy and HG's use of comedy
makes their sporting calls unique from that provided by other media sources, and has earned a cult following
. With the duo's move to Triple M
radio in 2009, and the end of This Sporting Life, the State of Origin commentary is currently on hiatus.
and Triple J radio personality Scott Dooley
. King Wally Otto's pre-game build-up was replaced by Triple J presenter Jason Whalley, dubbed "The Ancient Voice of the Rhomb
".
) in New South Wales
and Queensland
, and the State of Origin coverage begins with a fanfare of horns. A lengthy introduction to State of Origin rugby league is given by "King Wally Otto in the Soundproof Booth" (a pseudonym for well-known Australian voice-over presenter Robbie McGregor
). This introduction, which can last for 5 minutes or more, features King Wally Otto enthusiastically reading an elaborate Doyle and Pickhaver script, which more often than not culminates in a list of Former Origin Greats ("F.O.G.s"), and anecdotes about their achievements or foibles. It is also common for Otto to announce a 'theme' for the year's three game series, often to do with current events (such as the 2003 invasion of Iraq
). A twist on this was when the 2006 series was heavily "sponsored" by fictitious Lakemba
-based car dealership
Frosty Lahood Motors Australia.
At the end of Otto's build-up to the game, he usually switches to a rhapsodic introduction for Roy and HG themselves, ending with the question "are you there...HG?" Taking his role of the 'sports announcer' of the pair, HG Nelson thanks King Wally Otto in the Soundproof Booth, welcomes listeners to their State of Origin coverage and provides further build-up to the game at hand. Nelson introduces the State of Origin contest as being played for the "highest principles on the planet"; those principles being "Peace through violence, harmony through brutality and getting everyone to shut-up and behave just like us or they’ll cop a boot up the date and a fist of fives
."
During the first few minutes, Nelson's broadcasting partner, "Rampaging" Roy Slaven remains silent until eventually introduced to the airwaves by Nelson. Roy's character, a supposed former player of the game who takes more of an 'expert commentary' role to Nelson's main call, is often restrained with his opening remarks; that is, until his enthusiasm for the game provokes a passionate expression of opinion about the contest to Nelson and the listening audience. The pair talk about the build-up to the game for approximately half an hour, often with Slaven recounting supposed interactions he had with stars of the league (he professes intimate friendships with virtually every current and former player of rugby league). An example of one of these (obviously fictional) exchanges was before the first game of the 2006 series
which New South Wales was entering after winning the previous three in a row. With many media commentators declaring the concept of State of Origin dead after such one-sided results, Roy contacted Wally Lewis
for his thoughts on the upcoming series, to which he replied "oh, are they still playing that?"
; an occasion which provides one of Roy and HG's most infamous twists on traditional sports commentary. As the television pictures show footage of a vocalist singing "Advance Australia Fair
," the Triple J coverage completely replaces the song with Lionel Rose
's 1969 song "I Thank You." The choice of this song probably is due to the opening lyrics "When a boy becomes a man..." (signifying young players 'stepping up' to the challenge of State of Origin football) as well as the inherent violence associated with the former-boxer
, Rose. The Lionel Rose song is faded out by Roy and HG when they sense the real singer is wrapping up their performance (usually after the first chorus
of "I Thank You"), with Roy and HG invariably praising the singer for a fantastic performance. Before the beginning of State of Origin I 2008, because the build up to the game had been quite emotional as Jack Gibson had recently died, a violin solo of Waltzing Matilda was played during the national anthem, with both Roy and HG applauding the 'beautiful' rendition.
and ABC Radio's Grandstand
, Roy and HG are often less restrained in their criticism
of players and teams. This feature of their call may be off-putting for certain fans who are sensitive to hearing players in their team criticised (being called a "goose", etc.), but is generally taken in the humorous way it is intended. The duo's commentary, and particularly Slaven's, often features over the top reactions to the game at hand, such as calling for entire teams of players to be sacked after losses, or even questioning whether losing teams will ever win another match in the future.
Though Doyle was born in New South Wales, and both currently reside within the state, this gives seemingly little influence to any commentary 'bias'. Roy and HG are also quick to relish the more 'unsavoury' actions of players on the field which are ignored or downplayed by more traditional commentators. This includes spitting
, dacking, wedgies, gouging, groping
, pig-rooting, fighting
and roughhousing in general.
Roy and HG's State of Origin commentary is also noteworthy for the use of nicknames to refer to many of players on the field, rather than their surnames. Whilst standard, well-known nicknames such as "Sticky" Ricky Stuart
and "Mad Dog" MacDougall
are used, the duo are renowned for their creation and use of more obscure 'running joke'-type nicknames about players. A partial list of nicknames is presented below:
In addition to the players, Roy and HG frequently refer to two former top grade referees: Kelvin Jeffes and Moghseen Jadwat, ironically describing them as the two best officials ever to grace the sport (actually, Jadwat's top-grade career was decidedly short (1997-8), whilst Jeffes has only controlled one Origin fixture). This is in contrast to Roy and HG's typical opinions of refereeing staff (e.g. Bill Harrigan, which is often vocally critical beyond the norm for sports commentators.
s" for their unnecessary use of hand-held microphone
s during studio broadcasts. Another memorable example of the TV-centric flow of Slaven and Nelson's commentary was during the 2004 series when Channel 9 introduced the "Skycam
" camera
-on-wires which 'hovered' above the players' heads. This expensive technology, which had notably poor picture quality, often could not keep up with the flow of play was over-used by Channel 9 during the broadcast, was frequently blasted by Roy and HG for disorientating them with the "telecast from the lunar surface
." Slaven and Nelson also give back-handed criticism to Channel 9's low-brow "football entertainment" show The Footy Show
, sarcastically remarking what a "funny show" it is.
down your end of the swamp, turn down the sound and turn up Triple J." Since the early 2000s, the spread of digital television
throughout Australia has caused some technical issues for the Triple J State of Origin broadcast. Roy and HG's commentary had previously arrived to viewers approximately in synch with the television pictures (although generally, regional
viewers suffered a short delay between the radio and television signals). The digital delay that came with the introduction of digital TV created a noticeable gap between the analogue radio broadcast and the slower digital TV signal. HG Nelson had to preclude their broadcast that "unfortunately we live with the digital divide, and there’s nothing we can do about it." In later years, however, Nelson would add that digital TV viewers should try tuning in to their online stream
via the Triple J website, which has its own slight delay behind the airwaves. Therefore, it is recommended that analogue TV viewers listen to the analogue radio broadcast, and digital TV viewers stream the commentary from the Triple J website.
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
to simulcast with the annual three-game rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
State of Origin
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
series, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n comedians Roy and HG
Roy and HG
Roy & HG is an Australian comedy duo, comprising Greig Pickhaver in the role of "H [Harry] G Nelson" and John Doyle as "'Rampaging' Roy Slaven". Their act is an affectionate but irreverent parody of Australia's obsession with sport. Their characters based on archetypes in sports journalism: Nelson...
(played by John Doyle
John Doyle (comedian)
John Partick Doyle AM is an award-winning Australian actor, writer, radio presenter and comedian.-Early life:Doyle was born in Lithgow, New South Wales in 1953 into a music-loving, Catholic household with three sisters and a brother. His mother was a business woman and father a railway fettler...
and Greig Pickhaver
Greig Pickhaver
alt=Greig Pickhaver|thumb|In May 2010Greig Pickhaver AM is an actor, comedian and writer, who forms one half of the Australian sports comedy duo Roy and HG...
) provide a commentary of the match at hand. An extension of the duo's This Sporting Life
This Sporting Life (radio program)
This Sporting Life was a culturally iconic Triple J radio comedy programme, created by award-winning actor-writer-comedians John Doyle and Greig Pickhaver, who performed as their characters Roy and HG. Broadcast from 1986 to 2008, it was one of the longest-running, most popular and most successful...
radio program, also on Triple J, Roy and HG's use of comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
makes their sporting calls unique from that provided by other media sources, and has earned a cult following
Cult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture. A film, book, band, or video game, among other things, will be said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fan base...
. With the duo's move to Triple M
Triple M
The Triple M Network is an active rock radio network in Australia owned by media company Austereo, who also own the Today Network.- History :...
radio in 2009, and the end of This Sporting Life, the State of Origin commentary is currently on hiatus.
History
A unique deviation from the usual format of the Triple J State of Origin coverage occurred in Game One of the 2007 Series, when Roy Slaven was unavailable to be present for the commentary. As a replacement, HG Nelson was joined by former New South Wales player Jason StevensJason Stevens
Jason Anthony Stevens is a former professional rugby league footballer who represented his country and state. He primarily played at prop...
and Triple J radio personality Scott Dooley
Scott Dooley
Scott "Dools" Dooley is an Australian comedian and radio announcer best known for his tenure with state-owned national youth network, Triple J...
. King Wally Otto's pre-game build-up was replaced by Triple J presenter Jason Whalley, dubbed "The Ancient Voice of the Rhomb
Frenzal Rhomb
Frenzal Rhomb are an Australian punk rock band which formed in 1992 with mainstay Jason Whalley on lead vocals and rhythm guitar. In 1996, Lindsay McDougall joined the line-up on lead guitar and backing vocals. Two of the group's albums have peaked into the top 20 on the ARIA Albums Chart, A...
".
Build-up
At 7:30pm on the night of a State of Origin match, Triple J interrupts its normal evening broadcasts (Super RequestSuper Request
Super Request is a weeknight radio program broadcast by Australian national youth radio broadcaster Triple J hosted by Rosie Beaton. The show airs Monday to Thursday between 6pm and 9pm and Fridays from 6pm to 10pm, due to there being no Home & Hosed on Fridays.Regular fill-ins for Rosie include...
) in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
and Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, and the State of Origin coverage begins with a fanfare of horns. A lengthy introduction to State of Origin rugby league is given by "King Wally Otto in the Soundproof Booth" (a pseudonym for well-known Australian voice-over presenter Robbie McGregor
Robbie McGregor
Robbie McGregor is an Australian actor, presenter, and voice-over artist. His voice is known to many Australians as the "voice" of SBS-TV, for whom he had recorded station announcements until 2005...
). This introduction, which can last for 5 minutes or more, features King Wally Otto enthusiastically reading an elaborate Doyle and Pickhaver script, which more often than not culminates in a list of Former Origin Greats ("F.O.G.s"), and anecdotes about their achievements or foibles. It is also common for Otto to announce a 'theme' for the year's three game series, often to do with current events (such as the 2003 invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
). A twist on this was when the 2006 series was heavily "sponsored" by fictitious Lakemba
Lakemba, New South Wales
Lakemba is a suburb in south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Lakemba is located 15 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Canterbury....
-based car dealership
Car dealership
A car dealership or vehicle local distribution is a business that sells new or used cars at the retail level, based on a dealership contract with an automaker or its sales subsidiary. It employs automobile salespeople to do the selling...
Frosty Lahood Motors Australia.
At the end of Otto's build-up to the game, he usually switches to a rhapsodic introduction for Roy and HG themselves, ending with the question "are you there...HG?" Taking his role of the 'sports announcer' of the pair, HG Nelson thanks King Wally Otto in the Soundproof Booth, welcomes listeners to their State of Origin coverage and provides further build-up to the game at hand. Nelson introduces the State of Origin contest as being played for the "highest principles on the planet"; those principles being "Peace through violence, harmony through brutality and getting everyone to shut-up and behave just like us or they’ll cop a boot up the date and a fist of fives
Punch (strike)
A punch is a striking blow with the fist. It is the most commonly used attack in hand to hand combat. It is used in some martial arts and combat sports, most notably boxing where it is the only type of technique allowed...
."
During the first few minutes, Nelson's broadcasting partner, "Rampaging" Roy Slaven remains silent until eventually introduced to the airwaves by Nelson. Roy's character, a supposed former player of the game who takes more of an 'expert commentary' role to Nelson's main call, is often restrained with his opening remarks; that is, until his enthusiasm for the game provokes a passionate expression of opinion about the contest to Nelson and the listening audience. The pair talk about the build-up to the game for approximately half an hour, often with Slaven recounting supposed interactions he had with stars of the league (he professes intimate friendships with virtually every current and former player of rugby league). An example of one of these (obviously fictional) exchanges was before the first game of the 2006 series
2006 Rugby League State of Origin series
The 2006 State of Origin series was the 25th year that the annual best-of-three series of interstate rugby league football matches contested between the Queensland and New South Wales representative teams was played under 'State of Origin' selection rules. It was decided in three matches which drew...
which New South Wales was entering after winning the previous three in a row. With many media commentators declaring the concept of State of Origin dead after such one-sided results, Roy contacted Wally Lewis
Wally Lewis
Walter James "Wally" Lewis AM is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer and coach. Currently a commentator of the sport, he is widely regarded as the greatest rugby league player of all time...
for his thoughts on the upcoming series, to which he replied "oh, are they still playing that?"
National anthem
At approximately 8:00pm the players enter the field and line up for the singing of the Australian national anthemNational anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
; an occasion which provides one of Roy and HG's most infamous twists on traditional sports commentary. As the television pictures show footage of a vocalist singing "Advance Australia Fair
Advance Australia Fair
"Advance Australia Fair" is the official national anthem of Australia. Created by the Scottish-born composer, Peter Dodds McCormick, the song was first performed in 1878, but did not gain its status as the official anthem until 1984. Until then, the song was sung in Australia as a patriotic song...
," the Triple J coverage completely replaces the song with Lionel Rose
Lionel Rose
Lionel Edmund Rose MBE was an Australian bantamweight boxer, the first Indigenous Australian to win a world title.-Early life:...
's 1969 song "I Thank You." The choice of this song probably is due to the opening lyrics "When a boy becomes a man..." (signifying young players 'stepping up' to the challenge of State of Origin football) as well as the inherent violence associated with the former-boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, Rose. The Lionel Rose song is faded out by Roy and HG when they sense the real singer is wrapping up their performance (usually after the first chorus
Refrain
A refrain is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse; the "chorus" of a song...
of "I Thank You"), with Roy and HG invariably praising the singer for a fantastic performance. Before the beginning of State of Origin I 2008, because the build up to the game had been quite emotional as Jack Gibson had recently died, a violin solo of Waltzing Matilda was played during the national anthem, with both Roy and HG applauding the 'beautiful' rendition.
Game commentary
Compared to the more traditional commentary on Channel 9Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
and ABC Radio's Grandstand
ABC Radio Grandstand
ABC Radio Grandstand is a live radio sports focused commentary and talk-back program which runs on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation local radio network across Australia. The program runs on Saturdays and Sundays, typically from noon or an hour before, until 6 pm...
, Roy and HG are often less restrained in their criticism
Criticism
Criticism is the judgement of the merits and faults of the work or actions of an individual or group by another . To criticize does not necessarily imply to find fault, but the word is often taken to mean the simple expression of an objection against prejudice, or a disapproval.Another meaning of...
of players and teams. This feature of their call may be off-putting for certain fans who are sensitive to hearing players in their team criticised (being called a "goose", etc.), but is generally taken in the humorous way it is intended. The duo's commentary, and particularly Slaven's, often features over the top reactions to the game at hand, such as calling for entire teams of players to be sacked after losses, or even questioning whether losing teams will ever win another match in the future.
Though Doyle was born in New South Wales, and both currently reside within the state, this gives seemingly little influence to any commentary 'bias'. Roy and HG are also quick to relish the more 'unsavoury' actions of players on the field which are ignored or downplayed by more traditional commentators. This includes spitting
Spitting
Spitting or expectoration is the act of forcibly ejecting saliva or other substances from the mouth. It is currently considered rude and a social taboo in many parts of the world including the West, while in some other parts of the world it is considered more acceptable...
, dacking, wedgies, gouging, groping
Groping
When used in a sexual context, groping is touching or fondling another person in a sexual way using the hands; it generally has a negative connotation, and is considered molestation in most societies. The term 'frotteurism' may be applied when a person rubs up against another person, typically...
, pig-rooting, fighting
Hand to hand combat
Hand-to-hand combat is a lethal or nonlethal physical confrontation between two or more persons at very short range that does not involve the use of firearms or other distance weapons...
and roughhousing in general.
Roy and HG's State of Origin commentary is also noteworthy for the use of nicknames to refer to many of players on the field, rather than their surnames. Whilst standard, well-known nicknames such as "Sticky" Ricky Stuart
Ricky Stuart
Ricky Stuart is an Australian rugby league football coach and former player of the 1980s and 90s. He is currently the head coach of the New South Wales State of Origin team, having replaced Craig Bellamy following a fifth consecutive failure in the 2010 series...
and "Mad Dog" MacDougall
Adam MacDougall
Adam "Mad Dog" MacDougall is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. A New South Wales State of Origin and Australian international representative centre, he has spent the majority of his career at the Newcastle Knights, with whom he won the 1997 and 2001...
are used, the duo are renowned for their creation and use of more obscure 'running joke'-type nicknames about players. A partial list of nicknames is presented below:
Player nicknames
| New South Wales State of Origin Player Nicknames | ||
|---|---|---|
| Player name | | Roy and HG nickname | | Reason for nickname |
| Jamie Ainscough Jamie Ainscough Jamie Ainscough , is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He played for the Western Suburbs Magpies, Newcastle Knights, St George Illawarra Dragons, New South Wales and for the Australian national rugby league team.-Club career:Before 1989 Ainscough... |
The Cough Drop | A play on the pronunciation of Ainscough's surname. He was also called 'the prettiest sight in rugby league,' due to his bizarre running style. |
| Braith Anasta Braith Anasta Braith Anasta is a Greek-Australian professional rugby league footballer who captains the Sydney Roosters of the National Rugby League... |
The Black Hole Black hole A black hole is a region of spacetime from which nothing, not even light, can escape. The theory of general relativity predicts that a sufficiently compact mass will deform spacetime to form a black hole. Around a black hole there is a mathematically defined surface called an event horizon that... |
Roy and HG noted during one match that Anasta's effectiveness in the New South Wales defence was like a hole that Queensland players could break through with little trouble. |
| Braith Anasta Braith Anasta Braith Anasta is a Greek-Australian professional rugby league footballer who captains the Sydney Roosters of the National Rugby League... |
Death and Poison | A nickname picked up during the 2007 origin series. Anasta made several errors with the ball, after which Roy and HG suggesting that everything he touched turned to Death and Poison. |
| Braith Anasta Braith Anasta Braith Anasta is a Greek-Australian professional rugby league footballer who captains the Sydney Roosters of the National Rugby League... |
The Car Horn | Given to Anasta during the 2007 series, as Roy and HG point out, the horn doesn't do anything for the car except make noise. |
| David Barnhill David Barnhill David Barnhill is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s. His club career was with the Canberra Raiders, St. George Dragons, Sydney City and Leeds Rhinos... |
Mockers | To "put the mocker on someone" is to similar to a curse Curse A curse is any expressed wish that some form of adversity or misfortune will befall or attach to some other entity—one or more persons, a place, or an object... or a bad luck wish. Roy and HG named Barnhill "Mockers" because of the numerous losing grand final teams he had been a part of. |
| Greg Bird Greg Bird Gregory Bird is an Australian professional rugby league footballer currently contracted to the Gold Coast Titans of the National Rugby League... |
Tweet Tweet | Occasionally named Tweet Tweet because of his last name "Bird." |
| Greg Bird Greg Bird Gregory Bird is an Australian professional rugby league footballer currently contracted to the Gold Coast Titans of the National Rugby League... |
The Personality | For growing a moustache and therefore having more personality than anyone else on the field |
| Tim Brasher Tim Brasher Tim Brasher is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s who played primarily as fullback. He began his career for Balmain Tigers, where he played the majority of his career. He then moved to the South Sydney Rabbitohs for two seasons, before finishing his career with a... |
The boy/man on the bike | Brasher entered first grade whilst still at school. |
| Danny Buderus Danny Buderus Danny Buderus is an Australian professional rugby league player who currently plays for the Newcastle Knights in the NRL... |
Butterball Buderus | Possibly because of his poor ball handling in a State of Origin match. |
| John Cartwright John Cartwright (rugby league) John Cartwright is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is the current head coach for the Gold Coast Titans of the National Rugby League... |
The Burning Map | The TV series Bonanza Bonanza Bonanza is an American western television series that both ran on and was a production of NBC from September 12, 1959 to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 430 episodes, it ranks as the second longest running western series and still continues to air in syndication. It centers on the... , whose protagonists were the Cartwright family, featured a burning map in its intro sequence. |
| Matt Cooper | The Brown Polish | Cooper was tackled several times in the first and second games of 2007 on top of some of the advertising paint on the playing field, most of which was black or red in colour, causing Cooper's face and legs to get covered in a black/red/brown "polish." Most of the other players ended up with this as well. This nickname also alludes to the coaching polish put on Cooper by his St George-Illawarra club coach Nathan Brown. |
| Laurie Daley Laurie Daley Laurie Daley OA is an Australian rugby league football commentator and former player of Indigenous Australian descent. He represented Australia on 26 occasions and has since been named as one of the nation's finest players of the 20th century... |
Tooley | In reference to an alleged dressing room incident following the Canberra Raiders Canberra Raiders The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership since 1982... ' first grand final win in 1989, where Daley celebrated by allegedly popping his own "magnum" of champagne Masturbation Masturbation refers to sexual stimulation of a person's own genitals, usually to the point of orgasm. The stimulation can be performed manually, by use of objects or tools, or by some combination of these methods. Masturbation is a common form of autoeroticism... , in full view of his team mates and then Prime Minister Prime Minister of Australia The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful... Bob Hawke Bob Hawke Robert James Lee "Bob" Hawke AC GCL was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia from March 1983 to December 1991 and therefore longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister.... . "Tool" is a slang word used often by Roy and HG for penis Penis The penis is a biological feature of male animals including both vertebrates and invertebrates... . |
| Jim Dymock Jim Dymock Jim Dymock is an Australian former professional rugby league international of Tongan heritage who played for the Western Suburbs Magpies, Canterbury Bulldogs, Parramatta Eels and London Broncos... |
The Doctor's Feet | Derived from his silky, delicate, albeit slow footwork on the field. |
| Ben Elias | Backdoor Benny | Often shortened to just "The Door." 1. Benny Elias occasionally attempted to pass the ball behind his back, or "through the back door," with mixed success. 2. This nickname alludes to Benny's alleged sexual predilections. |
| Ben Elias | The Crimean War Crimean War The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining... look |
During a 1990s State of Origin appearance, Backdoor Benny suffered a nasty head gash during the game which required a bandage. By the end of the game, the wound was so bad that a lot of blood had seeped through the bandage and was all over his face and jersey. The Blues ended up winning the game and Elias's mother ran on the field to congratulate him. This post-match hug resulted in his mother being covered in blood also. The Roy and HG nickname is derived from Elias's appearance more resembling a warring soldier than a sportsman. |
| Andrew Ettingshausen Andrew Ettingshausen Andrew Ettingshausen is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. He played his first grade Australian club football for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, retiring with the record of most games at a single club, with 328... |
The Nudist | After nude pictures taken of "ET" in the shower were published by Blue Magazine, Ettingshausen sued for invasion of privacy. Also referred to as The Flathead in response to the nude dressing room photo. The flathead fish observed from above is said to have a similar profile to a man's penis. |
| Brad Fittler Brad Fittler Bradley Scott "Freddie" Fittler AM is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. The current coach of NSW City team in the City vs. Country clash, he coached in the NRL for the Sydney Roosters between 2007 and 2009. As a player, Fittler captained both New South Wales... |
Adolf | When spoken, "Adolf" Fittler sounds much like Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945... . This nickname was only used for a short period of time towards the end of Fittler's career by Roy and HG, although it was in fact a nickname in use for him by teammates before "Freddy" overtook it. |
| Brad Fittler Brad Fittler Bradley Scott "Freddie" Fittler AM is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. The current coach of NSW City team in the City vs. Country clash, he coached in the NRL for the Sydney Roosters between 2007 and 2009. As a player, Fittler captained both New South Wales... |
Captain in a cab | While captaining New South Wales, Fittler was found unconscious and incoherently drunk in front of a police station, unable to communicate his name or address. After three hours he was sober enough to remember his address and he was loaded into a cab by police officers.http://www.smh.com.au/news/Sport/Drunken-debacles/2005/05/27/1117129898579.html |
| Craig Fitzgibbon Craig Fitzgibbon Craig "Fitzy" Fitzgibbon is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for Hull in the European Super League and previously the Sydney Roosters of the NRL. A New South Wales State of Origin and Australian international representative forward, he is the son of former rugby league player and... |
Raw Bones | Named because of his bald head and thin bony physique, resembling a skeleton. |
| Bryan Fletcher Bryan Fletcher Bryan Fletcher is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. A New South Wales State of Origin and Australian international representative second-row-forward, he played his club football in Australia with the Sydney Roosters then the South Sydney Rabbitohs... |
Old Man River | The nickname was given as a reference to his age, being one of the oldest players on the team. |
| Mark Gasnier Mark Gasnier Mark Gasnier is an Australian former rugby league player, a state and national representative centre three-quarter. He played eleven top-grade seasons with the St. George Illawarra Dragons in the NRL, interrupted by two seasons of rugby union played with the French club Stade Français. He was a... |
Fire Up Bitch! | Gasnier was fired from the 2004 New South Wales State of Origin team for leaving an obscene voice mail message on a woman's mobile phone Mobile phone A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator... after a 'bonding session'http://www.abc.net.au/sport/content/s1112566.htm. The transcript of the phone message is as follows: "Where the fuck are you? There's four toey humans in the cab with sausages Penis The penis is a biological feature of male animals including both vertebrates and invertebrates... ready to spurt sauce Semen Semen is an organic fluid, also known as seminal fluid, that may contain spermatozoa. It is secreted by the gonads and other sexual organs of male or hermaphroditic animals and can fertilize female ova... . It's 20 to four...and you're in bed, fuck me. Fire up, you sad cunt."http://www.spinstartshere.com/?q=taxonomy/term/41&from=15 Roy and HG also shorten this nickname to variations such as "the F.U.B.," "fubby" and "the fubster." |
| Mark Gasnier Mark Gasnier Mark Gasnier is an Australian former rugby league player, a state and national representative centre three-quarter. He played eleven top-grade seasons with the St. George Illawarra Dragons in the NRL, interrupted by two seasons of rugby union played with the French club Stade Français. He was a... |
Shimmy, Shimmy, Whoosh! | From an NRL Pog POG POG may mean:*POG, a drink *Pogs, a 1990s fad game, as well as the game pieces used in that game*One of the two title characters in Pib and Pog, an animated short film made by Aardman Animations... describing Gasnier's step maneuver as the Shimmy, Shimmy, Whoosh. |
| Mark Geyer Mark Geyer Mark Geyer , is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and '90s. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative second-rower, he is currently a rugby league media identity... |
The Tap | He can run hot and cold, or "turn it on" i.e. on-field violence. By extension, Geyer's younger brother Matt Matt Geyer Matt Geyer is an Australian rugby league footballer for the Norths Devils in the Queensland Cup. A New South Wales State of Origin representative winger, he played his club football primarily with the Melbourne Storm of the National Rugby League competition, winning premierships with them in 1999... is "Tap II." |
| Kurt Gidley Kurt Gidley Kurt Gidley is a professional Australian rugby league player and captain of the Newcastle Knights in the NRL. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative fullback he has played his entire NRL career to date with the Knights. He is the younger brother of Matthew... |
Giddy-up Gidley | The younger brother of Matthew Gidley, and has had the nickname handed down to him. |
| Kurt Gidley Kurt Gidley Kurt Gidley is a professional Australian rugby league player and captain of the Newcastle Knights in the NRL. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative fullback he has played his entire NRL career to date with the Knights. He is the younger brother of Matthew... |
Newcastle's finest slicer | Often shortened to just 'The Slicer.' Named after one particular match where Kurt constantly broke or 'sliced' through Queensland's defensive line. |
| Matthew Gidley Matthew Gidley Matthew "Matt" Gidley is an Australian rugby league administrator and retired professional footballer. Born in Newcastle, New South Wales, Gidley represented New South Wales and Australia. He is the currently CEO of Football Operations at the Newcastle Knights... |
Giddy-up Gidley | See above. |
| Ryan Girdler Ryan Girdler Ryan Girdler is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He played centre and was a successful goal-kicker. Thanks to his on-field skills and good looks he became a popular figure in rugby league.-Rugby league career:Girdler first played in the NSWRL for the Illawarra... |
'No Sex Please' I'm Ryan Girdler | Often shortened to No Sex Please. A reference to the play No Sex Please, We're British No Sex Please, We're British No Sex Please, We're British is a British comedic play written by Alistair Foot and Anthony Marriott, first staged in London's West End in 1971. It was unanimously panned by critics, but still ran for nearly a decade to packed audiences... . Taken from Girdler's reluctance on The Footy Show to interact with any females, when engaged to be married (Girdler ended up not marrying). |
| Craig Gower Craig Gower Craig Gower is an Australian-Italian professional rugby footballer. He is a dual-code rugby international, having played rugby league for Australia, and rugby union for Italy... |
The man in the taxi | After Gower was involved in an off field incident involving a taxi. |
| Jarryd Hayne Jarryd Hayne Jarryd Lee Hayne is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Parramatta Eels of the NRL. A New South Wales State of Origin and Australian, Fiji international representative winger and fullback, he has played his entire NRL career to date with Parramatta, with whom he got to the... |
Hip Head Hayne | In the 2008 State of Origin Hayne was briefly knocked out because he hit his head against another player's hip. |
| Terry Hill Terry Hill Terry Hill is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He played in the National Rugby League competition primarily in the centres... |
Fizzer | During a particular game, Roy and HG noted how most plays involving Terry Hill "fizzed out" due to factors such as his poor ball-handling skills. From that point onwards he was dubbed "Fizzer Hill," with the pair shouting "FIZZ! FIZZ! FIZZ!" whenever he was passed the ball. During his final appearances for New South Wales, the older Hill was lampooned by Slaven for being "too old, too slow, too stupid" whenever he was brought into play. Slaven and Nelson surmised that Hill wasn't in the New South Wales side for his sporting talent, but rather for his personal qualities (calling him "the funniest man in rugby league"). In his 1996 book Petrol, Bait, Ammo & Ice, HG Nelson mused "imagine the mayhem the world would have to endure if Terry couldn't find an outlet for his enthusiasm in the League." |
| Terry Hill Terry Hill Terry Hill is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He played in the National Rugby League competition primarily in the centres... |
The Lobster Fisherman/Lobster Expert | Derived from an incident after his playing days when Hill was caught stealing lobsters from pots that didn't belong to him, resulting in Hill facing the Magistrates Court. |
| Nathan Hindmarsh Nathan Hindmarsh Nathan William Hindmarsh is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who captains the Parramatta Eels in the National Rugby League and the Australian Prime Minister's XIII... |
Money Box Man | This nickname is drawn from the term 'coin slot' to describe an 'arse crack' or buttock cleavage Buttock cleavage Buttock cleavage is minor exposure of the buttocks and the gluteal cleft between them, often because of low-slung or loose trousers. The crena is another formal term for the cleft between the buttocks.- History :... . Hindmarsh's shorts Shorts Shorts are a bifurcated garment worn by both men and women over their pelvic area, circling the waist, and covering the upper part of the legs, sometimes extending down to or even below the knee, but not covering the entire length of the leg. They are called "shorts" because they are a shortened... would often be worn low, with his coin slot exposed to the TV cameras. |
| John Hopoate John Hopoate John Hopoate is a former professional rugby league footballer and boxer. He played club football for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, Wests Tigers and Northern Eagles in the National Rugby League competition. Hopoate also gained selection for Tonga, in the Australian national team and in the New... |
Stinkfist | Although he was described by a 2005 newspaper story as "the most suspended player of the modern era"http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2005/03/22/1111254031446.html, Hopoate is best known for the incidents that lead to his sacking from the Wests Tigers Wests Tigers The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs... in 2001. During a 2001 match against the North Queensland Cowboys North Queensland Cowboys The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership... , Hopoate attempted to insert his finger into the anus Anus The anus is an opening at the opposite end of an animal's digestive tract from the mouth. Its function is to control the expulsion of feces, unwanted semi-solid matter produced during digestion, which, depending on the type of animal, may be one or more of: matter which the animal cannot digest,... es of Paul Bowman and Glenn Morrison Glenn Morrison Glenn Adam Morrison is a former Australian professional rugby league player. He played for the Parramatta Eels, Balmain Tigers, North Sydney Bears, and the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League before moving to England to play for the Bradford Bulls and then the Wakefield Trinity... in an effort to unsettle them. This incident, and the following rugby league judiciary decision to ban him for 12 weeks, was widely publicised by the sporting and mainstream media and left Hopoate humiliated. The Roy and HG nickname is drawn from the 1996 Tool Tool (band) Tool is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1990, the group's line-up has included drummer Danny Carey, guitarist Adam Jones, and vocalist Maynard James Keenan. Since 1995, Justin Chancellor has been the band's bassist, replacing their original bassist Paul D'Amour... song "Stinkfist Stinkfist "Stinkfist" is a song by American rock band Tool. It is released as the first single and first music video from their second album Ænima. Due to its name and perceived subject, the song had its lyrics altered and its title changed by TV and radio programmers, who also shortened the track... " and is a result of Roy and HG asking their listeners what his boxing name should be (as he left rugby league to pursue a career in boxing). "Stinkfist" (often shortened to "Stinky") is one of the suggestions. Another was "Dr. Digit." |
| Andrew Johns Andrew Johns Andrew Gary "Joey" Johns is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s who is considered by many to be the greatest player of all time. He was heralded as the world's best halfback for a number of years... |
The Unmade Bed | Roy and HG once read a feature story which detailed some of Johns' on-tour habits. Specifically, the article mentioned Johns' technique of going to bed fully dressed in his traveling clothes following a late night out on the town. This allowed him to get an extra 15 minutes sleep Sleep Sleep is a naturally recurring state characterized by reduced or absent consciousness, relatively suspended sensory activity, and inactivity of nearly all voluntary muscles. It is distinguished from quiet wakefulness by a decreased ability to react to stimuli, and is more easily reversible than... the next morning, although his crumpled clothes took upon an "unmade bed" appearance for the following day. Whilst playing in the 1997 Grand Final with a punctured lung, he was also granted the name "One Bung Lung." Was also called 'the third chair' - reference to band Silverchair from Newcastle. |
| Ben Kennedy Ben Kennedy Ben Kennedy , is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s... |
The President | The nickname was given after a comment made by Slaven or Nelson remarking how much Kennedy looks like his namesake, former US President John F. Kennedy John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963.... . In reality the burly, bald-headed Kennedy looks nothing like JFK, but Roy and HG ran with this joke by making references to Air Force One Air Force One Air Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. In common parlance the term refers to those Air Force aircraft whose primary mission is to transport the president; however, any U.S. Air Force aircraft... and The White House when Kennedy had possession of the ball. Other nicknames include "Ken Bennedy" and "Dead Kennedy" (in reference to the punk band Dead Kennedys Dead Kennedys Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene.... ). |
| Glenn Lazarus Glenn Lazarus Glenn Patrick Lazarus is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s who has been named amongst the nation's finest of the 20th century. He primarily played at prop forward, representing Australia internationally and New South Wales in State of Origin... |
The Brick With Eyes | The nickname is because of Glenn's large, solid physique. Roy and HG have also called him "Dr Death." The United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... 's The Sun The Sun (newspaper) The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin... newspaper Newspaper A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a... once got this name wrong and called him "The Brick with Ears." |
| Adam MacDougall Adam MacDougall Adam "Mad Dog" MacDougall is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. A New South Wales State of Origin and Australian international representative centre, he has spent the majority of his career at the Newcastle Knights, with whom he won the 1997 and 2001... |
Mad Dog MacDougall, Drugs | Was referred to as "Drugs" after testing positive to performance enhancing drugs in 1998. |
| Willie Mason Willie Mason William Marshall "Willie" Mason is an Australian professional rugby union footballer for Toulon in the Top 14 competition, having previously being a rugby league footballer for Hull KR in the European Super League.Mason signed a 3-year contract with Hull KR in September 2010, pending a successful... |
The Brains Trust | The nickname originated in the aftermath of the 2004 Canterbury Bulldogs Canterbury Bulldogs The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Belmore, a suburb in the Canterbury-Bankstown region of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, as well as New South Wales Rugby League junior competitions... sex scandal Sex scandal A sex scandal is a scandal involving allegations or information about possibly-immoral sexual activities being made public. Sex scandals are often associated with movie stars, politicians, famous athletes or others in the public eye, and become scandals largely because of the prominence of the... , in which Mason was labeled a central figure. His club later claimed that Mason has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). http://www.abc.net.au/sport/content/s1114047.htm. After his move to the Sydney Roosters Sydney Roosters The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League... , also labelled the New face of the Eastern Suburbs. |
| Steve Menzies | Beaver | A name given to Menzies by his team names possibly due to his long nose. Other Roy and HG name variations include "Beav" and "The Flying Beaver." Having played professional rugby league since 1993, the 2000s saw the duo making exaggerated references to Menzies' age, such as calling him "Methuselah Methuselah Methuselah is the oldest person whose age is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. Extra-biblical tradition maintains that he died on the 11th of Cheshvan of the year 1656 , at the age of 969, seven days before the beginning of the Great Flood... " and claiming he was around 800 years old and had made 400 origin appearances. |
| Mark O'Meley Mark O'Meley Mark O'Meley is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the European Super League team, Hull, and previously of the Sydney Roosters in the National Rugby League competition. He also previously played for the North Sydney Bears, the ill fated Northern Eagles and the Bulldogs... |
Dencorub Man | A reference to the rumour that O'Meley rubbed Dencorub (a deep heat cream) on his bald head before the game to fire himself up. More recently they have referred to him as "Mad Dog O'Meley" in the absence of Adam MacDougall. |
| Anthony Minichiello Anthony Minichiello Anthony Minichiello is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who, to date, has played his entire career for the Sydney Roosters of the National Rugby League. He plays at fullback and on the Wing. Minichiello has represented New South Wales and Australia... |
The Count | Presumably because of his facial resemblance to Count von Count Count von Count Count von Count, often known simply as "The Count", is one of the Muppet characters on Sesame Street, performed by Jerry Nelson. The Count is a vampire modeled after Bela Lugosi's interpretation of Count Dracula.-Description:... from Sesame Street Sesame Street Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The... . |
| Steve Mortimer Steve Mortimer Steve Mortimer OAM, , nicknamed Turvey after Turvey Park in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, where he hailed from, is an Australian former rugby league halfback. Mortimer played a Canterbury-Bankstown club record 272 first grade games between 1976–88. Mortimer's two younger brothers Peter and Chris... |
The Prince of Darkness | A play on his sinister appearance and demeanour. |
| Michael O'Connor | Tiberius | In reference to his nickname, "Snoz," and the famous Roman nose. |
| Tommy Raudonikis Tommy Raudonikis Tommy Raudonikis OAM is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He played over twenty-nine Tests and World Cup games as Australia representative halfback and captained his country in two Tests of the 1973 Kangarooo tour.-Early life and club playing career:Raudonikis is the son of a... |
Pronounced "Ra-donny-kiss", Roy and HG render Tommy's name as "Raw-don-neek-us", which they claim to be the correct Greek pronunciation. Raudonikis is Lithuanian. Also known as "Tom Tomato" due to his tomato-growing prowess. | |
| Steve Roach | Blockhead | A variation of his normal nickname, "Blocker." |
| Ian Roberts | "Totally" Ian Roberts | Named after a fictitious fashion label that Slaven and Nelson invented for the well dressed, homosexual Ian Roberts. |
| Paul Sironen Paul Sironen Paul Sironen is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who was a prominent second rower for the Balmain Tigers during the late 1980s and early 1990s... |
The Buttocks Buttocks The buttocks are two rounded portions of the anatomy, located on the posterior of the pelvic region of apes and humans, and many other bipeds or quadrupeds, and comprise a layer of fat superimposed on the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles. Physiologically, the buttocks enable weight to... |
Sironen's short shorts made his buttocks look quite prominent. Another memorable feature of the commentary was HG saying "don't the poms hate Sirro, Roy?" - a reference to the fear he struck in the Englishmen when representing Australia. |
| Jason Stevens Jason Stevens Jason Anthony Stevens is a former professional rugby league footballer who represented his country and state. He primarily played at prop... |
Stupid Stevens | A crude nickname which was used after Stevens made a number of mistakes in a match. |
| Jason Stevens Jason Stevens Jason Anthony Stevens is a former professional rugby league footballer who represented his country and state. He primarily played at prop... |
Praise the Lord Pastor Stevens | A reference to his Christian faith. |
| Brett Stewart Brett Stewart Brett Stewart is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the National Rugby League. He is an Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative fullback known for pace and his prolific try-scoring... |
The Try-scoring Wizard | Due to his impressive performance in scoring a try in his debut match in 2007. The name is taken from his NRL Tazo POG POG may mean:*POG, a drink *Pogs, a 1990s fad game, as well as the game pieces used in that game*One of the two title characters in Pib and Pog, an animated short film made by Aardman Animations... .This is sometimes shortened to "The Wizard" or interchanged with "The Try-scoring Machine." He was also lampooned during the 2008 Origin series for failing to break tackles, something he is ordinarily a master of. |
| Timana Tahu Timana Tahu Timana James Aporo Tahu is an Australian professional rugby league footballer and former rugby union player, a dual-code international, currently playing for the Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby League. He formerly played for the New South Wales Waratahs in the Super 14 competition... |
Tim Tam Tahu | Named after the Australian chocolate Chocolate Chocolate is a raw or processed food produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America. Its earliest documented use is around 1100 BC... biscuit Biscuit A biscuit is a baked, edible, and commonly flour-based product. The term is used to apply to two distinctly different products in North America and the Commonwealth Nations.... brand, Tim Tams. |
| Shaun Timmins Shaun Timmins Shaun Timmins is an Australian retired professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s... |
Tea bag Tea bag A tea bag is a small, porous sealed bag containing tea leaves and used for brewing tea. Tea bags are commonly made of paper, silk or plastic. The bag contains the tea leaves while the tea is brewed, making it easier to dispose of the leaves, and performs the same function as a tea infuser... Timmins |
Named so due to the phonetic sound of Timmins and its similarity with Tea bag. |
| Anthony Watmough Anthony Watmough Anthony Watmough is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles club of the National Rugby League... |
Sponge-kiss | During his first Origin appearance in game 1 2005 Watmough was used only sparingly off the bench and played little game time. He also had a very little impact in the second row. After the game he was dropped and replaced by Steven Menzies. Ever since that poor performance Roy and HG have dubbed him the Sponge Kiss to signify his lack of impact. |
| Rod Wishart Rod Wishart Rod Wishart is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s. A New South Wales State of Origin and Australia international representative goal-kicking winger, he played club football with the Illawarra Steelers and the St... |
The fastest man in league | Made after Wishart, a winger, was chased down by the 'Ungrateful Head,' a front row forward, after breaking away. Roy and HG also suggest that people should 'put the kettle on' or 'put the cat out' when Wishart gets the ball - implying that nothing happens when Wishart is in possession. |
| Craig Young Craig Young Craig Young is an Australian former representative rugby league footballer for the Australia national rugby league team, the New South Wales Blues and a stalwart player over 11 seasons from 1977 to 1988 with the St. George Dragons in the NSWRL premiership competition. He played at prop-forward... |
Constable Craig, Fat Albert | Contable Craig is a reference to his employment in the New South Wales police force. "Fat Albert" results from combining his actual nickname "Albert" with his girth, and the resulting facial resemblance to the cartoon character of the same name. |
| Queensland State of Origin Player Nicknames | ||
|---|---|---|
| Player name | | Roy and HG nickname | | Reason for nickname |
| Gary Belcher Gary Belcher Gary Belcher is an Australian rugby league football commentator and former player of the 1980s and '90s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative goal-kicking fullback, he played club football in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership for Souths and in the NSWRL... |
Snakey Substances | In reference to Belcher's running style, which would often be used to slide through the opposition's defensive line in a snake Snake Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales... -like manner. |
| Steven Bell Steven Bell Steven "Steve" Bell is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Catalans Dragons of Super League... |
Ding Dong Bell | Named as so because Bell's ring. |
| Wayne Bennett | Skeletor | Perceived by many to look like the character. |
| Petero Civoniceva Petero Civoniceva Petero Civoniceva is an Australian professional rugby league footballer currently contracted to the Brisbane Broncos of the National Rugby League... |
Fridge and a freezer | Rhyming slang with Petro's actual surname. Roy and HG also usually intentionally mispronounce his name as "siv-ee-ya-see-na," and sometimes introduce other variations such as Petrol SeventyCentsALitre and Petero SecondReceiver. Also "The Rear Admiral," from his habit of turning his back to the defensive line when he is about to be tackled. |
| Petero Civoniceva Petero Civoniceva Petero Civoniceva is an Australian professional rugby league footballer currently contracted to the Brisbane Broncos of the National Rugby League... |
The Second Keel | Reference to Steven Price's nickname of the pair being the direction of the Queensland pack. |
| Mark Coyne | The two dollar coit | A play on his surname's pronunciation, coit is another slang term used by Roy and HG to mean anus. His older brother Peter Coyne has been referred to as 'one dollar coit.' |
| Michael Crocker Michael Crocker Michael Crocker is an Australian professional rugby league footballer with the South Sydney Rabbitohs of the NRL... |
Betty Crocker | Reference to the fact that his last name is shared by the famous cookbook brand. |
| Brett Dallas Brett Dallas Brett Dallas is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative winger, his club career included stints with both Canterbury and North Sydney in Australia's domestic competition, and the Wigan Warriors... |
Debbie Does | Named after the 1978 pornographic film Debbie Does Dallas Debbie Does Dallas Debbie Does Dallas is a 1978 pornographic film starring Bambi Woods. The plot of the film focuses on a team of cheerleaders attempting to earn enough money to send the title character to Dallas, Texas, to try out for the famous “Texas Cowgirls” cheerleading squad. The fictional name "Texas... . |
| Brett Dallas Brett Dallas Brett Dallas is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative winger, his club career included stints with both Canterbury and North Sydney in Australia's domestic competition, and the Wigan Warriors... |
The Grassy Knoll | US President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in the US city of Dallas. One of the conspiracy theories going around was that the shot was fired from behind a grassy knoll close to the motorcade route. Dallas also had a habit of bursting into the open out of nowhere, a fact which Roy and HG claim is similar to the unexpected nature of Kennedy's assassination. |
| Greg Dowling Greg Dowling Gregory Dowling is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. He represented both Australia and Queensland.... |
Dish-head Dowling, Wing-nut Dowling | The name 'Dish-head' implies that Greg Dowling's face is concave as his nose has been broken. The name 'Wing-nut' refers to the fact that Greg Dowling has large ears. |
| John Doyle | Roy | John Doyle John Doyle (comedian) John Partick Doyle AM is an award-winning Australian actor, writer, radio presenter and comedian.-Early life:Doyle was born in Lithgow, New South Wales in 1953 into a music-loving, Catholic household with three sisters and a brother. His mother was a business woman and father a railway fettler... is the real name of the actor behind the Roy Slaven character, so the duo nicknamed the rugby league player accordingly. |
| Andrew Gee Andrew Gee Andrew Gee is an Australian rugby league administrator and the current football operations manager at the Brisbane Broncos of the NRL... |
Due to his age, Roy and HG would often refer to him as being "older than his grandpa." | |
| Trevor Gillmeister Trevor Gillmeister Trevor Gillmeister is an Australian former rugby league player who is currently signed on as an assistant coach at the Gold Coast Titans. During his playing days Gillmeister played for the Sydney Roosters, Brisbane Broncos, Penrith Panthers and the South Queensland Crushers as well as... |
Chock-a-Block full of the angry pills | Gillmeister was a player who seemed especially fired up around Origin time, and Roy and HG's explanation for this was the consumption of "angry pills" in the dressing room just before kick-off. |
| Michael Hancock Michael Hancock (rugby league) Michael John "Mick" Hancock is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative winger, he played in the Brisbane Broncos' 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grand final victories... |
Three knees | Roy and HG hypothesised that Hancock used his large "middle leg Penis The penis is a biological feature of male animals including both vertebrates and invertebrates... " to his advantage in the game of rugby league, such as slowing play-the-balls by holding down opposition players with it when making tackles. He was also sometimes referred to as 'tripod.' |
| Michael Hancock Michael Hancock (rugby league) Michael John "Mick" Hancock is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative winger, he played in the Brisbane Broncos' 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grand final victories... |
The Labrador | Because he was always bludging on the blind. |
| Ben Hannant Ben Hannant Benjamin Hannant is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Brisbane Broncos of the NRL... |
The Ambitious Walk | HG often comments that Hannant is a very slow runner. When Hannant takes a hit-up HG will often comment "God he's slow isn't he?" Variations of the nickname include The Ambitious Walker and The Hiker. |
| Paul Hauff Paul Hauff Paul Hauff is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1990s. A Queensland state of Origin and Australian international representative fullback, he played his whole top-level career in Australia for the Brisbane Broncos, later moving to their sister club in England, the London... |
The Clip Clop Club | Nickname derived from pronunciation of his surname (i.e. horse hoof Horse hoof A horse hoof is a structure surrounding the distal phalanx of the 3rd digit of each of the four limbs of Equus species, which is covered by complex soft tissue and keratinised structures... ). |
| Tony Hearn | The Penalty Puller | Roy and HG regarded Hearn as a player who frequently faked injury to fool the referee into penalising Penalty (rugby) In rugby football, the penalty is the main disciplinary sanction available to the referee to penalise players who commit deliberate infringements. The team who did not commit the infringement are given possession of the ball and may either kick it towards touch , attempt a place kick at goal, or... the New South Wales team. To this day, Roy and HG refer to Hearn as a mentor-like figure who coaches young players how to best 'pull penalties' in State of Origin matches. |
| Ben Ikin Ben Ikin Benjamin Ikin is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer and former commentator for the Nine Network now employed by One HD... |
Tina Turner | Derived from the homophonic Homophone A homophone is a word that is pronounced the same as another word but differs in meaning. The words may be spelled the same, such as rose and rose , or differently, such as carat, caret, and carrot, or to, two, and too. Homophones that are spelled the same are also both homographs and homonyms... qualities of 'Ikin' and 'Ike & Tina Turner Ike & Tina Turner Ike & Tina Turner were an American rock & roll and soul duo, made of the husband-and-wife team of Ike Turner and Tina Turner in the 1960s and 1970s. Spanning sixteen years together as a recording group, the duo's repertoire included rock & roll, soul, blues and funk... '. |
| Adrian Lam Adrian Lam Adrian Lam is an Australian rugby league football coach and former international player. He is the head coach of the under 20 St George Dragons squad National Rugby League team he signed with them in 2010 and will combine with coaching legend Wayne Bennett.He is a former Papua New Guinea rugby... |
"Baa baa" Lam | Named Baa baa due to Lam being his last name. |
| Martin Lang | The Ungrateful Head | The head of Martin Lang, who ran with an erratic style, would be violently and spectacularly whiplashed Whiplash (medicine) Whiplash is a non-medical term describing a range of injuries to the neck caused by or related to a sudden distortion of the neck associated with extension. The term "whiplash" is a colloquialism... backwards after a collision with a tackling opponent. |
| Allan Langer Allan Langer Allan "Alfie" Langer AM is an Australian former multi-award-winning rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s who works as an assistant coach for the Australian national team and Brisbane Broncos... |
Deborah Kerr | Actress Deborah Kerr Deborah Kerr Deborah Kerr, CBE was a Scottish film and television actress from Glasgow. She won the Sarah Siddons Award for her Chicago performance as Laura Reynolds in Tea and Sympathy, a role which she originated on Broadway, a Golden Globe Award for the motion picture The King and I, and was a three-time... starred opposite Yul Brynner Yul Brynner Yul Brynner was a Russian-born actor of stage and film. He was best known for his portrayal of Mongkut, king of Siam, in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor for the film version; he also played the role more than 4,500 times on... in the 1956 film The King and I The King and I (1956 film) The King and I is a 1956 musical film made by 20th Century Fox, directed by Walter Lang and produced by Charles Brackett and Darryl F. Zanuck. The screenplay by Ernest Lehman is based on the Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II musical The King and I, based in turn on the book Anna and the King... . This nickname is derived from Allan Langer's on-field partnership with Broncos Brisbane Broncos The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two... / Maroons Queensland State of Origin Team The Queensland rugby league team have represented the Australian state of Queensland in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1908... five-eighth Wally Lewis Wally Lewis Walter James "Wally" Lewis AM is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer and coach. Currently a commentator of the sport, he is widely regarded as the greatest rugby league player of all time... , who was nicknamed "The King." The duo often referred to Lewis as "K.W. Lewis." |
| Gary Larson | The Far Side | Rugby league player Gary Larson shares the same name as the cartoonist responsible for the popular strip The Far Side The Far Side The Far Side is a popular single-panel comic created by Gary Larson and syndicated by Universal Press Syndicate, which ran from January 1, 1980, to January 1, 1995. Its surrealistic humor is often based on uncomfortable social situations, improbable events, an anthropomorphic view of the world,... . |
| Darren Lockyer Darren Lockyer Darren Lockyer is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer. He was the captain of the Australian national team, the Queensland State of Origin team and his National Rugby League club, the Brisbane Broncos. His professional career spanned between 1995 and 2011... |
Silk | Reference to Lockyer's ability to glide smoothly through the defensive line. |
| Mal Meninga Mal Meninga Malcolm Norman Meninga AM is an Australian former rugby league test captain and current coach of Queensland's State of Origin team. As a player he was a legendary goal-kicking centre, counted amongst the finest footballers of the 20th century... |
Chicken George | Reference to the character Chicken George Moore from Alex Haley's Alex Haley Alexander Murray Palmer Haley was an African-American writer. He is best known as the author of Roots: The Saga of an American Family and the coauthor of The Autobiography of Malcolm X.-Early life:... Roots. |
| Adam Mogg Adam Mogg Adam Mogg is an Australian rugby league coach and former footballer.-Playing career:Mogg spent five years with the Redcliffe Dolphins, participating in four grand finals in the Queensland Cup and winning the club's player of the year award in 2001, before being scouted in 2002 by the Parramatta... |
Moggball | Adam Mogg's debut origin match was the second game of the 2006 series, which was being played at the same time as the soccer World Cup 2006 FIFA World Cup The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six... . Adam Mogg scored two tries in an unexpected Queensland thrashing which led Roy to declare "you can talk about Wogball, but this is Moggball." |
| Julian O'Neill Julian O'Neill O'Neill then played at fullback in all three games of the 1994 State of Origin series under coach Wally Lewis. During the 1994 NSWRL season, O'Neill played at lock forward for defending premiers Brisbane when they hosted British champions Wigan for the 1994 World Club Challenge. In 1994 and 1995... |
The Poo in the Shoe | O'Neill, who has a history of off-field misconduct, including two DUI DUI DUI is a three letter acronym that may stand for:* Driving under the influence * Democratic Union for Integration — the largest ethnic Albanian party in the Republic of Macedonia* Data Use Identifier... charges and urinating Urination Urination, also known as micturition, voiding, peeing, weeing, pissing, and more rarely, emiction, is the ejection of urine from the urinary bladder through the urethra to the outside of the body. In healthy humans the process of urination is under voluntary control... under casino Casino In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions... blackjack Blackjack Blackjack, also known as Twenty-one or Vingt-et-un , is the most widely played casino banking game in the world... tables on two separate occasions, was involved in a 1999 pre-season incident which led to his South Sydney Rabbitohs South Sydney Rabbitohs The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital... being banned from a Dubbo hotel. Following years of personal and professional turmoil, O'Neill trashed the Dubbo hotel room by smearing the walls with faeces. A direct quote from the horse's mouth describing a further bad deed from the night was "hey Schlossie, I just shat in your shoe." http://www.spinstartshere.com/?q=taxonomy/term/41&from=15 |
| Julian O'Neill Julian O'Neill O'Neill then played at fullback in all three games of the 1994 State of Origin series under coach Wally Lewis. During the 1994 NSWRL season, O'Neill played at lock forward for defending premiers Brisbane when they hosted British champions Wigan for the 1994 World Club Challenge. In 1994 and 1995... |
The Golden Shower Boy | Used in reference to O'Neill's urinating under a Jupiter Casino card table on two occasions. |
| Robbie O'Davis Robbie O'Davis Robbie O'Davis is an Australian retired rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He represented Queensland and Australia, and played his entire club career with the Newcastle Knights, with whom he won two premierships.O'Davis' primarily played at fullback though he also occasionally played... |
Robbie Roids | So named after O'Davis was suspended for 22 weeks early in his career after it was discovered he had used anabolic steroids. |
| Steve Price | Price Attack | Named after the Australian discount haircare and beauty chain, Price Attack, Roy and HG would make the "woo woo woo!" noise of a storefront siren Siren (noisemaker) A siren is a loud noise making device. Most modern ones are civil defense or air raid sirens, tornado sirens, or the sirens on emergency service vehicles such as ambulances, police cars and fire trucks. There are two general types: pneumatic and electronic.... whenever Price would take a hit up. |
| Steve Price | The Keel | Roy and HG hailed Steven Price as the direction of the Queensland pack, and later awarded Petero Civoniceva with the title of second keel. The pair lamented that NSW would have no keel while Queensland had two. |
| Wendell Sailor Wendell Sailor Wendell Jermaine Sailor is an Australian former professional rugby football player who represented his country in both rugby league and rugby union – a dual code international. He is an Australian Torres Strait Islander.Sailor's large frame and bullocking style changed the way wingers played rugby... |
Dell | Also, at one time, Roy and HG would shout "HELLO SAILOR!" every time Wendell was passed the ball. |
| Clinton Schifcofske Clinton Schifcofske Clinton Schifcofske is an Australian rugby league footballer for the Crusaders in the European Super League. He has previously played for Irish rugby union club Ulster in the Magners League competition and also he spent a year with Queensland Reds in the Super 14... |
Shkkkkkk | Just about everyone in Australian rugby league media pronounces Schficofske's name differently, and few get it correct (it's actually Shif-oss-key) and his nickname was a play on this. Roy and HG also deliberately mispronounce his name "Shiv-cough-skee." |
| Dale Shearer Dale Shearer Dale Shearer is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representative winger/fullback of Aboriginal heritage, he played club football in Queensland, New South Wales and England... |
The 180B Man | Named after a late 70s model of car, Roy and HG would remark how Shearer "offers so many options on the park he's like a Datsun 180B." An extension of this joke was that Shearer offered "too many options," which led to no action because of indecision. |
| Matt Sing Matt Sing Matthew Charles Sing is an Australian semi-retired professional rugby league footballer for the Central Comets in the Queensland Cup. His first grade career spanned much of the 1990s and 2000s... |
On song | Named so due to his last name Sing. |
| Darren Smith | Cheese and Chives | Smiths Chips The Smith's Snackfood Company The Smith's Snackfood Company is a company best known for producing and selling a range of snack food such as crisps. It is now owned by New York based company PepsiCo.-Smiths in the UK:... is a large manufacturer of potato chips in Australia. |
| Jason Smith | Salt and Vinegar | Jason Smith is the brother of Darren Smith (see above). |
| Dan Stains Dan Stains Dan Stains is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He played primarily for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, usually as a , and as a .He played for Halifax and captained Cronulla... |
The underpants | Roy and HG began calling Dan Stains "Underpant Stains" after suggesting that no matter how The Blues might wash, they just can't get those Dan Stains out. This was soon shortened to "The Underpants." |
| Brent Tate Brent Tate Brent Tate is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League... |
"Show us ya date" Tate | Roy and HG were instrumental in popularising the usage of the slang term 'date,' which means anus Anus The anus is an opening at the opposite end of an animal's digestive tract from the mouth. Its function is to control the expulsion of feces, unwanted semi-solid matter produced during digestion, which, depending on the type of animal, may be one or more of: matter which the animal cannot digest,... . After being tackled, Tate occasionally rises to play the ball after lying on his back with his legs open and inadvertently pointing towards the camera. After scoring two tries in the third 2003 State of Origin match, Roy and HG proclaimed "everybody's talking Tate!" This would prove to be a popular phrase which would be modified to "nobody’s talking Tate" during less impressive performances. |
| Brad Thorn Brad Thorn Bradley Carnegie Thorn is a professional rugby union player. He has in the past represented Australia at rugby league, and currently represents New Zealand in union... |
Thorn in the side | A reference to his last name. |
| Lote Tuqiri | Plum Daiquiri | A nickname derived from Lote's unusual Fiji Fiji Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island... an surname. Another version is "Strawberry Daiquiri Daiquiri Daiquiri is a family of cocktails whose main ingredients are rum, lime juice, and sugar or other sweetener. There are several versions, but those that gained international fame are the ones made in the El Floridita bar in Havana, Cuba.... ." |
| Kerrod Walters Kerrod Walters Kerrod Walters is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representative hooker, he played most of his club football with the Brisbane Broncos, with whom he won the 1992 and 1993 NSWRL Premierships... |
Prune | Named because of his squashed facial features Face The face is a central sense organ complex, for those animals that have one, normally on the ventral surface of the head, and can, depending on the definition in the human case, include the hair, forehead, eyebrow, eyelashes, eyes, nose, ears, cheeks, mouth, lips, philtrum, temple, teeth, skin, and... . |
| Kevin Walters Kevin Walters Kevin David Walters is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is currently the assistant coach for NRL club Melbourne Storm. He joined them from French club Catalans Dragons of Europe's Super League as their head coach. Before that he was head coach of the... |
Kumquat Kumquat Cumquats or kumquats are a group of small fruit-bearing trees in the flowering plant family Rutaceae, either forming the genus Fortunella, or placed within Citrus sensu lato... |
The brother of Kerrod Walters (see above), Kevin's nickname also was derived simply because of his warped facial features. |
| Steve Walters Steve Walters Steve Walters is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s, who at the peak of his career, was considered the best hooker in the game. An Australian Kangaroos and Queensland Maroons representative, he played in the Canberra Raiders' 1st, 2nd and 3rd grand final... |
Quince Quince The quince , or Cydonia oblonga, is the sole member of the genus Cydonia and native to warm-temperate southwest Asia in the Caucasus region... |
The brother of Kerrod and Kevin, completing the fruit motif. |
| Shane Webcke Shane Webcke Shane Webcke is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer, who spent his entire top-grade career playing for the Brisbane Broncos. His position of choice was at prop forward and at his peak he was renowned as the best front rower in the world... |
BigPond | Telstra BigPond is a popular web provider Internet service provider An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers... in Australia. |
In addition to the players, Roy and HG frequently refer to two former top grade referees: Kelvin Jeffes and Moghseen Jadwat, ironically describing them as the two best officials ever to grace the sport (actually, Jadwat's top-grade career was decidedly short (1997-8), whilst Jeffes has only controlled one Origin fixture). This is in contrast to Roy and HG's typical opinions of refereeing staff (e.g. Bill Harrigan, which is often vocally critical beyond the norm for sports commentators.
Other sayings
Roy and HG's commentary also makes use of a number of sayings which are infrequently used by the majority of rugby league broadcasters.Play of game
- "Chilli on the stick" - AnalogousAnalogyAnalogy is a cognitive process of transferring information or meaning from a particular subject to another particular subject , and a linguistic expression corresponding to such a process...
to the saying "rubbing saltSaltIn chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
in the woundWoundA wound is a type of injury in which skin is torn, cut or punctured , or where blunt force trauma causes a contusion . In pathology, it specifically refers to a sharp injury which damages the dermis of the skin.-Open:...
", "chilli on the stick" is referred to by Roy and HG when a team already trailing on the scoreboard is further humiliated by the opposition scoring subsequent tries. Roy and HG metaphorMetaphorA metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...
ically refer to the winning team grabbing a cricketCricketCricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
stumpStump (cricket)Stump is a term used in the sport of cricket where it has three different meanings:# part of the wicket# a manner of dismissing a batsman# the end of the day's play .-Part of the wicket:...
, removing the brass ferrules, then applying chilliChili pepperChili pepper is the fruit of plants from the genus Capsicum, members of the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The term in British English and in Australia, New Zealand, India, Malaysia and other Asian countries is just chilli without pepper.Chili peppers originated in the Americas...
and inserting it "in, out, in, out" of the losing team's date (a slang word for anus). - "Defusing a bomb" - a player (usually the fullback) catching an opposing team's bomb kickBomb kickAn up and under is a type of kick in various codes of football. It is a high short punt onto or behind the defending team is a useful tactic both for attacking and defending...
in the in-goal area, and thus giving their team a 20-metre restart. This saying is especially used in high-pressure situations where there is a contest from an opposing player for the markMark (Australian football)A mark is a skill in Australian rules football where a player cleanly catches a kicked ball that has travelled more than 15 metres without anyone else touching it or the ball hitting the ground....
. - "Face massage" - pressure put on the face of a tackled player by the palm of an opponent.
- "Half Dream Room" - a reference to the metaphorical state or "room" entered by a player after being hit sufficiently hard in the head (by, for example, a Nut Merchant) to produce severe concussion without total unconsciousness.
- "Hospital pass" - a pass to a team-mate who is closely marked by another player. This ensures that the player is swiftly tackled (often with great force because of the defender's available time to prepare) soon after catching the ball.
- "Johnny on the spot" - a lucky player. This saying is usually reserved to describe a someone who scores because of being in the right place at the right time to receive a pass from a player who had done more work to manufacture the try.
- "Nut Merchant" - a player renowned for employing the head butt.
- "Parting the Buttocks and Shoving the Head Up" - a player entering the scrum.
- "Pig Rooting" - the process of a player bucking wildly to extricate himself from a tackle and thus play the ball more quickly. The pig rooter is the antithesis of the white flag merchant. Named for the resemblance of the act to a wild pig rooting around for nourishment in the dirt, snout down and bum up.
- "Pillow" - usually used as a verb, "to pillow" (also "to powder" or "to talc") is to perform a poor piece of rugby league through a perceived lack of courage, mental strength or intelligence (often all three). Spectacular examples can be followed by Roy roaring "PILLOW POWDER TALC." Also used as a noun, with a certain player referred to as "The Pillow with Feet."
- "Reception committee" - terminology for a group of defending players who 'greet' an advancing player with a tackle.
- "Shut up shop" - a comment about a team in a leading position, who no longer seem to be actively trying to score points. They appear to be simply waiting for the clock to run out, and the game to end (e.g. "the Maroons have shut up shop for the night").
- "Squirrel grip" - referring to a player grabbing an opponent's testicles.
- "Surrendered tackle" - see "white flag merchant", below.
- "Traditional softening up period" - The first 10 minutes of the match in which the aim is to hurt or 'soften up' to opposition as much as possible.
- "Turtled" - A tackling style where more than one opponent lift the ball carrier in such a way that they end up on their back like a turtleTurtleTurtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield...
trapped on its shell. - Whistle in the pocket - a comment about a referee who is, in the eyes of Roy and HG, electing not to penalise players for breaking the rules of the game (e.g. "the referee has put the whistle in his pocket").
- "White flag merchant" - someone who ‘surrenders’ to allow their opponents to easily tackle them. Roy Slaven is a strong believer that this should be stomped out of the game ("I HATE it!"), with suggested punishments for white flag merchants being as extreme as an instant life ban from playing the code. Brett HodgsonBrett HodgsonBrett Hodgson is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Warrington Wolves of Super League...
has been accused of being a white flag merchant during Roy and HG’s State of Origin commentary.
Miscellaneous
- "Advertising" - Due to the ABC Charter, presenters are not allowed to voice support for commercial organisations. Pickhaver and Doyle also show an aversion to legitimately mentioning the names of corporations who have bought naming rights for venues and events (see "Stadia", below). Comically, Nelson also twists the reality of the sponsors who have their logos painted on the grass of the field. When players have been tackled on painted sections of grass (especially the red Harvey NormanHarvey NormanHarvey Norman is a large Australian-based retailer of electrical, computer, furniture, entertainment and bedding goods. It is effectively a franchise and the main brand owned by Harvey Norman Holdings Limited...
logos), Slaven often refers to the players as being "tackled on the Triple J signage." Alternatively at various stages throughout the late 1990s both Roy and HG would comment that the legitimate sponsor FAI merely translated to Triple J in French. - "Stadia" - Roy and HG usually avoid mentioning the sponsors' names during their broadcast, calling Suncorp Stadium "The Cauldron" (or its traditional name, Lang Park), and calling the then-Telstra Stadium (the venue which hosted the 2000 Olympics; formerly known as Stadium Australia and now as ANZ Stadium) "The Grand Old Girl" (or sometimes "The G.O.G.").
- "Surrendered Tackles" - Roy quite often voices his opinions of "surrendered tackles," in which a player either falls over accidentally, or dives before getting tackled by the opposition. Roy believes this should be given a penalty to the opposing team.
- "Ted Mulry" - Ron Palmer, who is the head trainer to the New South Wales Blues throughout most of the 1990s and 2000s bears a strong resemblance to Australian singer Ted MulryTed MulryTed Mulry was a singer, songwriter, bass player and guitarist. He was born in Oldham, Lancashire, England but achieved his success in Australia, firstly as a solo performer, and then leading his own band Ted Mulry Gang, sometimes officially credited as just TMG.-Solo:Ted Mulry first came to the...
(best known for the hit "Jump in My CarJump in My Car"Jump in My Car" is a song originally recorded by Australian rock band Ted Mulry Gang in 1975. The song was written by Australian singer, Ted Mulry and guitarist Les Hall, and was the first hit for the band in Australia...
" with his band the Ted Mulry Gang). When the doppelganger trainer enters the field and is seen in the background of the TV coverage, Roy and HG often remark at their amazement that Ted Mulry is now involved in rugby league. Palmer is aware of the nickname and appears to take it in a good nature. - "The kids" - A theme that Roy and HG often return to with their State of Origin commentary is attempting to create interest in Rugby League with school-aged children. Impressive plays (as well as unsavoury acts of violence, etc.) are often described by Roy and HG as something that will "get the kiddies interested in Rugby League." Slaven, in particular, is a proponent of asking parents of "stupid" kids if they have considered Rugby League as a future path for their children (citing players such as Willie MasonWillie MasonWilliam Marshall "Willie" Mason is an Australian professional rugby union footballer for Toulon in the Top 14 competition, having previously being a rugby league footballer for Hull KR in the European Super League.Mason signed a 3-year contract with Hull KR in September 2010, pending a successful...
as role models). - "They can't run without legs" - An example of Roy Slaven's expert commentary, said when a player is 'cut down' to the ground by being tackled around the legs. This saying is also modified to "they can't run without a head," when a head-high tackle is attempted.
- "Triple J Card Table" - Roy and HG often allude to calling the game from a temporary card table, set up near the sideline of the field when in fact they are calling from a radio studio, watching the same pictures that are broadcast to the television audience. This is also a reference to legendary rugby league player and broadcaster Frank Hyde, who started calling games on radio in the 1950s, from a card table set up on the side of the field.
Relationship with television coverage
By their own account, Roy and HG's commentary of the match is broadcast live from a card table adjacent to the halfway line of the playing field. In reality, their call is very much centred around the pictures that Channel 9 broadcast on their TV coverage with, for example, the duo being unsure of who won a penalty from the referee until the TV pictures change to a shot of the restart of play happening. Roy and HG use this aspect to add further comedy to their commentary, for example by calling the Channel 9 commentary team "men eating ice cream coneIce cream cone
An ice cream cone, poke or cornet is a dry, cone-shaped pastry, usually made of a wafer similar in texture to a waffle, allowing ice cream to be eaten without a bowl or spoon...
s" for their unnecessary use of hand-held microphone
Microphone
A microphone is an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. In 1877, Emile Berliner invented the first microphone used as a telephone voice transmitter...
s during studio broadcasts. Another memorable example of the TV-centric flow of Slaven and Nelson's commentary was during the 2004 series when Channel 9 introduced the "Skycam
Skycam
Skycam is the trademarked brandname of a patented, computer-controlled, stabilized, cable-suspended camera system. The system, similar to Steadicam, but maneuvered through three dimensions in the open space over a playing area of a stadium or arena by computer-controlled cable-drive system, is...
" camera
Professional video camera
A professional video camera is a high-end device for creating electronic moving images...
-on-wires which 'hovered' above the players' heads. This expensive technology, which had notably poor picture quality, often could not keep up with the flow of play was over-used by Channel 9 during the broadcast, was frequently blasted by Roy and HG for disorientating them with the "telecast from the lunar surface
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
." Slaven and Nelson also give back-handed criticism to Channel 9's low-brow "football entertainment" show The Footy Show
The NRL Footy Show
The Footy Show is a Logie Award-winning Australian sports variety television programme, shown on the Nine Network and its affiliates. Following the success of the AFL program of the same name, the Nine Network quickly developed a version for the rugby league market. The rugby league version has...
, sarcastically remarking what a "funny show" it is.
Digital divide
Though many listen to the call without accompaniment, HG Nelson's introductory comments always invite listeners to "tickle your television to the league channelNine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
down your end of the swamp, turn down the sound and turn up Triple J." Since the early 2000s, the spread of digital television
Digital television
Digital television is the transmission of audio and video by digital signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV...
throughout Australia has caused some technical issues for the Triple J State of Origin broadcast. Roy and HG's commentary had previously arrived to viewers approximately in synch with the television pictures (although generally, regional
Regional television in Australia
Regional television is a term given to local television services in areas outside of the five main Australian cities .-1960s:...
viewers suffered a short delay between the radio and television signals). The digital delay that came with the introduction of digital TV created a noticeable gap between the analogue radio broadcast and the slower digital TV signal. HG Nelson had to preclude their broadcast that "unfortunately we live with the digital divide, and there’s nothing we can do about it." In later years, however, Nelson would add that digital TV viewers should try tuning in to their online stream
Internet radio
Internet radio is an audio service transmitted via the Internet...
via the Triple J website, which has its own slight delay behind the airwaves. Therefore, it is recommended that analogue TV viewers listen to the analogue radio broadcast, and digital TV viewers stream the commentary from the Triple J website.
External links
- Roy and HG's recount of the 1988 Rugby League grand final featuring vintage audio of their 1988 Balmain TigersBalmain TigersThe Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles...
versus Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs commentary