- Died aged 76, fan favourite with countless AFL supporters
The footy world is mourning the death of legendary television commentator Dennis Cometti aged 76.
In a media career which spanned five decades, Cometti was renowned for his quick wit and exceptional timing.
One of his signature sayings when calling AFL games was ‘centimetre perfect,’ which epitomised Cometti’s dulcet tones.
He joined ABC radio in 1972 and worked with them until 1985 before jumping ship to Channel 7 in 1986.
Cometti also covered three Summer Olympics (Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000), for Channel 7 before joining Channel 9 between 2002 and 2006 to call football.
He returned to Channel 7 in 2007, where he again paired with close friend Bruce McAvaney.
The footy world is mourning the death of legendary television commentator Dennis Cometti aged 76
Cometti won numerous awards during his broadcasting life, including an Order of Australia in 2019, 11 Australian Football Media Association accolades as best caller, and is a Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductee (pictured)
Daily Mail understands Cometti and McAvaney called more than 500 games together.
When asked about a public poll which revealed he was the AFL’s most popular commentator during the 2014 season, Cometti replied: ‘It’s certainly better than the alternative.’
‘When people (in the street) approach me they are (usually) fantastic.’
Cometti also featured on radio, notably stints with 3AW and Triple M, including his final game, the 2021 AFL Grand Final.
He won numerous awards during his decorated broadcasting life, including an Order of Australia in 2019, 11 Australian Football Media Association accolades as best caller, and was a Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductee.
Additionally, Cometti was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2020.
‘The legacy that he’ll leave above all the other things is that one-liner that summed everything up so brilliantly and made us all smile,’ McAvaney said at the time following the induction.
‘There are a lot of very good commentators, many that have come before Dennis and there’ll be a lot that come after him, but I really believe he’s the benchmark.
‘Of all the people that have called the game, Dennis has created an aura about himself and an excellence that does stand alone, and for that he should be very proud.’
A documentary celebrating Cometti’s career, appropriately titled ‘Centimetre Perfect’, is due to air on Seven and 7plus Sport later this year.
