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Sandy Roberts retiring from TV

"Time to hand over the commentary box keys to young-guns,” says Sandy Roberts after 46 years on TV.

Veteran broadcaster Sandy Roberts has announced his retirement from TV after a career spanning 46 years and more than 1100 VFL/AFL games.

Roberts, who joined FOX Footy in 2014, joined Seven in Adelaide in 1973 and went on to commentate Summer and Winter Olympics, AFL, NBL, the Australian Open, Spring Racing Carnival and major golf tournaments. He presented sport on Seven News Melbourne from 2005 – 2013.

He has also hosted Good Friday appeals, game shows It’s Academic and The $1,000,000 Chance of a Lifetime and World of Sport.

“I want to thank all the viewers for welcoming me in to their lounge rooms for almost five decades. It’s an absolute honour to call live sport on TV for a living and to share that excitement with fans. It’s now time to hand over the commentary box keys to young-guns,” said Roberts.

“Sandy has been a vital member of the FOX Sports team for almost five years, and he will be missed by all. He’s an icon of sport and it has been such a privilege for us all to work alongside him and learn from the master,” said Head of FOX Sports, Peter Campbell.

Roberts plans to continue commentating AFL on radio and will sign-off from FOX Footy with an interview by Mike Sheahan, on Open Mike airing Tuesday 19th March.

Sandy Roberts’ television credentials:

· 46 years
· 8 Summer Olympic Games
· 3 Winter Olympic Games
· 19 AFL Grand Finals
· 1100 VFL/AFL Games
· 25 years Australian Open (tennis)
· Over 25 years of Australian golf including covering US & British Opens (golf)

And in case you’v forgotten, when he joined FOX Footy in 2014, the promos dept went to town…

7 Responses

  1. He’s the last commentator left in which his career was in progress before I could remember. My earliest memories of him are World Of Sport and 7 News in Melbourne. He’s barely changed over the years, too.

  2. Certainly the best caller in my opinion. He was the first to mix accuracy and personality to football (there was not much accuracy with Lou Richards while Landy was very straight). Thankfully we were able to continue to enjoy your calling on Fox after Seven did not continue your commentary role. Sandy your calling and hosting duties will be very much missed…you were the best……”what more can you say”

  3. Was Beijing 2008 his last Olympics? If so, he deserved more! Arguably the face of one of the faces of Seven’s coverage over the decades. I was always saddened by his defection to Fox Sports, I only wonder how much more he would’ve been able to do in recent years (Rio 2016, Pyeongchang 2018, Gold Coast 2018 and countless tennis, golf, etc) had he remained at Seven. A long bow, but maybe he would’ve even been tempted holding off retirement until after Tokyo 2020.

  4. A shame, but all good things must come to an end. Fox’s best caller and one of the best going around. I really like it when Fox uses 2 callers like 7 and the radio so I hope this doesn’t mean they do it less often. On another note, Seven still clearly has a lot of respect for Sandy playing a farewell package on last nights news despite the fact he left the network five years ago. He was also given a big send off by Seven five years ago despite departing for another network, almost unheard of in TV.

  5. An artist of commentary. Sandy is one of the best at keeping a calm head, at the most exciting moments. Always a pleasure to listen to. _& Very knowledgable.

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