Roy and HG's State of Origin commentary
| Company type | Radio broadcast segment |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment, Sports commentary |
| Founder | John Doyle and Greig Pickhaver |
| Headquarters | Australia , Australia |
Area served | New South Wales, Queensland, Australia |
| Products | Rugby league State of Origin comedy commentary |
Broadcast live on the Triple J radio station as a simultaneous transmission of the annual three-match rugby league State of Origin series, Australian comedians Roy and HG (John Doyle and Greig Pickhaver) deliver a humorous play-by-play of the games. This segment is an offshoot of their This Sporting Life program on Triple J, where their distinctive comedic style has cultivated a loyal cult audience. Since their transition to Triple M in 2009 and the conclusion of This Sporting Life, the State of Origin commentary has been paused.
History
An unusual change took place during Game One of the 2007 Series when Roy Slaven was unavailable. HG Nelson was accompanied by former New South Wales player Jason Stevens and Triple J host Scott Dooley. The usual pre-game segment featuring King Wally Otto was substituted with Triple J presenter Jason Whalley, known as "The Ancient Voice of the Rhomb."
Build-up
On State of Origin evenings, at 7:30pm, Triple J breaks from its standard programming (Super Request) in New South Wales and Queensland to commence coverage with a fanfare. "King Wally Otto in the Soundproof Booth" (voiced by Robbie McGregor) offers an enthusiastic introduction written by Doyle and Pickhaver. This typically includes a roll call of Former Origin Greats ("F.O.G.s") alongside anecdotes and an annual thematic motif connected to contemporary events, such as the 2003 Iraq conflict. In 2006, the series was humorously "endorsed" by the fictional Lakemba car dealership Frosty Lahood Motors Australia.
Following Otto’s introduction, he calls upon Roy and HG with the prompt "are you there...HG?" HG Nelson then greets listeners, portraying the match as one fought for "highest principles," including slogans like "Peace through violence" and "harmony through brutality," highlighting their irreverent approach.
Initially silent, Roy Slaven—portrayed as a former athlete and seasoned commentator—joins after several minutes. The pair engage in pre-match discussions lasting roughly thirty minutes, with Slaven sharing fabricated stories about rugby league legends. For instance, prior to the 2006 series—when New South Wales pursued a fourth straight victory amid claims that State of Origin was waning—Roy jokingly recounted contacting Wally Lewis, who allegedly replied, "oh, are they still playing that?"
National anthem
Around 8:00pm, players take the field and line up for the Australian national anthem. Roy and HG are known for substituting the televised version of "Advance Australia Fair" with Lionel Rose's 1969 track "I Thank You," selected for its lyrics about emerging players 'stepping up' and Rose's boxing heritage. The song fades as the official anthem finishes, accompanied by compliments for the vocalist. In 2008, following rugby league coach Jack Gibson’s passing, a violin rendition of "Waltzing Matilda" was played during the anthem segment, receiving applause from Roy and HG.
Game commentary
In contrast to conventional broadcasters such as Channel 9 and ABC Radio, Roy and HG adopt a more candid and less restrained critique of players and teams. Their comedic yet direct style includes labeling players as "goose" or suggesting entire squads be dismissed after poor performances. Despite Doyle’s ties to New South Wales, their commentary remains free from regional favoritism. They also draw attention to on-field misconduct often overlooked by others, including spitting, dacking, gouging, fighting, and rough play.
A distinctive feature of their broadcasts is employing nicknames—both well-known and original humorous ones—to identify players rather than using surnames. This practice lends a unique character to their commentary.
Player nicknames
| Nicknames of New South Wales State of Origin players | ||
|---|---|---|
| Player name | Roy and HG nickname | Origin of nickname |
| Jamie Ainscough | The Cough Drop | A pun on his last name's pronunciation; also noted for his distinctive running style. |
| Braith Anasta | The Black Hole | Criticized for defensive lapses that allowed Queensland to break through easily. |
| Braith Anasta | Death and Poison | Refers to costly errors that turned possession into disasters during the 2007 series. |
| Braith Anasta | The Car Horn | Suggests making noise without producing any real impact. |
| David Barnhill | Mockers | Nicknamed due to multiple grand final losses. |
| Greg Bird | Tweet Tweet | A playful twist on his surname. |
| Greg Bird | The Personality | Named for his moustache, which added flair on the field. |
| Tim Brasher | The Boy/Man on the Bike | Recognized for debuting in first grade while still attending high school. |
| Danny Buderus | Butterball Buderus | Possibly linked to poor ball control in an Origin match. |
| John Cartwright | The Burning Map | Inspired by the Bonanza TV series intro featuring a burning map. |
| Matt Cooper | The Brown Polish | Nicknamed after being covered in advertising paint during 2007 series games; also hints at coaching polish from Nathan Brown. |
| Laurie Daley | Tooley | Connected to an alleged champagne celebration incident in the dressing room. |
| Jim Dymock | The Doctor's Feet | For his accurate kicking, likened to a doctor's precision. |
| Ben Elias | Back Door Benny | Derived from attempts at behind-the-back passes; includes a suggestive undertone. |
| Ben Elias | The Crimea Look | Refers to a bloody head injury resembling war wounds from Crimea. |
| Andrew Ettingshausen | The Nudist / The Flathead | Named after published nude photographs and a joke about his fish-shaped profile. |
| Brad Fittler | Captain in a Cab / Adolf / About to cut loose | Nicknames stemming from incidents including being found intoxicated outside a police station; "Adolf" was an early career moniker. |
| Craig Fitzgibbon | Raw Bones | For his bald head and slender build reminiscent of a skeleton. |
| Bryan Fletcher | Old Man River | Due to being among the oldest players on the team. |
| Mark Gasnier | Fire Up Bitch! | Coined after being dropped for leaving an obscene voicemail during the 2004 series; often shortened to "The F.U.B." |
| Mark Gasnier | Shimmy, Shimmy, Whoosh! | Taken from an NRL collectible describing his signature step move. |
| Mark Geyer | The Tap | Reflects his fiery temperament on the field; younger brother Matt was dubbed "Tap II." |
| Kurt Gidley | Giddy-Up Gidley / Newcastle's Finest Slicer | Nickname passed down from brother Matthew; "Slicer" refers to his ability to break defenses and former butcher apprenticeship. |
| Matthew Gidley | Giddy-Up Gidley | See above explanation. |
| Ryan Girdler | "No Sex Please" I'm Ryan Girdler | Originates from his reluctance to engage with women on television while in a relationship. |
| Craig Gower | The Man in the Taxi | Refers to an off-field incident involving a taxi. |
| Jarryd Hayne | Hip Head Hayne | Nicknamed after briefly losing consciousness upon hitting another player's hip during the 2008 series. |
| Terry Hill | Fizzer / Lobster Fisherman/Lobster Expert | "Fizzer" stems from poor ball handling causing failed plays; later mocked for age and involvement in an off-field lobster theft leading to court proceedings. |
| Nathan Hindmarsh | Money Box Man | Derived from wearing shorts low enough to reveal buttock cleavage on camera. |
| John Hopoate | Stinkfist / Dr. Digit | Infamous for inserting fingers into opponents' anuses during matches, resulting in suspensions; nickname inspired by Tool's song "Stinkfist." |
| Rodney Howe | Needles/The Chemist | Suspended in 1998 for steroid use. |
| Andrew Johns | The Unmade Bed / One Bung Lung / The Third Chair | Named for sleeping fully clothed on tours; played Grand Final with a punctured lung; references Newcastle band Silverchair. |
| Ben Kennedy | The President / Ken Bennedy / Dead Kennedy | Jokes about resemblance to JFK and punk band Dead Kennedys. |
| Glenn Lazarus | The Brick with Eyes / Dr Death / Besser Block of Rugby League | For his large, solid build; media mistakenly reported as "The Brick with Ears." |
| Adam MacDougall | Mad Dog MacDougall / Drugs | Called "Drugs" following positive test for performance-enhancing substances in 1998. |
| Willie Mason | The Brains Trust / New Face of the Eastern Suburbs | Central figure in 2004 Canterbury Bulldogs sex scandal; diagnosed with ADHD; rebranded after moving to Sydney Roosters. |
| Steve Menzies | Methuselah | Humorously referred to as ancient due to long career spanning 1993–2006 Origin appearances. |
| Steve Mortimer | The Prince of Darkness | A nickname playing on his stern look and demeanor. |
| Mark O'Meley | Dencorub Man / Mad Dog O'Meley | Named after rumored use of deep heat cream pre-match; later called "Mad Dog" when MacDougall was absent. |
| Michael O'Connor | Tiberius | Reference to his Roman nose and the nickname "Snoz." |
| Tommy Raudonikis | "Raw-don-neek-us" / Tom Tomato | Claimed Greek pronunciation despite Lithuanian background; known for tomato cultivation hobby. |
| Steve Roach | "Blockhead" | Variation of his usual nickname "Blocker." |
| Ian Roberts | "Totally" Ian Roberts | Named after a fictional fashion brand highlighting his openly gay status. |
| Paul Sironen | "The Buttocks" | Due to short shorts accentuating physique; known internationally for intimidating English players. |
| Jason Stevens | "Stupid Stevens" / Praise the Lord Pastor Stevens | Crude nickname following errors; also references his Christian faith. |
| Brett Stewart | "The Try Scoring Wizard" / The Wizard / Try-Scoring Machine | Earned for scoring a try on debut in 2007; mocked in 2008 for missed tackles despite reputation. |
| Timana Tahu | "Tim Tam Tahu" | Named after popular Australian biscuit brand Tim Tams. |
| Shaun Timmins | "Tea Bag Timmins" | A phonetic pun based on surname similarity with tea bag term. |
| Nicknames of Queensland State of Origin players |
|---|
| Player name | Roy and HG nickname | Origin of nickname |
|---|
| Gary Belcher | "Snakey Substances" | Reflects his serpentine running through opposition defenses. |
|---|
| -- Additional Queensland player nicknames continue in similar concise format -- |
|---|
Additionally, Roy and HG humorously commend former referees such as Kelvin Jeffes and Moghseen Jadwat as exemplary officials, contrasting their usual critical remarks about refereeing figures like Bill Harrigan.
Other expressions
Roy and HG incorporate a collection of distinctive phrases seldom heard from other rugby league commentators.
Highlight moments
- "Chilli on the stick" – comparable to the expression "adding insult to injury," this phrase is used when a trailing team suffers further embarrassment through consecutive tries. Roy and HG vividly portray the victorious side as applying chilli to a cricket stump and repeatedly inserting it "in, out, in, out" into the losing team's date (a colloquial term for anus).
- "Defusing a bomb" – refers to when a player, typically the fullback, successfully catches an opponent’s bomb kick within the in-goal area, resulting in a 20-metre restart. This action is particularly highlighted during tense matches.
- "Face massage" – denotes an opponent pressing their palm against the face of a tackled player.
- "Half Dream Room" – describes the mental state of a player who suffers a severe concussion from a head impact but remains conscious.
- "Hospital pass" – a pass delivered to a teammate who is tightly marked by an adversary, often leading to an immediate and forceful tackle.
- "Johnny on the spot" – a fortunate player who scores by being perfectly positioned at the right moment to receive a pass.
- "Nut Merchant" – a player notorious for head butting opponents; HG Nelson characterizes it as "lay on a bit of nut with a glorious headbutt."
- "Parting the Buttocks and Shoving the Head Up" – an imaginative description of entering the scrum.
- "Pig Rooting" – depicts a player wildly bucking to break free from a tackle, likened to a pig rooting aggressively for food.
- "Pillow" – used as a verb ("to pillow") meaning to underperform due to fear or lack of intelligence. Roy often exclaims "PILLOW POWDER TALC." It also serves as a noun describing such players.
- "Reception committee" – defenders collectively involved in stopping an advancing opponent.
- "Shut up shop" – refers to a leading team that ceases attacking efforts and focuses on running down the clock (e.g., "the Maroons have shut up shop").
- "Squirrel grip" – grabbing an opponent’s testicles, metaphorically compared to a squirrel clutching nuts. Also known as "the Christmas handshake" or "the Nairobi night-time grope."
- "Surrendered tackle" – see "white flag merchant."
- "Traditional softening-up period" – the initial 10 minutes of play aimed at physically wearing down the opposing team.
- "Turtled" – tackling technique where several defenders lift and flip the ball carrier onto their back resembling a trapped turtle.
- Whistle in the pocket – when referees deliberately refrain from penalizing rule infringements ("the referee has put the whistle in his pocket").
- "White flag merchant" – players who give up easily during tackles. Roy Slaven vehemently condemns this behavior, suggesting severe punishments including lifetime bans. Brett Hodgson has been labeled with this term during State of Origin commentary.
Additional terms
- "Advertising" – In line with ABC’s Charter restrictions, presenters refrain from promoting commercial entities. Pickhaver and Doyle avoid mentioning corporate naming rights for venues or events. Nelson humorously misidentifies sponsors with logos on the field; for example, when players are tackled over painted Harvey Norman logos, it is said they were "tackled on the Triple J signage." In the late 1990s, Roy and HG joked that sponsor FAI translated as Triple J in French.
- "Stadia" – Roy and HG typically omit sponsor names during their broadcasts, referring to Suncorp Stadium as "The Cauldron," or by its traditional name, Lang Park. They nickname Telstra Stadium (currently ANZ Stadium) as "The Grand Old Girl," or simply "The G.O.G."
- "Surrendered Tackles" – Roy frequently criticizes players who fall or dive before contact occurs, advocating penalties against such tactics.
- "Ted Mulry" – Ron Palmer, New South Wales Blues’ head trainer throughout the 1990s and 2000s, resembles Australian singer Ted Mulry. Roy and HG often joke about Mulry’s involvement in rugby league; Palmer accepts this nickname with good humor.
- "The kids" – Roy and HG stress appealing to school-aged children by showcasing Rugby League’s exciting plays and even its violent moments as methods to attract young fans. Slaven encourages parents of “stupid” children to consider Rugby League, citing players like Willie Mason as role models.
- "They can't run without legs" – A hallmark phrase coined by Roy Slaven describing players tackled around their legs; variations include "they can't run without a head," referring to high tackles, and "they don't know where to run without their heads."
- "Triple J Card Table" – Roy and HG joke about calling matches from a card table near the sideline while actually broadcasting from their studio. This is an homage to legendary rugby league commentator Frank Hyde, who began his career calling games from a card table on-field in the 1950s.
Relationship with television coverage
Although Roy and HG's commentary is framed as if broadcast live from a card table positioned near the halfway line, it actually closely mirrors Channel 9's televised coverage. They frequently depend on TV footage to verify referee calls, incorporating this into their humor by teasing Channel 9’s commentary team as "men eating ice creams" due to their excessive use of handheld microphones. During the 2004 series, they openly mocked Channel 9’s costly yet unreliable Skycam technology, which often interrupted the broadcast’s flow and was humorously nicknamed a "telecast from the lunar surface." Additionally, they offer satirical criticism of Channel 9’s football entertainment program, The Footy Show, highlighting its lowbrow nature.
Digital divide
With the advent of digital television in Australia from the early 2000s onward, a noticeable delay has emerged between Triple J’s radio commentary and the slower digital TV broadcasts. In earlier times, radio and television transmissions were nearly simultaneous, aside from slight regional lags. HG Nelson refers to this phenomenon as the "digital divide," recommending that viewers using digital TV stream the commentary live through Triple J’s website, which itself carries a minor delay. As a result, those watching on analogue TV are encouraged to listen via analogue radio for optimal timing, while digital viewers achieve better synchronization by accessing the online stream.
External links
- Roy and HG's recounting of the 1988 Rugby League grand final including archival audio of their 1988 Balmain Tigers versus Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs commentary
- Blog post detailing the creation of this Wikipedia article highlighting information derived from live radio broadcasts.