Podcasts

CALL the lawyers, sensitive Sydney, because Radio Maroon is back for another State of Origin series.

The rebel commentary team made for Queenslanders will return again next week when the Maroons begin their charge for a seventh consecutive Origin series win.

The Courier-Mail and 98.9FM – part of the National Indigenous Radio Service – have again combined to bring together the only commentary team free of the desperate cheerleaders who can’t hide their NSW feelings.

And, this year, Radio Maroon will call every game of the Origin series, with the NIRS carrying the unauthorised call to many parts of the state and online through couriermail.com.au and the 98.9FM website.

The commentary team will again be headed by experienced Channel 10 newsreader and sportscaller Bill McDonald and will feature former Origin players Steve Renouf, Adrian Lam and Paul Green.

The team will also be joined by respected indigenous rugby league commentator Hal Walsh, who will provide special comments.

Radio Maroon was formed for last year’s decider as an alternative to the Channel 9, ABC Radio and 2GB call teams which were stacked with NSW commentators.

“Our readers spoke very strongly last year – they were sick of the Blues fans disguised as commentators,” The Courier-Mail editor Michael Crutcher said.

“It gave Queenslanders the chance to turn down the volume on their TVs and turn up the radio to hear a call seen through Maroon eyes. But we had to fend off the lawyers last year. I expect that will happen again this year.”

On the day of last year’s decider, Sydney radio station owner Fairfax flew lawyers to Brisbane in a bid to block Radio Maroon.

But the legal challenge fizzled when Fairfax’s lawyers walked away minutes before their application was to be heard by a judge.

“That showed the NSW mindset – these blokes were going to walk into a Queensland courtroom, in front of a Queensland judge, on the day of the Origin decider to get Radio Maroon banned,” 98.9 spokesman Tiga Bayles said.

“In the end, even they realised it was hopeless.”

Turn up Radio Maroon next Wednesday night. Tune in from 7.30pm on 98.9FM Brisbane

Courier Mail 14th May 2012