Radio broadcasting legend Ray Hadley will call his 34th NRL Grand Final this Sunday, eclipsing the radio record he currently shares with the late rugby league icon, Frank Hyde MBE, OAM.

Hyde called 33 NSWRL Grand Finals from the Sydney Cricket Ground between 1953 and 1983 (including replays of the 1977 and 1978 Grand Finals) on Sydney radio station 2SM.

Hadley’s first Grand Final call was on 2UE in 1987, where Manly – coached by the late Bob Fulton – defeated the Canberra Raiders, coached by Wayne Bennett and Don Furner.

Ray Hadley said: “When I started calling Rugby League in 1987, John Brennan asked Frank Hyde to listen and critique me on a weekly basis. In the early stages, Frank said ‘you need to get into a rhythm, you sound like a race caller’. I replied ‘that’s because I am!’. He laughed and said you’ll get there. At the end of 1987, he called me after the Grand Final and said ‘there’ll be no more phone calls from me – you are where you need to be’. 

“I got an email from one of Frank and Gabby’s sons, Pat, this week telling me how proud his dad would be for me to break his record by calling my 34th Grand Final. The entire Hyde family has always been very supportive. My lasting memory of Frank will be his generosity and encouragement. He was not threatened by an ambitious young bloke, but rather proud he was part of my journey. Surely Frank must be the next media person to be elevated to the NRL Hall of Fame.”

Greg Byrnes, Nine Radio Head of Content, said: “The records keep coming for Ray Hadley. In recent times we’ve celebrated 21 years of Ray on 2GB Mornings, then 151 consecutive survey wins, and this weekend it’s a record 34th Grand Final call. What a privilege it is for us all to witness one of the greats of radio broadcasting in full flight!”

Hadley and Hyde are both inductees in the Commercial Radio Hall of Fame and their famous catch-cries will forever live in rugby league history; Hyde’s “It’s long enough, it’s high enough… and it’s straight between the posts!” and Hadley’s, “Don’t touch the set, don’t touch the dial, don’t you go anywhere!”.

Ray Hadley’s record 34th NRL Grand Final call can be heard on 2GB Sydney and 4BC Brisbane on Sunday 1 October 2023. Coverage begins from 1.00pm (AEDT) with the NRL Grand Final between Penrith Panthers and Brisbane Broncos kicking off at 7.30pm (AEDT).

For further information, please contact:
Caitlin Lynch
Senior Communications Manager, Nine
clynch@nine.com.au 

Friday, September 29, 2023