Dennis Cometti: Famed commentator to receive state memorial send-off in WA

Fans will come together to honor the life of legendary sports broadcaster Dennis Cometti at a state memorial service at Perth’s Optus Stadium.

The public event in early May will be for armchair sports fans who have tuned in to the dulcet tones and wit that have made Cometti a household name and footballers famous.

Cometti died in early March at the age of 76.

The “Western Australian legend” was praised by WA Premier Roger Cook as one of the most respected voices in Australian sporting history.

“It is a privilege to hold a State Commemoration Service in his honor and to give West Australians the opportunity to say goodbye,” Prime Minister Cook said in a statement on Sunday.

Born in Geraldton in 1949, Cometti’s career spanned five decades.

He played and coached for West Perth in the WAFL before becoming the voice of the AFL.

His broadcasting legacy includes covering the West Coast Eagles’ first premiership in 1992, several Olympic Games and iconic Test cricket matches.

Cometti joined Seven in 1986 and spent much of the next three decades at the network; he has also done stints on Nine, 3AW and Triple M.

Alongside his long-time commentator partner Bruce McAvaney, he has covered some of the AFL’s most memorable moments.

Cometti’s contributions were widely recognized during his lifetime, and ‘Comettianisms’ such as ‘The Perfect Centimetre’ have become part of football lore.

Beyond the AFL, he was the voice of Kieren Perkins’ 1500m gold and Susie O’Neill’s victories at the Atlanta 1996 Games.

Cometti was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2019 and was inducted into both the Australian and Western Australian Football Halls of Fame.

In 2018, the Optus Stadium Media Centre, the stadium where he made his final call for the 2021 Grand Final, was named in his honour.

Members of the public who wish to attend the farewell ceremony on May 4 are asked to register through the state government’s website.