Western Australians will get the chance to say goodbye to the man who defined a generation of sport as the \u201cvoice of football\u201d, AFL commentary legend Dennis Cometti AM who died ibn March. <\/p>\n
Cometti, one of Australia\u2019s most beloved sporting voices, will be honoured with a State Memorial Service, held at Optus Stadium on Monday, May 4 with the public invited to celebrate the life of the icon.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s known as an AFL commentary great who coined the famous phrase \u201ccentimetre perfect\u201d and delivered memorable one liners like: \u201cIt came up on him like a librarian, he never heard him\u201d and \u201cLike a cork in the ocean over his head!\u201d <\/p>\n
The service will honour the Geraldton-born legend who spent nearly 50 years behind the microphone capturing some of Australian sport\u2019s most memorable moments.<\/p>\n
Premier Roger Cook said Cometti deserved the highest honour.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cDennis Cometti was a Western Australian legend, and one of the most widely respected voices in sport.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a privilege to hold a State Memorial Service in his honour \u2013 and give Western Australians the opportunity to say goodbye.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis will be a fitting tribute and I encourage the public to come and celebrate the life of Dennis Cometti.\u201d<\/p>\n
From footballer to broadcaster <\/p>\n
Born in Geraldton in 1949, football was in Cometti\u2019s blood from the start. He played WAFL for West Perth before returning to coach the club in 1982.<\/p>\n
But it was in the commentary box where Cometti truly became a household name.<\/p>\n
His career spanned Test cricket, three Olympic Games in 1992, 1996 and 2000, and countless AFL matches. <\/p>\n
But it was his call of the West Coast Eagles\u2019 maiden premiership in 1992 that cemented his place in WA sporting folklore.<\/p>\n
In 2016, he retired from television commentary after a 30 year stint with Channel 7.<\/p>\n
The broadcasting great continued calling games on radio until 2021, with the Grand Final at Optus Stadium marking his very last AFL commentary. <\/p>\n
An era defining voice<\/p>\n
The Optus Stadium Media Centre bears his name, he won the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Australian Sports Commission Media Awards in 2018 and in 2019, he was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to broadcast media.<\/p>\n
Cometti was also inducted into the Football Australia Hall of Fame in 2020 and the WA Football Hall of Fame in 2021.<\/p>\n
Cometti passed away in Perth last month following a long illness. He was 76.<\/p>\n
Registration to attend the State Memorial Service will open on Tuesday, April 7 at 12pm.<\/p>\n