Beloved sports broadcaster Dennis Commeti has used an interview with The West Australian Newspaper to confirm 2016 will be his last year behind the microphone.

“I’m getting rather old these days and not so much tired of footy but certainly tired of travelling,” he tells the paper.

“I think I’ve worked out, with the help of a couple of other people, I’ve spent about six years of my life living in hotels.

Commeti’s commentary career began at Melbourne station 3KZ in 1971. He joined the ABC in 1972 where he concentrated exclusively on sport. He broadcast his first Test match in 1973 and for the next 13 years broadcast Test Cricket alongside Alan McGilvray. In 1986 he moved to the Seven Network, the decision coincided with the launch of The West Coast Eagles

In 2002, Commeti joined the Nine Network as part of its Friday Night AFL commentary team. He has been an important part of Friday night football ever since after returning to the Seven Network in 2007.

Its likely Commeti will be replaced by his ‘under-study’ and friend Basil Zempilas,

A forthright tells The West Australian he won’t miss football commentary, but still loves the game.

“I often say to the family I’ve known footy for longer than I’ve known any of them and longer than I knew my parents,” he said. “Footy was there for me in the early 50s and it’s been a constant. I wouldn’t change that.”

“These days sentimentality seems to almost rule the roost but I don’t think we’re a sentimental family. We’ll just move on and find something else.”

“Probably my ideal is just to get a rug and go and sit on the bank at Joondalup or something,” he said. “Watch a grassroots game of footy again.”

Source - The West Australian