Western Australians will get the chance to say goodbye to the man who defined a generation of sport as the “voice of football”, AFL commentary legend Dennis Cometti AM who died ibn March.

Cometti, one of Australia’s 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.

He’s known as an AFL commentary great who coined the famous phrase “centimetre perfect” and delivered memorable one liners like: “It came up on him like a librarian, he never heard him” and “Like a cork in the ocean over his head!”

The service will honour the Geraldton-born legend who spent nearly 50 years behind the microphone capturing some of Australian sport’s most memorable moments.

Premier Roger Cook said Cometti deserved the highest honour.

He said: “Dennis Cometti was a Western Australian legend, and one of the most widely respected voices in sport.

“It is a privilege to hold a State Memorial Service in his honour – and give Western Australians the opportunity to say goodbye.

“This will be a fitting tribute and I encourage the public to come and celebrate the life of Dennis Cometti.”

From footballer to broadcaster

Born in Geraldton in 1949, football was in Cometti’s blood from the start. He played WAFL for West Perth before returning to coach the club in 1982.

But it was in the commentary box where Cometti truly became a household name.

His career spanned Test cricket, three Olympic Games in 1992, 1996 and 2000, and countless AFL matches.

But it was his call of the West Coast Eagles’ maiden premiership in 1992 that cemented his place in WA sporting folklore.

In 2016, he retired from television commentary after a 30 year stint with Channel 7.

The broadcasting great continued calling games on radio until 2021, with the Grand Final at Optus Stadium marking his very last AFL commentary.

An era defining voice

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.

Cometti was also inducted into the Football Australia Hall of Fame in 2020 and the WA Football Hall of Fame in 2021.

Cometti passed away in Perth last month following a long illness. He was 76.

Registration to attend the State Memorial Service will open on Tuesday, April 7 at 12pm.