Warren Boland
Encyclopedia
Warren James Boland is a former science teacher and professional footballer (rugby league
) with the Western Suburbs Magpies
& Balmain Tigers
. He now presents weekend radio shows called "Weekends with Warren" on ABC Local Radio
stations across Queensland
, Australia
, broadcasting from the studios of 612 ABC Brisbane
. Boland's radio broadcasts can be heard from 9am-midday (10am-midday outside Brisbane
) on Saturdays and from 10am-midday on Sundays.
Boland won an under-23s premiership with St George before travelling overseas in 1975. Upon his return to Australia, he signed for the Balmain Tigers
and was a member of the Tigers' Amco Cup-winning side in 1976. From 1979, he played five seasons with the Western Suburbs Magpies
, often captaining the side from his position of wing, before retiring in 1983 at the relatively young age of 28. He was later named as winger and captain of Western Suburbs Magpies Team of the Eighties.
During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Boland commentated on Saturday afternoon New South Wales Rugby League/Australian Rugby League
matches, generally alongside co-caller David Morrow and fellow ex-players David Wright, John Peard
and Arthur Beetson
. Following this, he worked for Fox Sports
in 1997-98. During the football season these days, he co-hosts ABC-TV
coverage of Queensland Cup
rugby league matches. These telecasts are broadcast within Queensland
on ABC-TV and across Australia
on both Fox Sports
and digital channel ABC2
(free-to-air channel 21, pay TV channel 126). In addition to rugby league, Boland has also commentated on a range of other sports, including cricket, golf
, and numerous Olympic
and Commonwealth Games
events for the ABC and the Pacific Broadcasting Union. On 29 April 2010, Warren was named the inaugural 612 ABC Brisbane Employee of the Week.
Well-known for his intelligent sense of humour, Boland played "Pete the French Polisher" on the ABC-TV
show Club Buggery
in the mid-1990s. Boland is also famous for his trademark moustache, although he has recently shaven this moustache off.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
) with the Western Suburbs Magpies
Western Suburbs Magpies
The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
& Balmain Tigers
Balmain Tigers
The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles...
. He now presents weekend radio shows called "Weekends with Warren" on ABC Local Radio
ABC Local Radio
ABC Local Radio is a network of publicly owned radio stations in Australia, operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.ABC Local Radio stations broadcast across the continent using terrestrial transmitters and satellites...
stations across Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, broadcasting from the studios of 612 ABC Brisbane
612 ABC Brisbane
612 ABC Brisbane is an ABC Local Radio station in Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of the largest stations in the network, serving as a base for Queensland programming - many programs are broadcast across the ABC Local Radio network in regional and rural areas of Queensland when those stations are...
. Boland's radio broadcasts can be heard from 9am-midday (10am-midday outside Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
) on Saturdays and from 10am-midday on Sundays.
Boland won an under-23s premiership with St George before travelling overseas in 1975. Upon his return to Australia, he signed for the Balmain Tigers
Balmain Tigers
The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles...
and was a member of the Tigers' Amco Cup-winning side in 1976. From 1979, he played five seasons with the Western Suburbs Magpies
Western Suburbs Magpies
The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
, often captaining the side from his position of wing, before retiring in 1983 at the relatively young age of 28. He was later named as winger and captain of Western Suburbs Magpies Team of the Eighties.
During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Boland commentated on Saturday afternoon New South Wales Rugby League/Australian Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
matches, generally alongside co-caller David Morrow and fellow ex-players David Wright, John Peard
John Peard
John "Bomber" Peard is an Australian former rugby league footballer and later coach. An Australian international representative five-eighth, he played for the Eastern Suburbs, St. George and Parramatta NSWRFL clubs in the 1960s and 70s...
and Arthur Beetson
Arthur Beetson
Arthur Henry "Artie" Beetson, OAM , was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach. He represented Australia and Queensland from 1964 to 1981. His position was at prop. Beetson became the first Indigenous Australian to captain his country in any sport. and is frequently cited as the best...
. Following this, he worked for Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)
Fox Sports is an Australia group of sports channels. They are owned by the Premier Media Group, which is in turn owned by News Corporation, and Consolidated Media Holdings. Its main competitors are ESPN, which has little local content and the free-to-air digital channel One HD...
in 1997-98. During the football season these days, he co-hosts ABC-TV
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
coverage of Queensland Cup
Queensland Cup
The Queensland Cup is the premier rugby league football competition in the State of Queensland, Australia.It is a statewide competition with the majority of teams based in South East Queensland but also including sides based in Cairns, Mackay and Rockhampton.The competition began in 1996 as a...
rugby league matches. These telecasts are broadcast within Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
on ABC-TV and across Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
on both Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)
Fox Sports is an Australia group of sports channels. They are owned by the Premier Media Group, which is in turn owned by News Corporation, and Consolidated Media Holdings. Its main competitors are ESPN, which has little local content and the free-to-air digital channel One HD...
and digital channel ABC2
ABC2
ABC2 is a national public television channel in Australia. Launched on 7 March 2005, it is the responsibility of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's television division, and is available nationally to digital television viewers in Australia...
(free-to-air channel 21, pay TV channel 126). In addition to rugby league, Boland has also commentated on a range of other sports, including cricket, golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, and numerous Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
and Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
events for the ABC and the Pacific Broadcasting Union. On 29 April 2010, Warren was named the inaugural 612 ABC Brisbane Employee of the Week.
Well-known for his intelligent sense of humour, Boland played "Pete the French Polisher" on the ABC-TV
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
show Club Buggery
Club Buggery
Club Buggery is the title of an Australian television series of the 1990s. It was created and performed by Australian comedy duo Roy and HG and broadcast on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation network in 1996 and 1997.-Development:The series was an offshoot the duo's long-running,...
in the mid-1990s. Boland is also famous for his trademark moustache, although he has recently shaven this moustache off.