Dennis Cometti, the legendary Australian AFL commentator and broadcaster, has sadly died at the age of 76 after a battle with illness.

Quick Scoop: What happened to Dennis Cometti?

Dennis Comettiā€™s passing was confirmed in early March 2026, with reports stating he died aged 76 following an illness, surrounded by tributes from across the Australian sporting world. He had retired from full-time AFL commentary in 2016 and called his final AFL game in 2021, but remained a beloved figure whose voice and Cometti-isms were still replayed constantly in footy coverage.

Key facts

  • Dennis Cometti died aged 76 in March 2026.
  • His family and the AFL community confirmed he had been battling illness before his death.
  • He was best known as an AFL commentator, but also called cricket and multiple Olympic Games.
  • He retired from full-time commentary in 2016 and called his last AFL game in 2021 in Perth.
  • He was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame and Sport Australia Hall of Fame, and was a member of the Order of Australia.

How the AFL world reacted

The AFL community has described him as a benchmark for sports commentary, highlighting his sharp wit, distinctive voice and famous one-liners like ā€œcentimetre perfect.ā€ AFL CEO Andrew Dillon and fellow commentator Bruce McAvaney were among many to publicly pay tribute, saying his phrases and calls will live on with generations of fans.

Mini career snapshot

  • Started in radio in the late 1960s, covering footy from 1968 onward.
  • Commentated three Summer Olympics (Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000).
  • Worked with ABC, Channel 7, Channel 9, 3AW and Triple M.
  • Former WAFL player and coach with West Perth before moving full-time into broadcasting.

Forum / discussion angle

On forums and social media, most discussion around ā€œwhat happened to Dennis Comettiā€ right now is about:

  1. Sharing favourite Cometti-isms and clips of his iconic calls.
  2. Fans reminiscing about growing up with his voice on Channel 7 and radio.
  3. People asking about the cause of death, with most sources only referring generally to an illness, without specific details.

ā€œEvery fan of a certain age has their own catchphrase that jumps straight to the tongueā€¦ā€ ā€“ AFL CEO Andrew Dillon, reflecting on Comettiā€™s legacy.

Simple timeline table (HTML)

[7][3] [3][7] [2][5][7] [7] [1][7] [1][5][3][7] [10][8][3][7]
Year / Period What happened
1960sā€“1970s Began radio career and early footy commentary in Western Australia.
1992ā€“2000 Commentated at the Barcelona, Atlanta and Sydney Olympic Games.
1980sā€“2016 Became one of Channel 7ā€™s leading AFL commentators, known nationwide for his one-liners.
2016 Retired from full-time TV commentary after the AFL Grand Final.
2021 Called his final AFL game (Grand Final in Perth) for Triple M.
2020ā€“2020s Inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame and Sport Australia Hall of Fame; honoured with various tributes.
March 2026 Died aged 76 after an illness; AFL world and fans pay tribute.
**TL;DR:** Dennis Cometti died in March 2026, aged 76, after an illness; heā€™s being remembered as one of Australiaā€™s greatest sports commentators, especially for his AFL commentary and unforgettable one-liners.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.