{{Short description|Australian sports broadcaster}} {{Use Australian English|date=September 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}} {{Infobox person | name = Drew Morphett | image = Drew Morphett.jpg | image_size = | caption = | birth_name = Andrew Kenneth Morphett | birth_date = {{Birth date|1948|08|22|df=yes}} | birth_place = | death_date = {{Death date and age|2017|08|25|1948|08|22|df=yes}} | death_place = Pakenham, Victoria | other_names = | occupation = | known_for = Sports broadcaster }} '''Andrew Kenneth "Drew" Morphett''' {{post-nominals|country=AUS|OAM}} (22 August 1948 – 25 August 2017) was an Australian sports broadcaster.
== Life == Morphett started his career as a sport specialist trainee in Sydney in 1966 at 18 years of age.
Over a long career, he worked on both ABC radio and television, most notably commentating Australian rules football (the VFL and AFL), but also tennis, cricket, basketball, motor racing, golf (including a British Open), lawn bowls and six Olympic Games, mainly commentating cycling, hockey and diving. He was the host of ABC TV's weekly VFL show ''The Winners'' for ten years during the 1980s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/profiles/content/s1858027.htm|title=Drew Morphett profile|website=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=14 July 2005 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NJAyAAAAIBAJ&dq=drew-morphett%20winners&pg=4016%2C4188516|title=ABC could face viewer uproar if it axes provocative Morphett|first=Michael|last=Gordon|page=29|date=29 March 1987|work=The Age}}</ref>
He joined the Seven Network in 1988 as a commentator for Australian rules football matches. He also hosted ''Saturday Night Replay'', which featured highlights of two of the Saturday afternoon AFL matches. He was discharged by Seven after the 2000 season. He worked for ABC radio as part of their ABC Grandstand team until being made redundant in 2014. He continued to commentate football matches on radio until his death in 2017.<ref>{{cite news|title=Veteran sports broadcaster Drew Morphett dies aged 69|url=http://www.3aw.com.au/veteran-sports-broadcaster-drew-morphett-dies-aged-69/|access-date=26 August 2017|work=3AW|date=26 August 2017}}</ref> Drew was awarded an Order of Australia Medal as part of the 2014 Australia Day honours.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Phillips|first1=Tania|title=Drew's golden tongue|url=http://pakenham.starcommunity.com.au/gazette/2014-01-29/drews-golden-tongue/|access-date=26 August 2017|work=Pakenham Gazette|date=28 January 2014}}</ref>
== Death == On 26 August 2017, it was announced that Morphett had died the previous evening while watching AFL football on television at his Pakenham<ref> {{cite news|title=Drew Morphett Dies Aged 69|url=https://www.triplem.com.au/story/drew-morphett-dies-aged-69-53686}}</ref> residence in outer Melbourne.<ref>{{cite news|title=Veteran sports broadcaster Drew Morphett dies|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-26/veteran-sports-broadcaster-drew-morphett-dies/8845126|access-date=26 August 2017|work=ABC News|date=26 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Drew Morphett, veteran sports broadcaster, dies at 69|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/aug/26/drew-morphett-veteran-sports-broadcaster-dies-at-69|work=The Guardian|date=26 August 2017 |access-date=26 August 2017|last1=Knaus |first1=Christopher }}</ref>
He was married to Karen 'Kaz' Morphett.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sports broadcaster Drew Morphett dies|url=http://www.skynews.com.au/news/national/national/2017/08/26/sports-broadcaster-drew-morphett-dies.html|publisher=Sky News|access-date=26 August 2017}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.abc.net.au/grandstand/presenters/morphett.htm Presenters, ABC Grandstand, ABC Local Radio] * [http://www.abc.net.au/backyard/presenters/MORPHETTDREWMORPHETT.htm The Backyard, Drew Morphett, ABC] * [http://www.insidesport.com.au/is/index?pg=adrenalin&spg=drinks/drinks_drew_morphett.htm ''A few drinks with Drew Morphett'', Inside Sport]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Morphett, Drew}} Category:1948 births Category:2017 deaths Category:Australian radio personalities Category:Australian television presenters Category:Australian rules football commentators Category:Australian cricket commentators Category:Australian golf commentators Category:Australian tennis commentators Category:Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia
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