How the household of AFL icon Dennis Cometti saved his sickness a secret – because the legendary footy commentator’s reason for loss of life is revealed

Legendary footy commentator Dennis Cometti was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and a severe form of dementia before his death – but his family kept his illness a closely guarded secret.

Cometti, 76, has been remembered for his decorated media career which spanned five decades, with his quick wit and exceptional timing making him a fan favourite.

His health deteriorated rapidly in recent years, but before his passing, Cometti took in one final AFL game when he attended the State of Origin clash between Victoria and Western Australia in Perth on February 14.

‘No one wanted to see him that way and we knew him as that great orator, that incredible personality, that wonderful smile and that wit… and he wasn’t able to be that person in the last year or so, so there is some mercy to all of this,’ Cometti’s close friend, former colleague and WA Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas said.

‘It has been an incredible privilege to have known Den, to have worked with him and to have been able to call him a friend.

‘He was one of a kind. Incredibly gifted and dedicated to his craft and such a warm, caring person. Den you will be missed, but never forgotten.’

Zempilas also stated he would support a state funeral being staged for Cometti in Western Australia, but ultimately the decision will be left with his family.

News of the footy icon’s passing filtered through social media and industry circles on Wednesday, prompting an outpouring of tributes for the man often described as the ‘best in the business’.

Famed ‘Cometti-isms’ such as ‘centimetre perfect’ and ‘he came up behind him like a librarian’ became part of the footy lexicon.

Long-time commentary partner Bruce McAvaney led the tributes for the broadcast legend, saying he had a ‘true gift’ for his craft.

The pair shared the microphone for nearly 450 AFL matches and were renowned not only for their friendship, but for a natural on-air chemistry and big-moment calls that helped define a golden era in broadcast history on local shores.

‘When I think about Dennis, one of the first things I think about is the amount of joy he brought to all of our lives,’ McAvaney said.

‘He leaves a legacy that is undeniable, unique and authentic. In many ways he was the benchmark for all of those that are following in his footsteps. We are a nation who prides itself in having so many of the all-time great sport commentators, and he was up there with the very best of them.

‘Perhaps the most impressive thing about Dennis is that through his calling, he made footballers famous. That’s a gift.’

Australia’s sporting industry had lost somebody ‘truly precious’, McAvaney added.

Born in Geraldton, Western Australia, Cometti was first a footy star, playing 40 matches for West Perth in the WAFL before launching into a full-time broadcasting career.

Cometti worked for the ABC from 1972 to 1985, then joined Seven in 1986, spending the better part of the next three decades at the network, with other stints at Nine, 3AW and Triple M.

He retired from full-time commentary in 2016 and called his final AFL game in 2021 when the grand final was held in Perth due to COVID lockdowns in Melbourne at the time.

Cometti, who also covered three Summer Olympic Games – 1992 in Barcelona, 1996 in Atlanta and 2000 in Sydney – was later inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.

AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said Cometti was a legend of the sport, paying tribute to his ‘incredible turns of phrase.’

‘I think what he will be best remembered for from a footy point of view…is just the way that he brought our game to life through his commentary,’ he told reporters.

A documentary celebrating Cometti’s career, appropriately titled ‘Centimetre Perfect’, is due to air on Seven and 7plus Sport later this year.