Long-time Seven Network sports commentator Bruce McAvaney has been honoured as the 2019 Melbourne Press Club Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.
Each year, the Melbourne Press Club honours a journalist or journalists whose career has left an extraordinary mark on Victorian and Australian journalism. The honour, presented at the annual Quill Awards dinner each March, is bestowed at the discretion of the MPC board.
Introducing the 2019 award was fellow sport commentator Dennis Cometti, who said Bruce is something "special."
"Bruce has been the voice of Australian sport since the 1990’s. He’s been the Gate-Keeper," he said.
"And that really is a tough gig — Bruce has been called on to find the words to describe so many of Australia’s biggest sporting moments. Words that need to be timely, yet timeless.
"He once told me about the pressure of calling a Melbourne Cup, and made the point 'you can nail every other race, but if you get the Melbourne Cup wrong your name is mud.'
"Well, he survived ok, he’s here tonight and there’s no sign of mud.
"Bruce McAvaney is much more than just an iconic Australian sporting figure; he’s an approachable good bloke who, as we learnt last year, loves to dance. And once again tonight he will make his family proud."
Read Dennis' full speech