Media Street: Every AFL commentary team, media line-up for 2023

Whether it’s drug scandals, overseas moves, coaching changes or just being told your time is up, there are plenty of reasons for these media line-up changes for the 2023 season.

Who is changing places in the media space?

Three big dogs out and a lack of quality replacements is the story of the commentary line-ups for the 2023 season.

With the first bounce less than a month away, TV and radio stations are finalising their line-ups with some having more work to do than others.

The departure of established stars Wayne Carey and Nick Riewoldt along with Ross Lyon, who was just starting to come into his own, leaves some big holes.

Rather than anoint a new media star just out of the playing ranks, the networks have instead looked at shuffling the decks and using talent already on their books.

Channel 9 grabbing Jimmy Bartel from Seven to replace Lyon on Footy Classified was an inspired move while Triple M also hit the jackpot by getting another former Cats star Steve Johnson in to replace the Saints coach on Sunday afternoons.

Jimmy Bartel (left) has joined Channel 9. Picture: Michael Klein

Riewoldt is a big loss for Fox Footy although they are stacked with experts and ex-Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley is the obvious candidate to pick up the slack.

In radio land, Anthony Hudson’s return to 3AW and the introduction of Jacqui Felgate as the station’s Friday night host are the main talking points while the ABC moving on from Mark McClure after a couple of decades also raised eyebrows.

CHANNEL 7

CALLERS: Brian Taylor (Fri night/Sun), James Brayshaw (Fri night), Hamish McLachlan (Thurs night/Sat night), Luke Darcy (Sat night), Jason Bennett (Sun), Alister Nicholson, Nigel Carmody (VFL).

EXPERTS Daisy Pearce (Thurs night), Luke Hodge (Fri night/Sun*), Matthew Richardson (Fri night), Cameron Ling, Jobe Watson, Leigh Matthews, Tim Watson, Shaun Burgoyne, Chris Johnson, Nathan Jones.

CURRENT PLAYERS: Patrick Dangerfield, Phil Davis, Erin Phillips

BOUNDARY: Abbey Holmes (Fri night), Dale Thomas, Jude Bolton, Mark Soderstrom, Ryan Daniels, Campbell Brown.

SHOWS

The Front Bar - Andy Maher, Sam Pang, Mick Molloy

Armchair Experts - Adam Cooney, Georgie Parker, Cam Luke

OUT: Wayne Carey, Jimmy Bartel, Jacqui Felgate

No replacement for Carey with Seven preferring to rotate a number of former players through the Saturday night slot. Daisy Pearce moves away from Friday nights to Thursday because of her Geelong coaching commitments with Matthew Richardson stepping up to the primetime slot with Luke Hodge.

Channel 7 commentator Brian Taylor will remain a big part of the football coverage this year. Picture: Alex Coppel

FOX FOOTY

HOSTS: Sarah Jones, Kath Loughnan

CALLERS: Anthony Hudson, Dwayne Russell, Mark Howard, Adam Papalia, Brenton Speed, Kelli Underwood.

EXPERTS: Garry Lyon, Nathan Buckley, Jonathan Brown, Jason Dunstall, Gerard Healy, David King, Alastair Lynch, Jordan Lewis, Nick Dal Santo, Mark Ricciuto, Matthew Pavlich, Brad Johnson, Cameron Mooney, Eddie Betts, Jack Riewoldt, Ben Dixon, Leigh Montagna, Dermott Brereton.

SHOWS

AFL 360

Hosts: Mark Robinson, Gerard Whateley

Talent: Toby Greene, Lachie Neale, Tom Hawkins, Christian Petracca, Jack Riewoldt, Jordan Lewis, David King, Leigh Montagna

ON THE COUCH

Garry Lyon, Jonathan Brown, Nathan Buckley * (TBC)

BOUNCE

Jason Dunstall, Andrew Gaze, Cameron Mooney, Bernie Vince, Ben Dixon (TBC)

BEST ON GROUND

Mark Howard, Kath Loughnan, Nathan Buckley, Jonathan Brown (TBC)

OUT: Nick Riewoldt

The shock exit of Nick Riewoldt leaves a sizeable hole although Nathan Buckley is the obvious replacement for On The Couch. Who they replace him with on Saturday night’s ‘Best On Ground’ show will be interesting with a push for a comedian to maybe fill the vacant seat.

Nick Riewoldt (right) will not be part of Fox Footy this year. Picture: Jason Edwards

CHANNEL 9

SHOWS:

FOOTY CLASSIFIED:

MONDAY - Craig Hutchison, Matthew Lloyd, Kane Cornes, Caroline Wilson

WEDNESDAY - Eddie McGuire, Jimmy Bartel, Matthew Lloyd, Damian Barrett

SUNDAY FOOTY SHOW

Tony Jones, Nathan Brown, Kane Cornes, Damian Barrett, Matthew Lloyd

IN: Jimmy Bartel, Damian Barrett

OUTS: Ross Lyon, Caroline Wilson* (from Wednesday nights)

Ross Lyon’s departure hurts as he was a real point of difference on Wednesday night’s Footy Classified which also lost Caroline Wilson. Geelong champion Jimmy Bartel is a good get as he was underutilised at Seven.

3AW

FRIDAY NIGHT

Host: Jacqui Felgate

Callers: Anthony Hudson, Bruce Eva

Experts: Matthew Lloyd, Leigh Matthews

Boundary: Libby Birch

SATURDAY

Host: Tim Lane, Caroline Wilson

Callers: Tim Lane, Tony Leonard

Experts: Leigh Matthews, Jimmy Bartel.

SATURDAY NIGHT

Callers: Shane McInness, Matt Granland

Expert: Tony Shaw

Boundary: Abbie McKay

SUNDAY

Host: Sam McClure

Callers: Tim Lane, Matt Granland

Experts: Matthew Richardson, Tony Shaw, Jimmy Bartel (pre-game)

INS: Jacqui Felgate, Anthony Hudson, Sam McClure

Getting Anthony Hudson back from SEN was a huge get while the addition of Jacqui Felgate to run the Friday night broadcast will be one to watch.

Anthony Hudson is back at 3AW.

TRIPLE M

CALLERS: Brian Taylor, James Brayshaw, Luke Darcy, Mark Howard, Leigh Montagna, Nathan Brown, Jack Heverin, Tim Solly, Barry Denner, Brenton Yates, Chris Dittmar, Mark Soderstrom, Lachy Reid, Ryan Daniels, Liam Flanagan, Brett Thomas.

EXPERTS: Jason Dunstall, Bernie Vince, Steve Johnson, Dale Thomas, Billy Brownless, Katelyn Barry, Mark Ricciuto, Dom Cassisi, Andrew Embley, Simon Black, Tom Rockliff, Jude Bolton

SHOWS

Deadset Legends: Jay Clark, Leigh Montagna, Kath Loughnan.

IN: Steve Johnson

OUTS: Wayne Carey, Ross Lyon, Nick Riewoldt

Three very big outs hurt Triple M but the addition of Steve Johnson is clever given his football brain is off the charts.

SEN

THURSDAY NIGHT:

Callers: Gerard Whateley, Matt Hill

Expert: Dermott Brereton

FRIDAY NIGHT:

Callers: Gerard Whateley, Dwayne Russell

Experts: Gerard Healy, Brad Johnson

WEEKEND:

Callers: Andy Maher, Brett Phillips, Matthew Cocks, Jordan Kounelis, Jo Wotton, Kym Dillon, David Wildy, Tim Gossage, Peter Vlahos, Miles Pfitzner, Sam Hargreaves, James van der Maat.

Experts: Adam Cooney, Nick Dal Santo, Leon Cameron, Brenton Sanderson, Bryce Gibbs, Mark Bickley, Josh Jenkins, Paul Hasleby, Scott Cummings, Liam Pickering, Campbell Brown.

SHOWS

SATURDAY CRUNCH TIME (11am-1pm)

Hosts: Gerard Whateley, Sam Edmund

Experts: Kane Cornes, Luke Hodge, David King, Dermott Brereton

SUNDAY CRUNCH TIME (11am-1pm)

To Be Confirmed (*Potential hosts - Tom Morris, Sarah Olle).

Losing Anthony Hudson is a big blow although Dwayne Russell can certainly thrive in primetime. Race caller Matt Hill to get more opportunities while the potential hire of Tom Morris also looms as a clever move by SEN boss Craig Hutchison.

ABC

Callers: Corbin Middlemas (Fri/Sat/Sun), Kelli Underwood (Fri night), Matt Clinch (Thurs?Sat/Sun)

Experts: Mick Malthouse (Fri night), Cameron Ling (Fri night), Adam Ramanauskas, Nathan Burke, Brett Deledio, Marc Murphy, Brendon Goddard, Luke Ball

OUT: Mark Maclure

The departure of Mark Maclure after 22 years would shock many given the former Carlton premiership star’s style was certainly different to his counterparts.

Originally published as Media Street: Every AFL commentary team, media line-up for 2023