Media Street: Fox Footy, Channel 7 reveal line-ups for prime time showdown in 2025

Some of the biggest names in AFL media will go to head-to-head like never before on Thursday and Friday night this season. But who will win TV’s main event? See every name here.

The battle lines are drawn in the biggest shake-up of the TV football world in decades.

With Fox Footy now bringing its own commentary teams to every match for the first time, viewers will get a choice of who they want to listen to over the two marquee timeslots, Thursday and Friday night.

The incumbent Channel 7 has reacted to the challenge by dusting off its cheque book, swooping on talent from its arch rival Channel 9 and going all chips-in with a host of new shows and ideas.

Some of the biggest names in AFL media will be going head-to-head like never before.

After Opening Round where both networks are just throwing all of their new talent around to start the season, there will be a rhythm and consistency to Thursday and Friday night commentary teams which will be fascinating to watch.

On Thursday night Channel 7 is going big.

A new play-by-play combination of Brian Taylor – moved from Friday night – and Hamish McLachlan will sit alongside experts Kane Cornes and Luke Hodge.

New recruit Nick Riewoldt will feature at halftime and post-match, which follows the US trend of having different voices at the breaks to offer a fresh take on the game.

Bec Maddern will be in the hosting chair at the breaks, while the station’s No.1 news breaker Mitch Cleary will be on the boundary.

Fox Footy will wheel out Matt Hill and Mark Howard in the play-by-play chairs with David King and Jack Riewoldt as the experts and Sarah Jones as host, with Leigh Montagna and Jason Dunstall fronting a star-studded panel for pre-match and halftime.

The Friday combo on Fox is full of heavyweights with their No.1 play-by-play man Anthony Hudson in a new partnership with Gerard Whateley, a proven radio performer who is stepping up to the wide-screen.

Matthew Richardson, Luke Hodge and Abbey Holmes last season. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos

Garry Lyon and Dunstall are the experts with the panel, including big dogs Jonathan Brown, Nathan Buckley and Jordan Lewis.

Across at Seven, James Brayshaw remains the captain of the Friday commentary team with Alister Nicholson his play-by-play partner.

Former Collingwood premiership player Dale Thomas, who was a revelation last year, and Matthew Richardson provide special comments.

It’s a mouth-watering stuff. so sit back and may the best team win.

Originally published as Media Street: Fox Footy, Channel 7 reveal line-ups for prime time showdown in 2025