Marngrook Footy Show says it has proud history of women panellists

WHILE Rebecca Maddern’s addition to The Footy Show has been a great success, the creator of the Marngrook Footy Show says his program has long and proud history of women panellists.

Logie nominees announced in Melbourne.The Marngrook Footy Show.Left to Right ; Grant Hansen , Leila Gurruwiwi , Shelley Ware and Christopher Johnson.Picture:Ian Currie

MARNGROOK Footy Show creator Grant Hansensays their popular AFL program is consistently overlooked for its pioneering stance of having women on the panel.

Hansen said he welcomed Nine’s move to put Rebecca Maddernon the AFL Footy Show, but told Confidential: “We are the forerunners of having women — not just one, but two — on the program, and we’ve been going for 10 years.

“We are the forefront of encouraging women to be on AFL shows. We feel a bit peeved that we never get recognised for that.”

The Marngrook team on set. Picture: NITV

Marngrook, which screens on the SBS channel NITV, features host Hansen, and panellists Leila Gurruwiwi, Shelley Ware, Gilbert McAdam and Chris Johnson.

Gurruwiwi said: “I think it’s important that girls have their say about football. Just like men, we love our football just as much, if not more passionately. It’s about supporting women who want to be in the sports arena regardless of whether they’re on our show or other shows.”

Marngrook Footy Show has been nominated in the Logies alongside the AFL Footy Show, NRL Footy Show, AFL 360 and Wide World Of Sports for best sports program.