Time On: Carey’s take on SAS, Stringer’s baby news, umpire mullet mania

Wayne Carey has revealed the physical toll of his SAS: Australia experience and why he rued his decision to go on the show after just an hour.

Time On is your Monday wrap up of all the footy gossip from the weekend.

Wayne Carey has described his SAS experience as fantastic despite the fallout from his ‘interrogation’.

On the military style show the AFL great spoke about the 2007 glassing incident with Kate Neilson which resulted in her refuting his version of events that it was an accident.

He also came away from the course needing a shoulder replacement which he will undergo this year.

“What was I thinking? I wasn’t thinking,’’ he told his Channel 7 colleagues on Saturday night footy.

“I can tell you after about an hour into the course I thought to myself, ‘What are you doing, why have you done it?’

Wayne Carey said SAS was a fantastic experience despite the backlash.

“It’s definitely real, there’s no take one, take two … one of the toughest things I’ve done considering (I’ve got) a bit of a bung shoulder going in. Great experience.

“I have a fear of heights. Everything else wasn’t too bad, it was a fantastic experience, had fun, mentally tough and also physically tough.”

Carey said he was more scared of the directing staff than he was of his old North coach Denis Pagan.

“You’ve got to give those guys respect,’’ he said.

STRINGER SET FOR BABY 4

Essendon star Jake Stringer is preparing for the arrival of his fourth child next month.

Stringer and partner Taylor McVeigh have a son named River, born in April 2020, and he has two daughters, Milla and Arlo, with his ex Abby Gilmore.

“It’s very exciting, three girls, one boy,’’ Stringer said.

The Bulldogs premiership player said he is confident the birth of his daughter won’t clash with a game.

Jake Stringer and partner Taylor McVeigh are expecting a baby. Picture: Fiona Byrne

Stringer and Gilmore are happily co-parenting their children after splitting in 2016.

All three of Stringer’s children were part of the celebrations for his 150th game in July last year.

Stringer and McVeigh first stepped out together in 2018.

BENCHED BY COVID

Hamish McLachlan was absent from Channel 7’s Round 1 of footy after contracting Covid.

The gun host and commentator was laid up at home having to watch the action instead.

“Shame but all in good shape,’’ McLachlan said. “Worse things could be happening to us.”

McLachlan, who hosts footy, racing, the Olympics and the recent Winter Olympics coverage, has become Seven’s go-to anchor in the absence of doyen Bruce McAvaney.

Hamish McLachlan will be back in action after a Covid spell. Picture: Luke Marsden

He would have fronted throughout the weekend with some shuffling necessary in his regular Saturday night calling spot. His place was taken by Alister Nicholson who has been praised as a welcome addition with his no frills style.

Channel 7 head of sport Lewis Martin said: “On any given day, any one of us can get Covid. We are grateful to have a great team who are ready to cover when the inevitable presents itself.”

MULLET MANIA

A boundary umpire had Fox Footy commentators up and about during the Geelong-Essendon match on Saturday.

After receiving hundreds of entries in the Herald Sun’s Victorian mullet competition, and putting it to the public vote, there emerged a late mighty mullet challenger in Sean Moylan.

Boundary umpire Sean Moylan lets his locks flow. Picture: Michael Klein

“That is one of the great haircuts you’ll see in 2022,’’ commentator Mark Howard roared with excitement.

“Look at that fella. He’s got a Matty Scarlett younger brother look to him.”

Nick Riewoldt said he’s “just trying to fit in with the modern player”.

Pies forward Mason Cox also weighed in: “If umpires had this haircut I think people would agree with them more” along with the hashtag true blue Aussie.

Herald Sun readers officially crowned the flaming, flowing flocks of Eynesbury teenager Reece McGrath as Victoria’s top mullet at the weekend.

NEW FOOTY SHOW

A new Sunday night show starts this week with Georgie Parker, Heath Shaw and Dale Thomas.

Called Sunday Session it will air on 7 Plus post the Sunday night game and will go up against Fox Footy’s favourite Bounce.