Bruce McAvaney becomes 11th media member to enter Australian football Hall of Fame

A name synonymous with some of the greatest moments in VFL/AFL history will become just the 11th media member to enter the Australian football Hall of Fame, AFL chairman Richard Goyder announced.

Best On Ground will take on a different format in 2023.

Legendary sports broadcaster Bruce McAvaney will be inducted into the Australian football Hall of Fame later this year with AFL chairman Richard Goyder making the announcement at the league’s 2023 season launch on Thursday night.

It comes a month after McAvaney was recognised by the AFL as one of eight new life members for “special services to the game”.

The AFL has traditionally kept its Hall of Fame nominees a closely-guarded secret until the mid-season induction night, but this is the second consecutive year that the chairman has made an early call on one of the recipients.

This time last year Goyder told the season launch that West Perth champion and indigenous team of the century member Bill Dempsey would be a part of the 2022 induction.

He followed it up this year by announcing McAvaney would become only the 11th media representative to be inducted into the Australian football Hall of Fame.

McAvaney is synonymous with some of the greatest moments in AFL history. (Photo by Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images)

“I went off script a bit last year and announced that Bill Dempsey was going into the Hall of Fame. Again, I’m feeling hard-pressed to keep a big secret,“ Mr Goyder said.

“When we acknowledge a great career by the magnificent Bruce McAvaney, who is receiving life membership, we should applaud him doubly as Bruce will also be going into the Hall of Fame later this year for his wonderful media career calling our greatest moments in our biggest games.

“The other inductees we will keep a secret until June.

“Bruce is one of the leading broadcasters in our game’s history and his voice is synonymous with the greatest moments of our national competition. He is a deserving life member of the game and his body of work as a caller makes him a worthy entrant into the Hall of Fame.“

McAvaney, who will turn 70 in June, called more than 1000 games of AFL football, including 20 grand finals. He also acted as the MC at more than 20 Brownlow Medal counts.

His media career has spanned almost 50 years.

McAvaney called time on his AFL broadcasting back in February 2021, just a few months after spearheading Channel 7’s grand final telecast of the 2020 grand final between Richmond and Geelong – the first premiership playoff played outside of Victoria and at night.

He remains a key member of Channel 7’s horse racing coverage, a sport that has been his other great passion.

MEDIA STREET: FOX FOOTY SHOW SET FOR PRIMETIME SPECIALS IN 2023

– Scott Gullan

Fox Footy’s Saturday night entertainment show Best On Ground is returning this season but not every week, instead in a series of primetime specials.

While pleased with how the show rated in its first year, Fox executives were frustrated with the late starting time – often not until 10.30pm – which they had no control over.

In the new AFL rights deal which is scheduled for 2025 – although there is talk some changes could be implemented earlier – Fox Footy will be able to have control over the starting times of games and find a position for Best On Ground in a more family friendly slot.

For example the show will debut this year in Adelaide’s Gather Round in Round 5 at 6pm given there is a one-hour break between games.

Former Crows legend Eddie Betts will appear with plans for South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas to be a guest.

The only change to the line-up is the loss of Nick Riewoldt who has moved to the United States for a year with his family. Kath Loughnan and Mark Howard will again host alongside former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley and Brisbane premiership star Jonathan Brown.

Nick Riewoldt, Nathan Buckley, Kath Loughnan and Jonathan Brown. Picture: Alex Coppel

Fox Sports executive director Steve Crawley said the show exceeded expectations in his first year.

“The show has worked out probably better than anyone expected for a first-year entertainment show,” he said.

“I was frustrated every time you’d look at the clock and it’s 10 o’clock, then it’s 10.05 (and it’s still not on).

“That’s one of the reasons why we are not going to do it every week until we are in charge of the bounce times on the Saturday. In the new rights deal we have got a lot more exclusiveness on the Saturday and when we are in that position we will go back to every week of Best On Ground.”

Crawley said the Fox Footy team would sit down over the coming weeks to plan out the specials.

“Already the King’s Weekend in June in Round 13 has been identified,” he said. “It will be on at 6pm there because there is a split in the games.

“The numbers last year were enormous, it was doing 250,000 very late on a Saturday night so imagine what the audience will be at six o’clock.”

There will still be a Best On Ground feel through the weekly broadcast with the show’s comedy writers to work on some special skits which will be sprinkled across Friday night football and the weekend’s games.