Footy media watch: Highs and lows of round 10 commentary
BILLY Brownless’ commentary box cock-up, Eddie McGuire has an axe to grind and the Channel 7 comedy routine is back. Here are the highs and lows of round 10 commentary.
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BILLY Brownless and Eddie McGuire headline the footy commentary highlight reel for round 10, but for vastly different reasons.
While McGuire’s dig at Alistair Clarkson was cold and calculated, Brownless’ Paddy McCartin comment was … spontaneous.
Here are the commentary highs and lows of round 10.
Ed grinds his axe
EDDIE McGuire brought his frustration at the now infamous Alastair Clarkson/Gillon McLachlan cafe date to the commentary box on the weekend.
Clakson and McLachlan caught up for coffee in Prahran days after the veteran coach voiced his frustration at opposition defenders blocking his forwards.
McGuire referenced the catch-up when Dustin Martin was stripped of a mark for a dubious blocking free kick during the Richmond v St Kilda game on Saturday.
“They are red hot on blocking at the moment. Alastair Clarkson (is) showing that he does run the AFL. You have a cup of tea with Gillon McLachlan and you can change the entire rules,” he said on Fox Footy.
And there was an encore performance during the Hawthorn v West Coast game on Sunday.
A free kick was paid against Hawthorn’s Liam Shiels when he snatched the ball out of the ruck, with co-commentator Garry Lyon giving thanks the confusing rule was rarely used.
“Unless of course he kicks a goal and then Alistair Clarkson will be ringing Gill McLachlan for another coffee tomorrow,” McGuire replied.
“(The cafe) is doing a great trade as the second headquarters for the AFL at the moment.”
McGuire joins a long list of footy industry figures frustrated at the Clarkson/McLachlan coffee club, but few have the clout or audience of the Collingwood president.
Really, Bill?
TRIPLE M’s critics say the station’s footy coverage has long been blokey and buffoonish, and Billy Brownless did little to change those perceptions during the Richmond v St Kilda match.
When Saints forward Paddy McCartin sprayed a set shot from barely 25m out, Brownless gave us this:
“You gotta kick them. I’d kick that with me doodle, fair dinkum”
No doubt Brownless’ approval rating with 11-year-old listeners has gone through the roof.
Footy or reality TV?
JUST two weeks ago this column called out the reality TV-style banter of Channel 7’s Friday night call team.
And of course they were back at it again last Friday during the Collingwood v Western Bulldogs match.
Cameron Ling: “What was your best (goals) effort Brian, with that smile on your face?”
Brian Taylor: “I didn’t want you to ask, but 25 in two consecutive weeks.”
This triggered a group laugh-fest that lasted over one minute while the football played on as a secondary concern in the background.
Channel 7 continues to persist with this type of matey, backslapping banter, as if viewers are in need of a new friendship group rather than a description of the unfolding play.
Just call the footy
IT’S amazing how the coverage of a match improves when commentators aren’t trying to be comedians.
Brian Taylor and Wayne Carey had an engaging back and forth over the merits of a free kick paid against Collingwood’s Lynden Dunn.
Carey: “I don’t think that’s a push in the back that one, when the arms go around he just collapsed at the knees BT.”
Taylor: “He collapsed because he had 80 kilos on his back.”
Carey: “That happens 50 times a game.”
Taylor: “It shouldn’t, they should pay the kicks if they’re there.”
And lo footy fans everywhere rejoiced.
Whose side are you on with this. BT or Duck?#AFLPiesDogs pic.twitter.com/4wvVIJCYEy
— 7AFL (@7AFL) May 25, 2018
Star watch
MATTHEW Pavlich predicted Dockers midfielder Adam Cerra was going to be a “star” during Fox Footy’s coverage of the Fremantle v North Melbourne game.
Cerra is playing well early in his first season, but if all the players dubbed stars by footy callers turn out that way, there will soon be more stars than foot soldiers in the competition.
Nic Nat’s goalfest
FOX Footy’s Dwayne Russell had this to say on Sunday when Nic Naitanui took a strong mark and goaled against Hawthorn.
“There’s been some criticism of him early on in his career that he doesn’t push forward and take enough marks and kick enough goals — he’s shut them up!”
A strong comment given it was just Naitanui’s third goal of the season.
Lost mountains
Jude Bolton clearly lost his bearings when he suggested the Blue Mountains were just 10km from Spotless Stadium during Channel 7’s coverage of the GWS v Essendon game on Saturday night.
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