Footy media watch: Highs and lows of round 9 commentary

SILVER suits in Shanghai, Bruce channels Rain Man and tempers flare in Adelaide. Mike Refone runs the rule over the good, bad and bizarre from round nine’s footy commentary.

Brisbane proved the doubters wrong. Picture: AFL Media/Getty.

DERMOTT Brereton’s unique style on the world stage, Bruce reaches deep into the past and the Adelaide commentary box becomes a war zone.

Here are the highs and lows or round nine’s footy commentary.

FOOTY MEDIA WATCH ROUND EIGHT

HIGHS AND LOWS OF AFL COMMENTARY

Bruce the footy encyclopaedia

BRUCE McAvaney’s Rain-Man-esque knowledge of football was on display on Friday night.

With the Crows and Dogs slugging it out in a dreary, rain-soaked affair, conversation in the Channel 7 commentary box turned to the royal wedding.

McAvaney: “I reckon the last rainy Friday night was back in 2011, Juddy had a blinder and it was the same weekend as Will and Kate’s wedding. History is repeating itself!”

If nothing else, the episode demonstrated McAveney’s encyclopaedic sporting memory.

Prince William married Kate Middleton on Friday April 29, 2011. That night Carlton upset Sydney at the SCG, Judd had 33 disposals and 154 SuperCoach points, and the Herald Sun’s Sam Edmund wrote: “This was the toughest assignment in footy — the battle-hardened Swans in pouring rain at the SCG.”

Chris Judd battling Sydney on that Friday night in April 2011.

Co-commentator Brian Taylor tried to get in on the act, but isn’t in the same weight division as McAvaney.

Taylor observed the Bulldogs have had 11 Harrys in their history but Adelaide had no Harrys at all. He later issued a correction of sorts when it was pointed out that Harry Dear is on the Crows’ list.

Silver suits in Shanghai

DERMOTT Brereton has always been known for his unique fashion sense.

But his outfit in Shanghai on the weekend broke new ground.

A grey/silver suit that appeared to be several sizes too big was complemented by a silver tie.

The Hawthorn great had also given the hotel hairdryer a workout before going on air to interview coaches Stuart Dew and Ken Hinkley.

Dermott Brereton’s silver suit in Shanghai.

Author Tom Wolfe. Picture: AP

Who wore it better? #aflcrowsdogs #foxtel #Dermott #enough pic.twitter.com/7TIzC2YXOI

— Ed Jones (@egg2883) May 18, 2018

The look was too much for Fox Footy colleagues David King and Brad Johnson, who couldn’t contain their laughter back in the Melbourne studio.

So what was Brereton going for?

Some suggested he was paying homage to the late writer Tom Wolfe, who died just days earlier, or channelling flamboyant wrestler Rick Flair.

Others compared his look to Barry Humphries’ character Sir Les Patterson.

We can’t wait to see Brereton’s next fashion offering.

When predictions go bad

IT’S been a year of dismal predictions from the so-called footy experts.

David King tipped Essendon to win the flag and Robert Walls picked West Coast to claim the wooden spoon.

But the 3AW commentary box’s early crow on Sunday afternoon ranks up there with the best (or worst) of them.

After Hawthorn piled on four of the first five goals, it was suggested that any chance of a Brisbane upset was dead in the water.

Is their another sports industry as obsessed with predictions as the AFL industry?

Brisbane proved the doubters wrong. Picture: AFL Media/Getty.

No one’s perfect

ANTHONY Hudson is one of the best callers in the business — as highlighted in this column last week — but even he can have his moments, as was the case while calling for AFL Nation at Adelaide Oval on Friday night: “It’s a dark and wet night at the Adelaide Oval ... well, not dark because the lights are on, but you get the idea.”

Tempares flare in box

IF you’re going to abuse someone, don’t do it within earshot of a live microphone.

If it’s not one of the golden rules of commentary, it should be.

FIVEaa’s Stephen Rowe learned the hard way when he lost his cool over statements from Adelaide about its long list of injured stars on Friday night.

As Rowe remonstrated with Adelaide’s media manager, the shouting could be heard in the background as Mark Bickley tried to deliver his halftime analysis.