AFL news: Channel 7 dumps Wayne Carey from Friday nights for Daisy Pearce

Wayne Carey has been a fixture of Channel 7’s flagship team since 2014 but he has been shuffled out of the line-up as Daisy Pearce steps up.

Wayne Carey is out of Friday night football as Channel 7 turns to AFLW star Daisy Pearce in the prime time commentary spot.

The former North Melbourne great has been a fixture of the channel’s flagship team since 2014 but he is set to be shuffled to Saturday nights this season.

Pearce will be joined by Hawthorn premiership captain Luke Hodge in the special comments chairs alongside callers Brian Taylor and James Brayshaw.

There has been a groundswell of support for a female voice to be more prominent in Seven’s AFL coverage with Pearce’s insight and knowledge shining through over the past two seasons.

Channel 7’s managing director Lewis Martin confirmed the change at the exclusive Herald Sun Lunch of Victoria’s Newsbreakers and Newsmakers at Crown’s Evergreen, adding the Kangaroos champion was still a much valued asset given he’d just appeared on the hit series SAS Australia.

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“There are a number of changes that are going to happen and it’s just to freshen up the roster,” Martin said.

“He’s (Carey) coming off SAS, so there’s going to be a number of rotations.”

Carey has been a polarising figure on and off the field but had rebuilt his reputation in recent times as one of the faces of the network’s AFL coverage.

Hodge was snapped up quickly by Seven when he retired in 2019 and was pencilled in for the Friday night slot but Covid knocked those plans around.

He has alternated through various roles, including boundary riding, while based in Brisbane but is being groomed to take over the No. 1 seat.

Putting Pearce, who Martin described as a “star” in the spotlight might be a way for Seven to offset rival Fox Footy landing the biggest off-season signing of ex-Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley.

Joel Selwood of the Cats speaks to television commentators Brian Taylor and Wayne Carey, who has been shuffled to Saturday nights.

Daisy Pearce interviews Josh Kennedy before a game.

Carey’s change of timeslot will impact the rest of Seven’s commentary team given the regular Saturday night team involved Richmond legend Matthew Richardson as special comments next to Luke Darcy and Hamish McLachlan.

Brownlow Medallist Jimmy Bartel, Geelong premiership captain Cameron Ling and former Essendon skipper Jobe Watson will also be a part of the rotation with games from Thursday night through to Sunday this season.

Former AFLW player Abbey Holmes’ star rose last year as a boundary rider and she will get more prominence in 2021 while Winter Olympics host Abbey Gelmi, who has been dating Richmond star Kane Lambert, will also be involved in the AFL coverage.

The shuffling at Channel 7 will have a flow-on effect on radio with Carey a long-time fixture on Triple M, normally on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

Pearce is also expected to scale back her commitments on SEN.