Browny’s Podcast: AFL boss Gillon McLachlan talks Meat Loaf’s grand final howler and Brownlow jokes

Gillon McLachlan still to this day cannot fathom controversial singer Meat Loaf’s excuse for his Grand Final shocker, as the AFL boss reveals all on Browny’s Podcast.

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan says Meat Loaf’s excuse for his 2011 Grand Final howler still doesn’t make any sense a decade on.

In his most lighthearted interview of the season, McLachlan also joked on Browny’s Podcast that he desperately wanted to liven up the formalities of Brownlow Medal with a few jokes but had “piked it” so far, but hasn’t ruled out a few in-jokes at the event in Perth on Sunday week.

McLachlan, who went down the Big Freeze slide this year dressed as Meat Loaf, said he hadn’t been able to escape the controversial US singer, who was soundly criticised for his less than smooth Grand Final performance back in 2011.

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Gillon McLachlan dressed as Meat Loaf with Neale Daniher as he prepares to take the slide in this year’s Big Freeze 7. Picture: Michael Klein

“He (Meat Loaf) had a panic attack and then he retrospectively blamed it on the fact that he wanted 100 Harley Davidsons and he only got three (as part of the production),” McLachlan said on Browny’s Podcast.

“I don’t think there are 100 Harleys in all of Melbourne and the guys that have them weren’t giving them up.”

McLachlan confessed to Jonathan Brown and Campbell Brown that he had often thought about throwing in a few extra comments to break up the long and often laborious Brownlow Medal count.

McLachlan feels the pain of his good deeds at this year’s Big Freeze 7. Picture: Michael Klein

“When you are someone as flippant as me, you often think about doing something with the names or numbers, and I have always pulled out,” McLachlan said.

“I always pike out. I did something last year that was a bit in-house, but no one picked up on. It is quite a serious event and I have always piked it.”

Meat Loaf’s infamous performance at the 2011 grand final will forever remembered for all the wrong reasons.

The AFL boss said the push from Kevin Sheedy to stage a game for premiership points in the United States post-pandemic was problematic given there were no suitable grounds.

But he said that could change in the coming years which could put it back on the agenda, with a new cricket ground to built in the US.

McLachlan said Campbell Brown’s suggestion of renaming the Goal of the Year award as the Eddie Betts award after the retirement of the Blues star had merit.

Gillon McLachlan during the 2019 Brownlow Medal count at Crown Palladium.

But he explained that it had already been named after former Collingwood player Phil Manassa, who kicked an extraordinary running goal in the 1977 Grand Final replay.

“I think it is a good idea … the issue is that Phil Manassa has already got his name on it, which makes it a bit tricky,” McLachlan said.

“I tell you who does know (about the name) … that’s Phil and Phil’s family and everyone who wins it (can see) Phil Manassa’s name on it.”

Asked about GWS star Toby Greene’s bump on umpire Matt Stevic last week, McLachlan said: “I didn’t like it.”