The Footy Show grand final recap show to go ahead despite Sam Newman controversy

Channel 9 are going ahead with a look back at The Footy Show’s grand final moments despite Sam Newman being condemned for calling on fans to boo the Welcome to Country.

Eddie McGuire and Sam Newman at the Grand Final Footy Show 2018. Picture: Channel 9

Channel 9 will not alter a look back at The Footy Show’s grand final moments despite Sam Newman being condemned for calling for fans to boo Welcome to Country ceremonies.

To mark 30 years since the first Footy Show grand final show, the main players of the former juggernaut sat down to film a documentary-style production that will air on Thursday night.

Newman headlined the show’s icons interviewed, alongside Eddie McGuire, Shane Crawford and James Hird, while Brendan Fevola will look back at the infamous Brownlow Medal Street Talk segment that led him to be booted from Carlton.

The show will not have any live elements and will instead have cast members looking over clips from old grand final shows, which were usually filmed live in front of sellout crowds at Rod Laver Arena.

A jab at the Welcome to Country ceremonies that lead into major sporting events saw Newman surrounded with controversy again last week, after the former TV star called for footy fans to drown out the ceremonies with boos.

Some of the big names of The Footy Show. Picture: Supplied/Channel 9

No booing was heard during the first Welcome to Country held since Newman’s comments, at the MCG on Friday night.

Newman’s call prompted outgoing AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan to say he disagreed “very definitively” and was widely condemned.

The former Footy Show star then said fans should overwhelm the ceremonies by singing The Seekers anthem ‘I am Australian’.

The furore didn’t lead to any alterations to the Footy Show grand final special and Channel 9 confirmed the show will go ahead as planned and does not feature any live segments.