Robbo: Boy oh boy, Darcy got it right, but colleagues less so over Jake Kelly on Anzac Day

James Brayshaw and Luke Darcy cut very different figures behind the microphone over the weekend. MARK ROBINSON unpacks how commentators navigate personal relationships on air.

Brian Taylor and James Brayshaw at the SCA Sunset Sessions in South Melbourne on Thursday, March 5, 2020. Picture: SCA/SUPPLIED

Luke Darcy surely had to bite his tongue several times when he was “special comments’’ man on Channel 7’s Saturday night football.

As the father of Sam, who was playing for the Western Bulldogs, and as a board ­member of the club, he handled his conflict with immense professionalism.

On Anzac Day, however, fellow Channel 7 commentators James Brayshaw and Brian Taylor – who are generally well-liked commentators with their irreverent style – let their affection for Essendon’s Jake Kelly shine through.

That Brayshaw is a great mate of Jake’s father, Craig, the Collingwood chief executive, could or could not have played a role in his over-the-top appreciation of the Bombers’ back flanker.

At halftime on Anzac Day, Kelly had four disposals and gave away consecutive 50m penalties – one for placing the ball on the ground when it was Collingwood’s free kick and the other for not getting out of the exclusion zone.

Jake Kelly received glowing praise from the commentary box, clashing with the feedback of many Essendon fans. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

His third quarter was Luke Hodge-esque, according to Brayshaw and Taylor.

Kelly took a mark, which prompted Brayshaw to say: “Kelly mark … a reliable defender.’’

Kelly’s kick to Dyson Heppell, however, was cut off by Bobby Hill, whose bouncing shot was a point. With seven minutes to play in the quarter, Kelly came forward off his opponent Jamie Elliott and picked up an easy ground ball.

“Kelly has got it all to do, Hoskin-Elliott is bearing down on him, well done, Kelly,’’ Taylor said.

In the same play, he received a handball from ­Heppell.

“Kelly again, third time involvement,’’ Taylor said.

Collingwood CEO Craig Kelly briefly crosses the floor to console son Jake in the Essendon rooms. @abcsport#AnzacDaypic.twitter.com/scyJ5XkOAl

— Ben Cameron (@BenCameron23) April 25, 2024

A minute later, Kelly confronted Patrick Lipinski, who was running after a wayward handball.

“Met by Kelly, he’s been prominent the last few minutes, in fact the entire match is Kelly,’’ Taylor said.

“You never know the Anzac Day team, our commentary team, has votes in that.’’

Taylor was offering up Kelly as being a possible Anzac Day medallist.

A minute before halftime, Kelly tried to pick up a groundball and missed.

Brayshaw: “Kelly, as BT said, has been really good.’’

At three-quarter time, Kelly had 12 disposals and all-up 32 ranking points.

The match leaders were Darcy Parish (95), defender Andy McGrath (93), defender Dyson Heppell (85) and Anzac Day Medal winner Zach Merrett (84).

Sam Darcy and his dad Luke at the MCG ahead of him being drafted by the Western Bulldogs. Picture: Michael Klein.

While Taylor and Brayshaw were highly enamoured with Kelly’s performance, Darcy was far more conservative in his role at Perth Stadium.

Darcy lacked aggressive analysis, which is the welcomed opinion of Hodge for example, but that’s not his go. Neither did he receive the type of public ­condemnation that Eddie McGuire attracted when he commentated Collingwood games while also club president.

For the record, the breakdown of Darcy’s commentary was 32 mentions specifically of the Bulldogs, 35 specifically of Fremantle, and nine general observations, which were mainly about the players slipping over in the heavy dew.

His offering that Sam had a habit of running too close to the man on the mark was warmly welcomed and, clearly, the family connection was made obvious.

The Kelly connection with Brayshaw was less obvious.

But, boy oh boy, wowee, it’s not any more.