Daisy Pearce emerges as real star of Seven’s AFL coverage

In a season where some of its biggest names have been criticised, Channel 7 has been encouraged to give more spotlight to a rising star.

Luke Hodge, Bruce McAvaney, Brian Taylor and Daisy Pearce are part of Channel 7's AFL team in 2020. Picture: Channel 7

Less Ray Chamberlain, more Daisy Pearce.

That appeared to be the consensus among footy fans as the AFL finals series began on Thursday night.

Channel 7 was taken to task after mic’d up field umpire Razor Ray featured heavily in the first half of Port’s win against Geelong.

But boundary rider Daisy Pearce received rave reviews for her insightful analysis during the game.

Fox Footy commentator Brenton Speed tipped his hat to the emerging talent.

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“Daisy Pearce is elite!” Speed tweeted. “(Her) ability to add to any comment thrown her way by a play-by-play person is exemplary.”

Comedian and AFL diehard Dave Hughes said Pearce “needs to be front and centre” for Seven’s grand final coverage. “(She’s) got the field covered,” he tweeted.

Daisy Pearce interviews Josh Kennedy after a Swans game.

“Daisy Pearce is rapidly becoming one of the best special comments people in the game,” added veteran scribe Rohan Connolly. “Great explanation just then of why Port were leaving McKenzie on Hawkins. That’s exactly what the comments role should be.”

Pearce has been boundary-side for Seven’s coverage of the past two grand finals after joining the network as a rotating panel member on AFL Game Day in 2016.

A standout player with Melbourne in AFLW, Pearce has been named the competition’s best captain three times, won two club best and fairests and made two All-Australian teams.

Others were similarly impressed with her work on Thursday night.

Like most women given even a sniff of a professional opportunity, Daisy Pearce is embarrassing the pale, stale males she's sitting alongside with her intellect and analysis. But yeah, let's stick with the status quo. #AFLFinals #AFLPowerCats

— Erin Delahunty (@della79) October 1, 2020

Really hope Daisy Pearce gets a regular commentating gig next season. Her analysis during games has been far more insightful than most offered by all the other commentators this year. #AFL 

— Dani Brown (@itsdanibrown) October 1, 2020

It’s been a tough year for commentators as COVID restricts their ability to attend games.

Seven stalwart Bruce McAvaney has called the action from South Australia while most of his colleagues are in a Melbourne studio and it’s created the occasional awkward moment.

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Pearce was famously trolled by Brian Taylor after a game played in wet weather in 2018.

He jokingly accused her of “abandoning her post” when she escaped the rain at halftime of a Port-Western Bulldogs game in Ballarat and moved inside the commentary box.

Daisy Pearce is a star with the Demons. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)

“Yes, Daisy it was cold in Ballarat, I was there too, but you, just like the Bulldogs, went missing after half time and you came and sat up in the commentary box,” Taylor said.

“Now, you abandoned your post and you are the first ever to do so. The great Robert DiPierdomenico is a god around boundary-riding. He paved the way for all of you. It didn’t matter how cold or windy or wet it was, Dipper was out there. And he more than anyone else was hurt by the performances of our boundary riders over the weekend.”

It might not be long until she’s in the box full-time.