By Scott Spits and Claire Siracusa
Channel Seven has announced its commentary line-ups for the upcoming season and a return for Australian sports broadcasting legend Bruce McAvaney to the network’s football coverage.
McAvaney will play a pivotal role in Seven’s revamped coverage in 2025, hosting on Sundays and for marquee matches.
Broadcasting icon Bruce McAvaney.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
McAvaney will play a pivotal role in Seven’s revamped coverage in 2025, the first phase of a seven-year, $4.5 billion broadcasting deal with Foxtel and Telstra, by hosting on Sundays and for marquee matches. His return was paved by the network’s move last year to use McAvaney as host for the final three matches last season including the grand final.
Seven also announced the commentary teams for each day of its live game coverage, with Brian Taylor moving from Friday to Thursday nights. Taylor will call Thursday games alongside Hamish McLachlan, while James Brayshaw and Alister Nicholson will take the reins on Friday nights.
Collingwood superstar Scott Pendlebury will join the team on Friday nights for regular appearances in special comments, while Tigers great Matthew Richardson and former Pie and Blue Dale Thomas will provide the regular expert commentary.
The Thursday night special comments team will feature Kane Cornes, ex-Saint Nick Riewoldt and premiership Hawk Luke Hodge.
Seven does not have rights to any Saturday games (with exceptions for some marquee matches) but on Sundays, commentary duties will be rotated between “a group of callers”. The experts on Sundays will be Riewoldt, Joel Selwood and Erin Phillips, plus a mix of guest commentators.
Jason Bennett will call games for Seven, while Cameron Ling, Jobe Watson, Jude Bolton and Campbell Brown are among the other ex-footballers who make up the special comments team. Abbey Holmes and Rebecca Maddern will host the match coverage.
Before last September’s three-match foray, Australian Football Hall of Fame member McAvaney’s last AFL appearance was the 2020 grand final between Richmond and Geelong.
“I’ve always had a deep passion for the game, but returning to the 7AFL team for the 2024 finals series reminded me just how much I love being part of it,” McAvaney said in a statement.
“I can’t wait to be back alongside Seven’s outstanding football team in a hosting role for the 2025 season.”
Seven’s director of sport Chris Jones, who has introduced a raft of changes including new signings Cornes, Riewoldt and Age columnist Caroline Wilson, was rapt to announce McAvaney’s return.
“Bruce McAvaney is simply unrivalled and the greatest sports broadcaster of our generation. He is a beloved member of the Seven family, and we are thrilled that he is returning to our AFL coverage for Sunday nights and marquee matches this season,” he said.
“When Bruce returned to our AFL coverage during the finals in 2024, we saw an outpouring of love from footy fans all over the country, and we can’t wait to see Australians embrace him again throughout the 2025 season.”
McAvaney was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2023 and was just the 11th inductee in the media category, alongside his longtime co-commentator Dennis Cometti.
Seven’s suite of programs in 2025 includes Agenda Setters, Unfiltered, The Front Bar, Extra Time, Sunday Footy Feast, The Wash Up and Kane’s Call.
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