Media Street: The viral ad causing a stir, how Mason Cox was snubbed and Hutchy’s big World Cup win

Voting for football awards has long given plenty of journalists nightmares over the journey. Did the Queen’s Birthday crew get Monday’s medal right?

Two of the three voters thought Mason Cox was best on ground. Picture: Michael Klein.

FOR all the Collingwood fans who have been losing their minds about the Mason Cox snub, press pause. There was an outbreak of anti-Magpies sentiment directed towards the judging panel after Melbourne’s Clayton Oliver won the Neale Daniher Trophy on Monday.

Specifically the heat was on afl.com.au reporter Josh Gabelich who left Cox out of the votes in the Queen’s Birthday clash, preferring to give Oliver best-on-ground followed by Collingwood pair Nick Daicos and Brody Mihocek. His decision to leave Cox out of the votes – the other two judges, Geelong premiership captain Cameron Ling and Essendon great Matthew Lloyd, both gave the Pies big man three votes – meant he was pipped by one vote in winning his second Neale Daniher Trophy.

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Mason Cox was best on ground according to two of the Queen’s Birthday judges. Picture: Michael Klein.

Gabelich is from Collingwood royalty, the grandson of 1958 premiership hero Ray who played 160 games with the Magpies and won the 1960 Copeland Trophy.

Voting for these awards has long given plenty of journalists nightmares over the journey and we‘re told Gabelich quite rightly turned off his social media for 24 hours after the game.

It’s all a matter of opinion, there is no right or wrong, but unfortunately Gabelich didn’t get a chop out from the respective coaches with Craig McRae and Simon Goodwin both awarding Cox best-on-ground honours in the AFL Coaches Award with Oliver next.

QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY MEDAL VOTING

Matthew Lloyd – Mason Cox, Clayton Oliver, Jack Crisp

Cameron Ling – Mason Cox, Clayton Oliver, Brody Mihocek

Josh Gabelich – Clayton Oliver, Nick Daicos, Brody Mihocek

BROWNE DODGES SCRUTINY OVER VIRAL VIDEO

Channel 7 newsbreaker Tom Browne dodged a bullet by knocking back an approach from Sportsbet to feature in a viral ad which has caused a stir through the media world.

Browne was an obvious choice to feature in the spoof video given his polarising nature on social media but he knocked back the four figure sum on offer which in hindsight was a masterstroke.For those who haven‘t seen the ad – it has had 1.3 million views – the betting company did a mock AFL Journo Tribunal featuring Channel 9 newsreader Tony Jones, afl.com.au writer Damian Barrett, SEN‘s Kane Cornes and Age reporter Sam McClure.

On Monday night the ABC program Media Watch came off the long run, sizing up the journos for promoting the gambling giant given a couple of them in particular had previously made anti-gambling statements.Media Watch took great delight in making the link to Channel 9 given all four also came under the network’s expanding media umbrella in different guises.

Kane Cornes featured on the ad. Picture Sarah Reed

DOCUMENTARY TO FEATURE ON PRIME VIDEO

A MOVING documentary exploring the challenges facing three AFL indigenous stars is being released by Prime Video next month. Presented by AFL legend Michael O‘Loughlin, Warriors On The Field, shares the inspiring stories of Fremantle star Michael Walters and North Melbourne young gun Tarryn Thomas.

The documentary looks at the strength indigenous players get from their culture, connection to the game and how it helps them navigate racism in Australia. O’Loughlin goes back to his childhood in South Australia to where he played backyard footy and dreamt of making it in the sport at the highest level.

“Football has the power to unite us, teach us, and ultimately to shape us,” O’Loughlin said. “I believe this documentary shows the positive impact the sport has had on my life and the lives of many before me.

“We must listen and learn from our past and present day First Nations players who are best placed on these issues in our sport and society. We have a long way to go in this country, but we must continue to persevere and educate.”

Warriors On The Field premieres on Prime Video on July 8.

HUTCHY’S BIG WORLD CUP WIN

THERE were plenty of smiles across Australia when the Socceroos pulled off their stunning World Cup qualification.

No one was smiling more than SEN boss Craig Hutchison who had already snapped up the audio rights for the World Cup in Qatar in November and the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023.

SEN will have a commentary team on the ground at both events with all matches broadcast throughout its wide national network.

Originally published as Media Street: The viral ad causing a stir, how Mason Cox was snubbed and Hutchy’s big World Cup win