Fox Footy needs to do a re-build

[Sanctorum]

I am inspired to start this conversation by Saynta's list of things he hates, mine is worthy of a separate post as it concerns the presenters on Fox Footy most of whom I find tiresome, boring, dull and not at all interesting to watch, in fact I can't be bothered watching AFL 360 and On the Couch anymore because they are no longer the compulsive viewing they used to be in the era pre Jonathan Brown, Garry Lyon, Nick Riewoldt etal.

As much as I admired Roo as a player, his media profile on Fox Footy is dreadful. Perhaps it is the faux excitement, and pizzaz the producers in their mistaken wisdom have got these blokes to shout and dance around while previewing or analysing a game leaves me totally cold, a real turn-off. As does all the unfunny sniping between Messrs Brown, Lyon and Riewoldt.

Why can't they just discuss issues about football in a calm and reasoned way, as they did when Mike Sheahan and Jason Dunstall were on the couch, and each week they would have either a coach, captain or AFL official come on to discuss their particular line of business.

The same goes for AFL 360 where they feature the same small clique of players every week (Jack Riewoldt, Eddie Betts, Adam Treloar, Christian Petracca) and every time they appear they repeat much of what they talked about in previous episodes.

My fervent hope and wish is that the producers at Fox Footy delist the whole motley crew they have now and inject some fresh blood, including non-players with footy expertise, and then rotate them regularly so that they keep things interesting.

Right now Fox Footy is a small clique of jobs for the boys - viz Jack Riewoldt being groomed to come on board once he retires, when they should be giving us new faces drawn form all the 18 teams.

Foxtel of all media entities should understand that "Variety is the Spice of Life".

Footy is a serious business and discussions about games does not need to be entertaining, all we want is the facts, the stats and interesting commentary. If I seek fun and entertainment I get my fill from the best AFL footy show on TV - The Front Bar....which features 3 blokes and weekly guests who are genuinely funny.

Not that I expect things to change. For the last 2 years I have written to Fox Footy during the off season to suggest that in the weeks leading up to the start of the new season they produce and screen a 1 hour special preview of each of the 18 teams featuring profiles of the new recruits, interviews with players and coaches, and expert opinion on how each team is rated. Never got a response, but I'll try again next year!

[Wayne42]

I no longer watch On The Couch mostly for the same reasons you have listed. Gerard Healy is OK as host but the other 3, no thanks.

It was better with Mike Sheahan but he got too old. They could find someone else but you're right, it's definitely a boys club.

[SAINT-LEE]

The NFL creates incredible team content and people watch it over and over.

I too spruiked a team by team break down with trades, retirement, new recruits, coaching changes, expert opinion on new season etc

Fox don't give a damn.

They run boring content 24/7....not as shocking and weak as AFL but close.

[Wayne42]

The other thing about the Fox Footy channel is they no longer like to replay games in full, they now love this AFL Mini bulldust.

I wonder what Fox bozo thought that was what the subscribers wanted, probably suggested someone named King.

[saynta]

Don't mind Joey, hate King. And the fat f*** won't be back, so that is a plus.

[CQ SAINT]

The other thing about the Fox Footy channel is they no longer like to replay games in full, they now love this AFL Mini bulldust.

I wonder what Fox bozo thought that was what the subscribers wanted, probably suggested someone named King.

There's a little thing called the record button, does the whole season by pressing a button.

[Wayne42]

The other thing about the Fox Footy channel is they no longer like to replay games in full, they now love this AFL Mini bulldust.

I wonder what Fox bozo thought that was what the subscribers wanted, probably suggested someone named King.

There's a little thing called the record button, does the whole season by pressing a button.

Doesn't work too well when the AFL change the game time after you've preset the recording of the game, which happened in 2021.

[CQ SAINT]

The other thing about the Fox Footy channel is they no longer like to replay games in full, they now love this AFL Mini bulldust.

I wonder what Fox bozo thought that was what the subscribers wanted, probably suggested someone named King.

There's a little thing called the record button, does the whole season by pressing a button.

Doesn't work too well when the AFL change the game time after you've preset the recording of the game, which happened in 2021.

Worked fine for me.

[Waltzing St Kilda]

Seems harsh to me. I used to hate it when a guest from one club monopolised an episode of Talking Footy or On the Couch. Seeing there are 18 teams that's 17 weeks when the bulk of the show is talking about some other club.

Plus Fox has Roo, Dal and Joey, an unsually high cadre of ex-Saints -- what's not to love?

Granted Roo isn't great with the humorous stuff.

Are people really pining for the days of Mike Sheahan? Blow me down with a feather, the guy hated the Saints and was an ass-clown to boot.

[Wayne42]

Dal is great in the media, surprising for an ex Norf player

[shanegrambeau]

Agree...
Job for the boyz etc.

I think Nick R is a champ and his sentiments are sound, but they know he is wooden...why not let him remain so..and his charm will come through.(very occasionally,perhaps) Like Lloydo..Lloydo could be Lurch from the Addams family he is so wooden.

Jack R, can't stand him....

Also don't like Jordan Lewis tho I am totally jealous he has such an admirer in the lady she sits across when they are with Johhno.

Gary Llyon - well, I did love those Sat arvo shows on MMM with Spud and JB, and I could tell he loved Spud too, but he grates on me. Something affected.

Joey is genuinely likeable and real..

360 is unwatchable..

I think The Couch would be better if they had,

Mike Sheahan, Mark 'Jacko' Jackson, with Mick Molloy moderating,

[Wayne42]

Also don't like Jordan Lewis tho I am totally jealous he has such an admirer in the lady she sits across when they are with Johhno.

Lucky there isn't he, Cath is a good sort.

[Yorkeys]

As the players now "expert" commentators get further away from their playing days they become less relevant and the old sportsmans' night anecdotes that have been trotted out so many times just get tired. Brown, Nick and Lyon just don't seem to have a current network to be able to gather and give serious new comment about current happenings. They are hardly serious thinkers about the game, just auto cue jockeys.

How many of them foresaw and called Geelong failing again in finals, Richmond crumbling before our eyes, the resurgence of Melbourne and Doggies. They just seem to repeat old news and the implication of sportsbet odds. Gerard H is good and a deep thinker about the game, the rest think their names are enough, don't have to do the hard research yards or serious analysis. Despite his finals loss record boys see C. Scott as so good - can't help bad luck. Port are pretenders - surprise! for heavens sake the old On the Couch had solid relevant current comment and was sort of hard hitting.

A sleeper story all year has been the serious decline of the AFL's administration of the game. No doubt Covid driven because it is all consuming, but the rule changes, Chief of Ops bailing half way through season, unevenness of the draw/draft/FAgency and umpiring consistency are all chipping away at the integrity of the game and not being attended to. Gill has his eyes on the door and the MRO/Tribunal processes are appallingly not fit for purpose. Who is minding the store and Fox is not even alluding to those systemic problems - just good bad and ugly segments, whoo hoo.

None of the shows mentioned add any gravitas to the issues that are weighing on the comp. They can note Suns lose a lot (tut - not good), that it would be nice if Tasmania had a team ( never mind the detail) and trot out references ad nauseum to Dusty/Dangerfield/Anything to do with Collingwood to fill space between adverts.

AFL360 has poor ratings and must be a loss leader, although having said that the production standards do seem low budget. Cath Loughnan may be the saving grace if she can get more lead gigs.

[shanegrambeau]

Also don't like Jordan Lewis tho I am totally jealous he has such an admirer in the lady she sits across when they are with Johhno.

Lucky there isn't he, Cath is a good sort.

Seriously. You are not kidding.

Lewis, with his Clark Kent 'respectable' get up makes me furious..(he is obviously attractive to her..says my 14 year old boy mind, damn him) As a balding guy myself, it makes doubly furious. lol

[shanegrambeau]

As the players now "expert" commentators get further away from their playing days they become less relevant and the old sportsmans' night anecdotes that have been trotted out so many times just get tired. Brown, Nick and Lyon just don't seem to have a current network to be able to gather and give serious new comment about current happenings. They are hardly serious thinkers about the game, just auto cue jockeys.

How many of them foresaw and called Geelong failing again in finals, Richmond crumbling before our eyes, the resurgence of Melbourne and Doggies. They just seem to repeat old news and the implication of sportsbet odds. Gerard H is good and a deep thinker about the game, the rest think their names are enough, don't have to do the hard research yards or serious analysis. Despite his finals loss record boys see C. Scott as so good - can't help bad luck. Port are pretenders - surprise! for heavens sake the old On the Couch had solid relevant current comment and was sort of hard hitting.

A sleeper story all year has been the serious decline of the AFL's administration of the game. No doubt Covid driven because it is all consuming, but the rule changes, Chief of Ops bailing half way through season, unevenness of the draw/draft/FAgency and umpiring consistency are all chipping away at the integrity of the game and not being attended to. Gill has his eyes on the door and the MRO/Tribunal processes are appallingly not fit for purpose. Who is minding the store and Fox is not even alluding to those systemic problems - just good bad and ugly segments, whoo hoo.

None of the shows mentioned add any gravitas to the issues that are weighing on the comp. They can note Suns lose a lot (tut - not good), that it would be nice if Tasmania had a team ( never mind the detail) and trot out references ad nauseum to Dusty/Dangerfield/Anything to do with Collingwood to fill space between adverts.

AFL360 has poor ratings and must be a loss leader, although having said that the production standards do seem low budget. Cath Loughnan may be the saving grace if she can get more lead gigs.

Interesting points you make...
But Healy last played in the 1800s and is still sharper than the others.

I was surprised at how reflexive the AFL has become. When Clarko says I want a sub two weeks before the season starts, we get a sub!

But they have done a good job overall given the pandemic...in a way, the fixturing changes may have helped us last year. They couldn't run with their usual rigged deck.

The trillions pumped into Gold Coast...while Tassie is slammed for not paying for itself...good ol' corporate style.

Some of them say some good stuff. I don't watch any Aussie tele but I supect footy goodness might be better on those free-to-air shows, like Footy Classified, Sunday Footy Show..

I don't mind some of the Fox stuff, even Dermie ..Sport bet is a blight

[Wayne42]

Also don't like Jordan Lewis tho I am totally jealous he has such an admirer in the lady she sits across when they are with Johhno.

Lucky there isn't he, Cath is a good sort.

Seriously. You are not kidding.

Lewis, with his Clark Kent 'respectable' get up makes me furious..(he is obviously attractive to her..says my 14 year old boy mind, damn him) As a balding guy myself, it makes doubly furious. lol

I always think she fancies Tom Morris, one thing for sure, someone will be her fancy man.

[wally]

Yes l agree on the couch is unwatchable I have tried but no can’t sit through it even the old days when Paul Roos was on there the content was relevant. I haven’t forgotten Brown’s critism of Max King over the top for a young player.
Then there is the commentators don’t try to explain or point out umpire decisions too busy waffling on about crap

[Impatient Sainter]

Apart from the games, I havent watched anything on Fox Footy for over a decade. 360 was cringe worthy stuff when Richardson was on it and Robinson or Whatley have NFI about game. The Couch was good when Sheahan & Dunstan were there, but become rubbish since. A couple of years ago I changed over from Foxtel to Kayo which is much cheaper and better value.

[saynta]

As the players now "expert" commentators get further away from their playing days they become less relevant and the old sportsmans' night anecdotes that have been trotted out so many times just get tired. Brown, Nick and Lyon just don't seem to have a current network to be able to gather and give serious new comment about current happenings. They are hardly serious thinkers about the game, just auto cue jockeys.

How many of them foresaw and called Geelong failing again in finals, Richmond crumbling before our eyes, the resurgence of Melbourne and Doggies. They just seem to repeat old news and the implication of sportsbet odds. Gerard H is good and a deep thinker about the game, the rest think their names are enough, don't have to do the hard research yards or serious analysis. Despite his finals loss record boys see C. Scott as so good - can't help bad luck. Port are pretenders - surprise! for heavens sake the old On the Couch had solid relevant current comment and was sort of hard hitting.

A sleeper story all year has been the serious decline of the AFL's administration of the game. No doubt Covid driven because it is all consuming, but the rule changes, Chief of Ops bailing half way through season, unevenness of the draw/draft/FAgency and umpiring consistency are all chipping away at the integrity of the game and not being attended to. Gill has his eyes on the door and the MRO/Tribunal processes are appallingly not fit for purpose. Who is minding the store and Fox is not even alluding to those systemic problems - just good bad and ugly segments, whoo hoo.

None of the shows mentioned add any gravitas to the issues that are weighing on the comp. They can note Suns lose a lot (tut - not good), that it would be nice if Tasmania had a team ( never mind the detail) and trot out references ad nauseum to Dusty/Dangerfield/Anything to do with Collingwood to fill space between adverts.

AFL360 has poor ratings and must be a loss leader, although having said that the production standards do seem low budget. Cath Loughnan may be the saving grace if she can get more lead gigs.

Interesting points you make...
But Healy last played in the 1800s and is still sharper than the others.

I was surprised at how reflexive the AFL has become. When Clarko says I want a sub two weeks before the season starts, we get a sub!

But they have done a good job overall given the pandemic...in a way, the fixturing changes may have helped us last year. They couldn't run with their usual rigged deck.

The trillions pumped into Gold Coast...while Tassie is slammed for not paying for itself...good ol' corporate style.

Some of them say some good stuff. I don't watch any Aussie tele but I supect footy goodness might be better on those free-to-air shows, like Footy Classified, Sunday Footy Show..

I don't mind some of the Fox stuff, even Dermie ..Sport bet is a blight

Footy classified? You must be f****** joking. Sunday footy show? Are they all still half pissed from the night before?

Dermie I don't mind. The bounce lost its "bounce" when spud died. And yes, Sport bet is a blight on the game.