7afl has a new YouTube channel. It started with the Finals series.
It has uploaded full episodes of Agenda Setters, Talking W, Unfiltered, AFL GF mini, post match coaches interviews etc
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BT in his Life of Brian podcast went on a bit of a rant that Fox were allowed to call the Grand Final from the studio and then broadcast their version from 6.
Relevant part starts around 8.42 min
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The only person I know who prefers BTâs call of the game to the Fox crew is BT.
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His ego is probably hurt that many highlights and clips etc uses the Fox feed (coz itâs better) and that people wonât hear his voice 
honestly itâs time for 7 to have a new A team. They already removed BT & JB from calling together on Friday Nights because Fox duo of Huddo & Whateley is 10 times better.
Of the available 7AFL commentators, I can only think of Nicholson as being great to be a caller. Maybe with Hamish (whoâs play by play isnât bad) or Heverin whoâs versatile with many sports
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As much as BT is a problem, and he undoubtedly is, the focused complaining about him lets off Brayshaw way too easily. His decline over the last 25 years is sizeable, and imo him regularly yelling 'What is happening!?" or some derivative of that, is far more egregious than BT (again, still very bad). Like dude, youâre a commentator - your literal job is to tell us whatâs happening.
Personally, I donât think Seven nor Fox have their best callers calling the GF.
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Those with long memories might recall BT used to pretty much be at the bottom of the food chain when he defected from Foxtel to Seven for 2012âs new then-revolutionary broadcast deal.
Hosting and solo calling Saturday nights, alongside Ten expert pick-up Luke Darcy (whoâd end up becoming a co-caller a few years later) and Cameron Ling & Matthew Richardson, later adding Sam Lane and Mick Molloy for pre and post shows.
At that time, perhaps only the now infamous âSaturday arvo teamâ with Brett Kirk & Co were lower (Hamish McLachlan, Basil Zempilas and Mick Malthouse). Seven kept their âA-listersâ from the later years of the previous 2007 deal to their incumbent Friday nights and Sunday afternoons (Bruce McAvaney, Dennis Cometti, Tim Watson, Leigh Matthews, Matthew Richardson & Tom Harley and later added Wayne Carey).
It was only after Harley departed, Cometti retired and the new 2017 deal where they also lost Saturday afternoon host rights/producing (Melbourne), that things started changing significantly. Accelerated by Zemplias severley reducing his role about a year later due to briefly replacing AOK on WS for the network and newcomed James Brayshaw being added (and would later gain cricket rights), COVID, further deal alterations and talent changes and McAvaney stepping down due to his health issues and workload after 2020.
Perhaps it is time for another overhaul, would make sense given the new deal, albeit a couple of years into it. Theyâve turned over the experts, boundary riders and magazine shows, but agree the hosts and callers look stale in comparison now.
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Agree on just about all fronts here - JB and BTâs best days definitely appear behind them (they were always more âTriple Mâ type callers than TV callers for mine anyway), and Seven could desperately use another marquee caller (or two), but unlike special comments guys who are a dime a dozen, play-by-play callers (especially exceptional ones) are harder to find.
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I assume Fox couldnât get both Huddo & Whateley to call the GF with the radio commitments etc.
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7 should of kept Bennett & added Heverin instead of replacing Bennett with Heverin.
I think Nicholson, Bennett & Heverin would have been a good trio in line to replace BT & JB if they ever pulled the trigger.
7 does have MMM people they can bring into their 7afl team. But I donât think it will be a full time role, probably fill in like Tim Solly with AFLW 2 weeks ago
This isnât a popular opinion, but for mine, Hudson peaked at Channel 10 and Iâd have Whately and Hill ahead of him currently at Fox. Papalia, Middlemas and Webster all really decent as well imo.
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I cannot fathom why Seven let Bennett go either, I reckon he was one of the best play-by-play callers they had.
Agreed on Huddo @bands06 , a great caller at his best but just feels like heâs drunk his own bathwater a bit in recent years - really tries too hard with the puns and wisecracks too much these days for mine. Canât get behind Hill though, still sounds like he is calling a horserace too much. Middlemas is a good caller though and could in time be a good candidate for an A-team gig on TV (heâs also an excellent cricket commentator so could be a great asset to Seven if they were interested).
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Yep, Iâm not a big BT fan, but I thought he had a better call than Brayshaw on Saturday.
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Huddo was always the best. I think he still is the best but I agree that heâs trying to do too much with his calls.
7 could get Andy Maher to call AFL, he called the GF for SEN the last 2 years. I donât think heâs the level to call a GF on tv but he could be an option during the season to add some new voices
Personally I donât think there will be any changes to 7âs line up in 2027. Nicholson, Hamish, BT & Brayshaw will be the main callers, Heverin will probably call some Sunday games. And thatâs about it.
His last 5mins was good but season overall wasnât great. Brayshawâs prelim & GF was terrible - no enthusiasm at all.
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Heâs been phoning most of his commitments in all year I reckon, both TV and radio.
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Doesnt help heâs done most of his radio commitments remotely too
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Officially becomes the highest rating AFL or NRL game of all-time:
Now we wait for tonight.
For some reason the goal animation today has the Grand Final affect for the AFLW
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In Australia.
NRL people (on Twitter) adds in the NZ figure (180k I think) and claim 2025 NRL as the highest with 4.7mill
Thatâs not an apples to apples comparison though.
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