Big news. I wonder who will take Bruce’s spot?
Most likely I reckon James Brayshaw will be promoted to Friday night’s alongside BT.
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Seven will need to find new commentators to add to their team
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A pretty gracious decision by Bruce rather than turn a final season into a victory lap.
Also allows him to focus on one last Olympics and dedicate his full energy to that.
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I’m sure Seven will find a way to send-off McAvaney and celebrate his AFL commentary career at the start of the season.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing of course but Warburton’s decision to kill the deal Tim Worner negotiated with Whateley to join Seven seems like a big mistake now. Whateley would have been the perfect person to step into McAvaney’s role
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So apparently he is still part of the 7AFL team… how though?
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I reckon Hamish McLachlan will commentate Friday night matches alongside BT, with Abbey Gelmi (who recently moved to Melbourne) appointed as host.
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wouldn’t surprise to see him voice-over features and the like, especially grand final day etc.
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He might be focusing on the Olympics for this year only, then next season he could call the afl again. Or he might be doing a interviewer role for seven rather then commentating.
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In the 7News article VictorianSun linked to, Seven confirms that’s exactly what’s going to happen.
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I wonder who will call Saturday nights with Luke Darcy then?
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There has been a lot of speculation about his health for a few years now. It was only a matter of time.
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Gerard Whateley was supposed to be the heir apparant to Bruce McAvaney before negotiations fell through. Tim Lane could call Saturday Night Footy in 2021.
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Would’ve thought Bennett would be in line to increase his workload.
Kudos to Bruce for going out this way. Respect the no victory lap decision.
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Hopefully not… he makes me cringe
I actually find him one of the least offensive commentators at 7 but to each their own.
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It’s a shame 7 can’t even get the quote from the Cathy Freeman race correct. It was Macaveny’s co-commentator Raylene Boyle who chimed in perfectly with “What a relief!”
As for his replacement, surely Jason Bennett if he wants it.
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Yet the man himself insists that’s not the reason. Only speculation I’ve seen regarding his health is in this forum with many keen to eulogise a living man.
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Not at all. I’m a massive fan.
But it’s common for media companies to try to cover/protect talent in these scenarios where even if its more a condition.
Wasn’t he only doing Friday nights anyway?
In which case James Brayshaw will probably step up and do Fridays in addition to Saturday night.
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What about the Lord Mayor of Perth
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