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Nick Riewoldt to join Seven’s AFL coverage

Nick Riewoldt (Supplied)

St Kilda legend to return home for 2025 AFL season

The Seven Network today announced expert commentator and St Kilda FC great, Nick Riewoldt, will join Seven’s AFL coverage in 2025.

The 336 gamer and six-time Trevor Barker Award winner is set to return home to Australian shores and will be part of the 7AFL team for season 2025 and beyond, featuring across Seven’s weekly AFL match broadcasts and soon-to-be-announced mid-week programming.

A leading voice in AFL since his retirement in 2017, Riewoldt is one of the industry’s most respected football voices and arrives at Seven with an exceptional knowledge and passion for the game. Footy fans can look forward to seeing Riewoldt on Seven and 7plus Sport multiple times a week.

Ahead of his arrival at Seven, Riewoldt said: “After living in Cath’s hometown of Houston for two years, working full-time in stadium and event technology with PMY, we are all really looking forward to coming back to Melbourne and joining the Seven family.

“I’m excited about joining 7AFL and being part of the new vision for the network’s football coverage and programming in 2025 and beyond.

“Seven has assembled a great team and I cannot wait to get started and working alongside the team in bringing the game directly to footy fans all over Australia,” he said.

Seven Network Director of Sport, Chris Jones, said: “We are beyond excited to welcome Nick to the Seven family in 2025.

"Nick is one of the game’s greatest modern-day players and an elite football analyst. He’ll be a perfect addition to our already star-studded team of 7AFL experts, callers, and hosts.

"As we expand our AFL programming, more opportunities open up for industry talent to join football’s #1 commentary team, and we can’t wait to see how Nick’s expertise will elevate and complement our already outstanding coverage in 2025,” he said.

Seven’s Head of AFL and Sport Innovation, Gary O’Keeffe said: “Not only is Nick one of the industry’s most respected voices, he is also a natural leader and a brilliant football mind who brings an unbridled passion to his commentary.

“His ability to simplify complex plays for the viewer, paired with his deep understanding of the modern game will make him an invaluable addition to our already talent-stacked team.

“While our focus is set firmly on this Saturday’s 2024 AFL Grand Final on Seven and 7plus Sport, we are deep in planning to deliver more footy content than ever before in 2025, and we look forward to welcoming our new signings in the new year.”

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8 Likes
9770

With 2 experts added, 7 will definitely lose 2 of their current experts and definitely more.

2 Likes
9771

I guess Jude Bolton will jump ship to Fox Footy. Fox Footy will have live commentary for every Swans and Giants home match from next year so it will be very tempting.

7 Likes
9772

They are showing the same amount of games they already show each year (3.5 per round).

They’ve added some extra Thursday night games so Fox can have a few Saturdays to themselves (apart from some states who get Fox games on Seven for local teams).

6 Likes
9773

Nick Riewoldt is a great addition but I wonder where everyone fits given most rounds Seven will only broadcast 3 games.

If I had to take an early guess:

Thursdays (first 15 rds)/Saturdays (last 8 rds)
Hamish, Jason Bennett, Daisy, Kane and Erin/Abbey

Fridays
BT, JB, Hodgey, Richo and Abbey + Hamish as host

Sundays
BT, Alister, Nick Riewoldt and others

That leaves Joel Selwood, Jobe Watson and Nathan Jones up in the air, not to mention the requirement of needing to have an Indigenous person in the line-up. Maybe Chris Johnson and Shaun Burgoyne can alternate on Sundays.

1 Like
9774

There will still be some rounds where they show up to 4 matches, including marquee matches, and possibly some Saturdays after Round 8.

1 Like
9775

Correct

I don’t believe so; 7 is the lead broadcaster if the match is to be shown free-to-air in Victoria, so except for the previously mentioned marquee games, they won’t host a Saturday match until after Round 15 or thereabouts.

1 Like
9776

Not a big Eddie McGuire fan but I love these comments from him… “End of the season, you get rid of the list-cloggers, and you move the new superstars in,” Referring to ‘Footy Classified’ he said “We commissioned it when I was up in Sydney, actually. And it’s been fantastic. And it’s great that Channel Copycat is just taking something we’ve done for 18 years and putting it on air". “So that’s OK. While they’re doing that, we’ll come up with something fresh, new and exciting for next year".

Great name for 7 “Channel Copycat”. :laughing: They don’t come up with much that is new.

His cousin on Fox Footy is much better!

2 Likes
9777

You’re joking yes? Jack isn’t bad but he’s not as good as Nick.

5 Likes
9778

Ok, you’ve caught me out. :laughing: To me anyone on Kayo’s coverage is better than Seven’s woeful coverage. I get very annoyed that I have to watch the Grand Final with their stupid ads after every goal after watching ad free on Kayo all season. Their picture quality is also inferior. Maybe improve their quality before signing all the “new talent”. And with some new signings the word “talent” is a stretch.

1 Like
9779

Their stupid ads keep it on FTA.

9 Likes
9780

As as such, free for everyone.

2 Likes
9781

Kayo don’t do footy coverage, unless you’re talking about the pre-season scratch matches they cover? They carry Fox Footy coverage in a simulcast.

9782

It’s still the same company.

1 Like
9783

It’s not free, you pay for the ads when buying the products. I prefer to give my money to my footy club and get my Kayo thrown in with the subscription. IMO FTA tv is a fallacy!

2 Likes
9784

Not really. You pay for the product when buying the product.

Their marketing budget might influence your purchase, but that would be a very, very small magin on the price of your particular purchase.

At the end of the day your local footy club membership isn’t going to insure your car with AAMI is it.

1 Like
9785

No but I don’t drive. :slightly_smiling_face: However if I did my clubs membership gives me a discount with Zurich
and a discount with Hertz.

9786

Caroline Wilson teased on 5AA radio today that we could see more of Bruce McAvaney on Seven’s footy coverage next year.

Brian Taylor was also a guest on that program today, and he said that there will be an ‘emotional announcement’ at the end of the Grand Final.

11 Likes
9787

My guess is this will either be Tim Watson’s “official” departure announcement, or a farewell to Luke Darcy.

7 Likes
9789

Seems strange to take the spotlight after a Grand Final with an announcement such as Tim’s who has next to no involvement in live footy broadcasts these days. I’m struggling to put my finger on what this announcement might be.

5 Likes