Tracy Austin is one name that comes to my mind. I recall her and Sandy Roberts calling a few matches in the noughties.
That was quite iconic, lasting between 2005-11, though in that final year (2011) they started to show the players’ surnames rather than just the first three letters (e.g. DJO, FED, NAD etc.)
Some Seven footage I was able to find from the 2011 Australian Open. Courtesy: Scarlett Li
Then in 2012, the on-screen graphics got a major overhaul, one which I quite liked, ahead of Seven expanding its AFL output prior to the upcoming season which saw the GWS Giants enter the league. The AFL graphics were also overhauled to also include the full names of the teams instead of showing them as abbreviated (e.g. ESS, COLL, RICH etc).
NOTE: match from 2014 showcasing Seven graphics. Courtesy: TennisNationFR
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I really wasn’t a fan of the graphic only showing how many sets each player had won, rather than the current setup where you can see the score of each set. I understand the reasons why they made that decision, but it was still annoying.
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2006-2010 was mostly the same, same score bug, hosts (Johanna Griggs, Bruce McAvaney, Matthew White), callers (Jim Courier & John Alexander and Tracy Austin & Sandy Roberts), reporters (Kylie Gillies, Neil Kearney, Chris Dittmar, Pete Colquhoun, Michael Felgate) and other commentators (John Barrett, Craig Willis, Kerryn Pratt, Roger Rasheed, Todd Woodbridge, Geoff Masters, John Fitzgerald & Allan Stone).
2005 had the score in the top-left and slightly different, this same bug re-appeared in 2011 but in the bottom left where the score moved to in 2006.
2005 had Bruce, JA and Jim all call together, while Willis did some on court interviews and not just RLA MC’ing. While in 2011 Lleyton Hewitt & Rennae Stubbs joined and Bruce left the studio and returned to the commentary bunker following JA’s move into federal politics. Griggs moved to the prime time hosting position in 2009 after ‘Matt’ White became anchor of Today Tonight.
2012 saw the first major change-ups.
And 2004 and prior saw a completely different early 2000s Seven-esque package, looked dated and different hosting and commentary set-ups, as well as talent such as John McEnroe and Elizabeth Smylie.
IIRC, Hamish McLachlan and Basil Zempilas became match callers either in this year or the next, possibly in preparation for their roles as AFL commentators as part of Seven’s expanded output on the sport.
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I first recall Hamish being a host, during the afternoon session, from around 2011 I think. Eventually White and Griggs departed their roles, the former leaving TT and focusing on a new news role with Mel Doyle and then was poached back by Ten and the latter missed several years due to House Rules filming commitments. As well as Hamish, Mark Beretta also stepped up into a host role. Later Jim Wilson, Todd Woodbridge and Mel McLaughlin also became hosts, once Hamish moved into prime time.
I forgot John Newcombe also joined Seven in 2011, after Nine lost their 40 year Wimbledon rights, which went to Seven.
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Im not a fan of the 4:3 safe setup
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My only memory of that match is i was so disgusted with the Knights performance i left the ground with 10 minutes to go. Basically wanted to beat the rush to get to the bus stop to go home.
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Yep I remember 2005 was a tough season for the Knights with injuries ruining their cause.
Only once Andrew Johns was back and fit did they really get on a roll (you may remember the match against the Panthers when they came from 14-0 down at HT to win 28-24), but it proved to be too little, too late, as perennial strugglers the Rabbitohs also went on a roll as well.
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Can’t see it elsewhere in this thread so I’ll ask: when was the last live FTA broadcast of a non-Ashes/WTC overseas test match, before the current Aus v SL series? By my reckoning it was way back in 1997 (Australia v South Africa, also on Channel 7). For the 1998 tours of India and Pakistan, there were 1 hour highlights on Channel 9 but no live coverage. These aired mid morning as I remember taping them whilst I was at school…and getting a bit of Here’s Humphrey!
Overseas tests (excluding The Ashes & WTC) have been exclusive to Fox Sports ever since 1998; this is really a significant turn up. I was actually shocked when I found out.
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Believe this is correct
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Yeah i think your are right about Tests. But i remember that the 2000 One Day Series in South Africa was on FTA. Channel 9 showed those. Remeber at the start of the broadcast of the game there was big discussion about the Hansie Cronje revelations
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Don’t remember that, probably because it was on in the middle of the night. There was also that Aus v SA series in winter 2000 to christen Docklands stadium, with three ODIs played under the roof.
That’s in Aus - we’re talking about overseas series.
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Yes- just thought I’d bring it up in passing, apropos of generally obscure ODI series from 25 years ago!
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Found some rare footage of Anthony Hudson (?) calling some tennis (specifically, the 2001 Australian Open mixed doubles final) on Seven.
Courtesy: Jenny Walls Robb
Yeah that was on August. But there was an ODI series in South Africa in April that year. And yes 2of the games were on late at night cause they were day/nighters
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One for the On This Day Files
44 Years Ago Today
The Underarm Incident
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