Friday Night Football (Australia)
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In Australia, Friday Night Football is the broadcasting of both the Australian Football League (AFL) and National Rugby League (NRL) Friday night matches on television. Friday Night Football is generally considered to be the biggest stage and generate the most publicity for the clubs involved in both codes. It is for this reason that clubs involved generally want to perform at their very best to avoid large-scale criticism from the media. The Seven Network has regained broadcast rights for the AFL starting with the 2007 season, while the Nine Network will continue their association with the NRL.
Both codes are shown in all states and territories, with the dominant code being shown in primetime at 8:30pm, and the other code shown afterwards in a late time slot. The only exception is in the Northern Territory where the NRL is shown at 7:00, with the AFL being shown at 8:45, both generally accepted as being in primetime.
The dominant codes are Australian rules football in Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania; and rugby league in New South Wales, Queensland and Australian Capital Territory. Hence the Australian rules football states get AFL and the rugby league states get NRL.
As part of the new AFL television rights, Seven was expected to show AFL at an earlier timeslot in New South Wales and Queensland in an attempt to boost popularity in those states. Foxtel will take this responsibility off Seven, showing the Friday night match live into NSW and QLD on its Main Event channel, with Seven to show it delayed at different times into different regions within those states.
As part of the new NRL contract, as of 2007 the Nine Network now broadcasts two NRL games in New South Wales, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory on Friday Night - one live at 7.30, and the second match replayed at 9.30. The same games are also replayed into other areas of Australia, usually starting after midnight.
Between 2002 and 2006 inclusive, the Nine Network held the rights to both codes, which necessitated the broadcasting of one after the other. Friday Night Football is regularly one of the highest rating programs in Australia.
Contents |
[edit] Australian Football League
| Friday Night Football (AFL) | |
|---|---|
| Format | Sports broadcast |
| Starring | Bruce McAvaney (anchor) Dennis Cometti (commentator) Nathan Buckley (special comments) Tim Watson (special comments) David Schwarz (special comments) Rick Olarenshaw (sideline) |
| Country of origin |  Australia |
| Production | |
| Running time | 180 minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | Seven Network Fox Sports Plus (NSW, QLD, ACT) |
| Picture format | 576i (SDTV) |
| Original run | 2007 – present |
| External links | |
| Official website | |
The first Australian rules matches on Friday nights were introduced in 1985 when the North Melbourne Football Club pioneered the world first initiative. At this time, these games were irregularly scheduled and only involved North. By 1987 they had began to be played on a more regular basis, and to involve other clubs. The Seven Network, who broadcast football for around 40 years before losing the rights after the 2001 season, took a punt on showing the football on Friday Nights and it paid off.
Friday Night AFL is generally played in Melbourne, at either the Melbourne Cricket Ground or Telstra Dome. On a few occasions each season however, it may be played at either AAMI Stadium in Adelaide or Subiaco Oval in Perth with one of the two Adelaide or Perth based sides hosting the match. In 2005, a Western Derby between West Coast and Fremantle was played on Friday Night for the first time. Generally speaking, it is never played in Sydney or Brisbane to avoid clashes with the more popular NRL, however in 2008 the Brisbane Lions hosted a home game at the Gabba, leaving the Sydney Swans without a Friday night match since 2003. If a Friday night match featuring either Adelaide or Port Adelaide is played in Melbourne, it is shown live into Seven Adelaide from 7:00pm. Home and Away, which usually airs at this timeslot, is aired at an often later time in the day, or a double episode is aired. If a Friday night match featuring West Coast or Fremantle is played, either in Perth or Melbourne, it is delayed by one hour (thus airing at 7:30pm on Seven Perth).
Seven's commentary team includes commentary from Bruce McAvaney and Dennis Cometti, with special comments from Nathan Buckley, Tim Watson and David Schwarz. Buckley features each Friday night, while one of the other two joins him. The one who misses out provides special comments for the Sunday afternoon game. Rick Olarenshaw is the boundary/medical reporter.
[edit] Memorable events
- Essendon escaped with a one-point win against West Coast after they had trailed for as much as five goals at halftime. The Dons kept the Eagles to just one goal in the final quarter.
- In round 3, 2007, Collingwood's Leon Davis kicked an impossible goal from the boundary line.
- In round 18, 2006, St. Kilda backman Matt Maguire broke his leg after Tyson Stenglein slid into his path.
- In round 10, 2005, Richmond forward Nathan G. Brown horrifically broke his leg as Melbourne's Matthew Whelan tried to smother his kick [1].
- During the final stages of the Fremantle vs. St. Kilda match in 2005, Fremantle's Justin Longmuir booted a goal after the siren after St. Kilda's Justin Peckett was tackled inside the Saints' defensive 50.
- Bali Bombing survivor Jason McCartney made his comeback game for the Kangaroos in round 11, 2003 against Richmond in front of a packed house at Telstra Dome. He had a hand in his side's winning goal and subsequently announced a teary retirement after the match.
- Adelaide's Mark Ricciuto played his 300th AFL match against the Kangaroos. The Crows won by a staggering 72 points, Ricciuto kicking five goals.
- Essendon's Matthew Lloyd played his 200th AFL match against St. Kilda. Lloyd booted four goals in the Bombers' 15 point win.
- West Coast's Ashley Hansen made his AFL debut in round 11, 2004, against Collingwood. He kicked a goal but suffered an injury after halftime.
[edit] National Rugby League
| Friday Night Football (NRL) | |
|---|---|
| Format | Sports broadcast |
| Starring | Peter Sterling (anchor) Ray Warren (commentator) Andrew Voss (second game commentator) Tim Gilbert (sideline) Phil Gould (anchor) Matthew Johns (sideline) Ben Ikin (second game anchor) Kevin Walters (guest) Andrew Johns (guest) Wendell Sailor (guest) Mario Fenech (guest) Mark Gasnier (guest) |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Production | |
| Running time | 240 minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | Nine Network |
| Picture format | 576i (SDTV) |
| Original run | 2007 – present |
| External links | |
| Official website | |
Regular non-weekend football started life as Monday Night Football in 1985, with Canterbury meeting Manly on the 24th June. However moderate attendances and a night game prior to a working day eventually saw the game shifted to Friday from 1988 on. With the 2007 season, Monday Night Football returned to the NRL.
The Friday night game is considered to be the most watched game of the week and many NRL clubs have openly stated that they appreciate the publicity given by these matches. The Nine Network choose the game they consider to be the "match of the round" 5 or 6 weeks in advance. This system has both positive and negative consequences, as it increases the likelihood of a good game played between two in-form sides, but does not allow fans or clubs a large amount of time to know on which day they will play in any given round. Since 2007, two games have been played on Friday night.
[edit] Memorable Events
- In Round 17, 2007, the Brisbane Broncos were down 18-12 with three minutes to go until Corey Parker converted a Dave Taylor try to send the game into extra time. After the first set of six tackles in the first minute of golden point, Broncos captain Darren Lockyer kicked a 40-metre field goal to seal a 19-18 win for the Broncos. It was the Titans' first ever golden point match.
- In round 8, 2007, a match between the Brisbane Broncos and the South Sydney Rabbitohs finished in dramatic circumstances, Souths having to run 100 metres to score in the final minute of play. They kicked towards the eastern grandstand, and John Sutton won the race to the ball. But, as he was about to ground the ball, he knocked on, Brisbane fullback Karmichael Hunt the culprit. Broncos won 8-4. [2]
- In 2007 there were two golden point matches played at the same time in round three. First, the Parramatta Eels defeated the Wests Tigers after Eels' Luke Burt potted a penalty goal in the 87th minute of play. Over in Brisbane, the Penrith Panthers forced the Brisbane Broncos into golden point after being down 28-20 with five minutes to go. Also in the 87th minute, Panthers five-eighth Peter Wallace booted a field goal to give the Panthers a 29-28 win.
- In round one, 2007, the Melbourne Storm and the Brisbane Broncos, grand finalists from 2006, played 2005 grand finalists the Wests Tigers and the North Queensland Cowboys respectively to open the season. The runners-up won their matches.
- In the final round of 2006, Cowboys' Travis Norton, Matt Sing and Josh Hannay all played their last games at home before moving on.
- At the final stages of the Newcastle Knights vs. Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles match in rd 23, 2006, an Andrew Johns pass went astray, landing on the sidelines. Knights players protested to the referees than a Manly player knocked on in an attempt to intercept the pass. Johns then said to a touch judge: "F*** you, c***". He was then suspended for two matches.
- Three Melbourne Storm home matches were played in 2006, two of which were delayed in Melbourne, starting at 5:30am the following Saturday. Melbourne Storm fans would've woken up watching their local team in action!
- With one minute to go and four points down against the Brisbane Broncos, Dragons halfback Mathew Head kicked to Brett Morris' wing, creating a last-gasp try. Aaron Gorrell kicked the conversion and broke the hearts of Broncos supporters.
- In the final moments of the Manly vs. Wests Tigers match at Brookvale Oval, Sea Eagles halfback Matt Orford kicked down field and Brett Stewart caught his kick. He then scored a freakish try to win the game for the silvertails.
- The round 13, 2006 match between the St George Illawarra Dragons and Parramatta Eels will be remembered as the one that saw only nine points scored. After 70 mintues, there was no score until Parramatta's John Morris kicked the first field goal of the match, and therefore, the first points of the match. Then, Dragons captain Ben Hornby kicked two field goals to settle a score that was similar to that of a soccer match. The following events occurred:
-
- With time almost up, the Eels were about to feed a scrum, until....
- Parramatta's Jeremy Smith threw the ball away, landing into the hands of Matt Cooper, who would score the only try of the match.
- Players begin to leave the field, despite the match not being over yet. The conversion had to be taken by Aaron Gorrell.
- St George Illawarra won 8-1, one of the weirdest scores ever.
- In the final round of 2005, the Eels reversed their round five humiliation by the Brisbane Broncos and won the minor premiership in front of a packed Parramatta Stadium.
- In 2005, Golden Boot winner Anthony Minichiello scored a 70m try against the Broncos which contributed to the Sydney Roosters winning their first match at Suncorp Stadium in 14 years.
- The Bulldogs suffered consecutive 52-point thrashings, first 56-4 by the Eels in round 23 and then 54-2 at the hands of the Wests Tigers in rd 24.
- In rd 18, 2005, the Eels and Dragons fought out a controversial match at Parramatta Stadium, in a match which saw Trent Barrett get to grips with PJ Marsh [3]. The Eels won 40-14 and the Dragons would not lose another match until late September.
- A rare Friday night match was played at Leichhardt Oval between the Tigers and the Sea Eagles. The hosts won 49-24.
- During a 2005 match between the Roosters and the Eels, Roosters centre Ryan Cross was alleged to have eye-gouged Parramatta's Glenn Morrison in the face. He received a six-week ban for his actions.
- In 2004 and 2005, when the Roosters and the Bulldogs clashed at Telstra Stadium, a Rooster would be sent off. In 2004, then Roosters three-quarter Justin Hodges was sent off for coathanging Steve Price, and in 2005 Adrian Morley would get marched for his high tackle on Matt Utai.
- In 2004, Newcastle Knights forward Clint Newton was sent off for elbowing St George Illawarra forward Ashton Sims [4].
- The Penrith Panthers have lost their last Friday the 13th matches:
-
- round 5, 2007, v Parramatta, 14-27.
- round 10, 2005, v Dragons, 12-34.
- round 23, 2004, v Roosters, 12-44.
- A rare match was played in Melbourne in 2004, and a full house at Olympic Park Stadium witnessed the Melbourne Storm thrash the Penrith Panthers 66-14.
- A then-record crowd of 18,669 at Campbelltown Stadium witnessed the Wests Tigers crash to a 56-0 thrashing at the hands of the Sydney Roosters.
- Fielding an injury-hit side, the St George Illawrra Dragons got out of jail against the Brisbane Broncos in rd 26, 2003, when hooker Mark Riddell kicked a penalty goal 41 metres out from the goalline. The Dragons won 26-25. Among those missing for the Dragons included: Trent Barrett, Mark Gasnier, Matt Cooper, Jason Ryles, Brett Firman and Lance Thompson.
[edit] Criticism
A large criticism within the AFL telecast has been the predominance of larger clubs featuring on Friday Night Football. Despite underperforming, Collingwood have previously frequently participated on Friday Night, when better-performing clubs would make the match much more worthwhile to watch. The AFL have addressed this by awarding Friday Night matches to clubs who have performed well in the previous season. Due to the clash in local markets with the NRL, the Brisbane Lions and Sydney Swans generally don't play Friday night matches. In 2008 however, the Brisbane Lions hosted Collingwood at the Gabba in a Friday night match, going head-to-head with the Brisbane Broncos hosting the North Queensland Cowboys in a Queensland derby at Suncorp Stadium. It was hoped that these two clubs could participate more on Friday nights with the new broadcast deal, however this is yet to be rectified.
Similarly in the NRL, the Melbourne Storm rarely played Friday Night matches until 2006, when after leading the competition, they were allocated 3 Friday Night Matches in the space of 5 weeks. Consistently high performances has seen them feature more regularly since, despite the game not bing shown on local television until approximately midnight, and an AFL game frequently being played in Melbourne also.
Another major criticism surrounding AFL was the commentating of Eddie McGuire in Collingwood matches. As Collingwood president, he was often considered to be biased in his calling, and although he frequently denied that he was, he could often be clearly heard to be barracking for the Magpies when they were playing well, or groaning when they weren't, to an extent further than he would any other club. After Eddie was appointed CEO of the Nine Network prior to the 2006 season, he was replaced by Dwayne Russell in commentary.
