Can you tell me about Brendan Edwards' role? Because he's a name that is from the past, but was such a big part of Hawthorne.

Well, Brendan Edwards was one of the first two or three.

In the fifties, they started to compete for recruits.

You know, gun recruits had a choice of clubs.

And in some cases started to choose Hawthorne.

He chose Hawthorne ahead of North Melbourne in the mid fifties from Bendigo.

He gets in for a couple of reasons.

How did you sort of differentiate between that? And I think probably further to that, the role that Clarko has in the history of Hawthorne.

take it in, Ash? What sort of watcher are you of the Hawks?

Oh, pretty active.

I mean, wearing two hats as the supporter and thinking about all the ramifications for the grand final record as well.

It gets finished sort of in the hours afterwards and, you know, this story and that story and match previews and all that sort of thing.

So I was sort of juggling two hats and had to make a very quick escape afterwards.

Didn't stay for the bottle throwing.

I was already on my way out of the ground when that all happened, but it was a very anxious day for us.

Yeah, I was surprised there

How did you take it, Ash? Like, what sort of a, what sort of watcher are you of the Hawks?

Oh, a pr- a pretty ac- It was...

I mean, it's wearing two hats as the supporter and thinking about all the re- ramifications for the grand final record as well.

It gets finished sort of in the hours afterwards, and, you know, this story and that story and match previews and all that sort of thing.

So I was sort of juggling two hats and had to make a very quick escape afterwards.

S- Didn't, didn't stay for the bottle-throwing.

I was a- already on, on my way out of the ground when that all happened.

I just-

What is your favorite story in the record?

That's a beauty.

Dylan Leach has put that story together magnificently.

The Fitzro- So it won't be her first footy appearance at the MCG on Saturday.

I hope there's a journo who'll be at the press conference when she does one before the game who asks her the question about her memories of, of singing for Fitzroy's future back in 1986.

I liked the, uh...

I mean, we're both fortunate we have Shannon Gill out at, at our disposal, Jarred.

So it's, uh, uh, it's a, a great service that you provide to our footy community.

I'll

tell you off there.

It feels like the AFL have more dynasties than any other league.

What's a dynasty? I think a dynasty is three and five years.

Since 2000, we've had Brisbane, Geelong, Hawthorne, Richmond, Brisbane again.

Is there other sports that have had that many? To

What about

you, Sammy? Kendrick Lamar.

Ash, what about you?

Well, I've had...

Very lucky the 98 President's Cup to have inside the ropes access.

So if you're into golf, to be able to walk the fairways, you know, three metres from the best players in the world as they're playing their shots was pretty cool.

I've done some overseas Grand Slams and majors in golf.

But this was in your own – for an event in my own city, it was – to be able to get out of bed and go to an NFL game in your own city and be that good a day, I think, was what made it so special.

And the people agreed.

What did you make of it all?

Ash, what about you?

Well, I've had very lucky the 98 President's Cup to have inside the ropes access.

So if you're into golf, to be able to walk the fairways, you know, three metres from the best players in the world as they're playing their shots was pretty cool.

I've done some overseas Grand Slams and majors in golf.

But this was in your own – for an event in my own city, it was – to be able to get out of bed and go to an NFL game in your own city and be that good a day, I think, was what made it so special.

And the people agreed.

I mean, I was just looking at some of the figures here that – It broke all sorts of records, obviously, in the United States.

What did you make of it all?

I should've known.

Sure.

[laughs] I've gone all over this.

The Netflix, uh, who've...

The international rights holder, they've got their own, the com- the, their commentators will be the global feed and their own people, uh, doing the sidelines and they've got to bring their own people out to be the hosts as well.

So they'll have their broadcast.

They...

What did you make of this?

I should have

known.

The Netflix, the international rights holder, they've got their own, their commentators will be the global feed and their own people doing the sidelines and they bring their own people out to be the hosts as well.

So they'll have their broadcast.

I think if you go outside the ground, there'll be various media stages set up.

They'll be one of them.

Then there is, um, if you, if you subscribe to game pass.

What did you make of this?

What do you make of how this story played out?

Well, if Jay Clark wasn't the odds-on favourite for the Alf Brown Award at next week's AFMA Awards, he's got it now.

Although he gets a bit of a head start with Pendles because he's ghosted him and he's got the great relationship with him.

But it's another story that he... broke a series of many.

Pendleton's played it well.

Clearly, it orchestrated me distracted to have it come out sort of so early the next morning.

But I think even you could read in there, I think there were a couple of reporters who wanted to go with it, who didn't have the courage, I think, to go with it, who I think knew what was going on late last week and just, you know, reading between the lines of their copy and They knew it was on, but didn't quite want to be the ones to say it.

NFL offside is my

What do you make of how this story played out?

Well, if Jay Clark wasn't the odds-on favourite for the Alf Brown Award at next week's AFMA Awards, he's got it.

Now, although he gets a bit of a head start with Pendles because he's ghosted him and he's got the great relationship with him, but it's another story that he broke a series of many.

Uh, panels played it well, clearly, uh, orchestrated media strategy to have it come out sort of so early the next morning.

But I think even you could re reading the, I think there are a couple of reporters who wants to go with it, who didn't have the courage, I think, to go with it.

Who I think knew what was going on late last week and just, you know, that reading between the lines of their copy, they knew it was on, but didn't quite want to be the ones to say it.

And then Jay of course did eight o'clock whenever it was the following morning.

Don't get the NFL offside is my

He's got common sense.

Well, we'll start with the Richmond story, are we? Well, we can if you like.

It's on my run sheet.

Okay.

The issue, firstly...

Players are told to do it on the down low.

Don't bring attention to point yourself.

Anything else we need to be across, Ash?

He's got common sense.

Well, we'll start with the Richmond story, are we? Well, we can if you like.

It's on my run sheet.

Okay.

The issue, firstly...

Players are told to do it on the down low.

Don't bring attention to point yourself.

Anything else

I'm sure I know where you wanna start.

start.It has been the week, and I sort of just throw around a little bit, sort of just have a conversation with the three of us around this story and the, the so many facets, this Swans story, of course, that we're talking about.

But I guess from our perspective, there's been a lot of, uh, a lot of times when the story's been discussed that, you know, we are reminded that, you know, the main th- and, and, and it's true, of course, that the, the, the, the women involved and the complainants are first and foremost the most important part of the story, and, and we don't, uh, disagree with that.

However, at what stage is it okay to actually discuss the football side of the story? Because it is a major...

irrespective of anything else, and the, and this police investigation, park it to one side for a moment.

It's a major football story, Kane and Sam.

Hey, what'd you make of the, uh, botched camera angle on Saturday night?

It was certainly botched.

I'm sure I know where you wanna start.

It has been the week, and I sort of just throw around a little bit, sort of to have a conversation with the three of us around this story and the, the so many facets, this Swans story, of course, that we're talking about.

But I guess f- from our perspective, there's been a lot of, uh, a lot of times when the story's been discussed that, you know, we are reminded that, you know, the main th...

And, and, and it's true, of course, that the, the, the, the, the women involved and the complainants are first and foremost the most important part of the story, and we don't, uh, disagree with that.

However, at what stage is it okay to actually discuss the football side of the story? Because it is a major, irrespective of everything else and the, and this police investigation, parking it to one side for a moment, it's a major football story, Kane and Sam.

Hey, what'd you make of the, uh, botched camera angle on Saturday night?

It was certainly botched.

Um, so for those who weren't aware Yeah, Fox Footy somehow m- managed to have a really poor camera angle of Dylan Moore's kick for goal on the final siren that could've, you know, had it got, had he scored, would've handed Hawthorne a win, but it certainly decided the result of the game.

Well done

...

so the ratings for Sunday night footy, a game that so many of us, maybe because we're in a bubble, were looking forward to and or cleared commitments to sit down and watch, the St. Kilda-Carlton game Sunday night, um, only averaged, uh, the figures are 363,000 people.

So ran a clear third to The Block, which, uh, was 1.3 million, and the MasterChef finale, which was 830,000.

So question, are we, uh, is Su- is Sunday night football d- dead in the water on those sorts of figures? I mean, Seven- how long will Seven continue to support Sunday night footy if it's getting figures like that?

Okay.

I think, um, I think they were okay.

But, uh, again, u-up against the West Coast-Collingwood game, which I'll get to because you did send me the homework last week.

Was that a Robbo thing, connection there?

Uh, Robbo, I think it was...

Yeah.

Robbo would ta- take that as well.

Uh, uh, very sympathetic to Essendon for all those years.

The Age, on the other hand, uh, were very, very much the, uh, taking the AFL...

Well, the AFL, I think, were leaking more to The Age and The Age was fa- particularly through the likes of C- of Caroline Wilson, far less support, uh, sympathetic towards Essendon and very much towing the AFL's line to a large degree, to the point where Caro was branded as someone who hates James Hird, and I think she still carrying that baggage, uh, that, today.

Okay.

What did you make of it?

Well, I mean, I, I certainly...

I mean, I agree with Lee's sentiments for starting.

I mean, it's, it's not, it looks like a difficult environment to walk into, but I'm just wondering, I just wanna put this out there to you, Kane.

Does Lee Matthews get a free pass because he's Lee Matthews?

Um, John Longmire dropping some bombs?

John Longmire's book, he's dropped absolute bombs so far.

There's been three.

it.

Yeah, four days later.

My first thing I would do post-match media conference is borrow from the EPL.

And that would be send, if you watch the Premier League, the managers do a quick piece to camera after the game.

That should be it.

And you have a pool reporter that is appointed by all the journalists.

They go down and ask these four or five questions.

Take us through it.

still talking about it.

Yeah, four days later.

My first thing I would do post-match media conference is borrow from the EPL.

And that would be send, if you watch the Premier League, the managers do a quick piece to camera after the game.

That should be it.

And you have a pool reporter that is appointed by all the journalists.

They go down and ask these four or five questions.

Take us through it.

Ash, I know you wanted to take a close look at the media section of the results of this survey.

Yeah, so 34% of AFL players report feeling a level of disrespect by the broadcast media.

So I'm going to throw this one a little bit back at you because you are front and center of broadcast media.

as opposed to print journos like me.

Key things I highlighted was a focus on negativity and not hyperbole in media commentary, lack of accountability for inaccurate or headline-grabbing statements, privacy boundaries being encroached, including door stopping after medical scans.

That, I think, is nonsense.

Change room cameras capturing injured players, well, that does happen a lot.

can't they put Fremantle and Adelaide on the Thursday night?

Ash, I know you wanted to take a close look at the media section of the results of this survey.

Yeah, so 34% of AFL players report feeling a level of disrespect by the broadcast media.

So I'm going to throw this one a little bit back at you because you are front and center of broadcast media.

as opposed to print journals like me.

Key things I highlighted was a focus on negativity and not hyperbole in media commentary, lack of accountability for inaccurate or headline-grabbing statements, privacy boundaries being encroached, including door stopping after medical scans.

That, I think, is nonsense.

Change room cameras capturing injured players, well, that does happen a lot.

can't they put Fremantle and Adelaide on the Thursday night?

Uh, I mean, I naturally have gone to-- I mean, they're trying to re-sign one of their superstars, are they not? Is it any-- Is there potential that it's around that?

Uh, I don't know.

It could also be, uh, the big topic of Lachie Neale going back to Perth to play as well is another part of the story, and that will be spoken about too.

So yeah, I, I can see the logical reason behind it because they've got a busy travel day coming up.

But, uh, if there was any major news out of it, and I guess we'll find out tomorrow when it's released, uh, it would be very hard to keep it quiet for two days.

It's a different way of doing things.

Not saying it's wrong, but it is a different way of doing things.

Mm

Are, uh-- Do we i-in the media, Ash, need to think more about our standing, our views on the umpires, and how that filters down to the people listening and watching us?

Well, I think umpires need to be held accountable.

Um, I think...

And, and part of that is directed towards the AFL, which, uh, c- who they're directly employed by.

The issue with umpiring is that for many-- there's been so many iterations over twenty, thirty, forty years that I've been, A, a fan, and B, working the media of umpires, um, explaining their decisions or being trotted out or the director of umpiring.

The problem is the umpiring fraternity w-w-will start a season with good intentions, or a new umpiring boss will come in with the right intentions, "I'm gonna be on the front foot about communicating." And eventually, people aren't interested in, in debating the good things that umpiring, what umpires are getting right.

They only want to, uh, discuss what they're getting wrong and learn about and, and, and discuss the mistakes.

Seven o'clock in the morning

But after doing that deal, I mean, he can literally say what he wants, can't

he? He's entitled to take the mother of all victory laps.

And I think, you know, I talked to a couple of people today in the industry, the AFL will be quite comfortable with all of this because live sport is...

Free-to-air TV doesn't have a whole lot going for it anymore other than live sports.

So I think the demand will be there in a few years' time.

I think the AFL will look at those figures and say, you know, I think we'll go all right in 2032 or whenever their deal's up.

So well done to the NRL.

You've got your eyes on Channel 7.