Recently retired AFL players Luke Hodge and Jobe Watson have joined Seven’s AFL commentary team, while AFLW player Daisy Pearce returns following a year away from the game.

Legendary Bruce McAvaney said, “March is a magic time. On the precipice of an AFL season. All those thrillers and upsets await us.

I can’t remember a more even competition, with nearly every team having finals aspirations and more than a handful with legitimate premiership chances.

“And the prospects of the stars – the players – ranging from Shaun Burgoyne who plays his 377th game in round one to Marlion Pickett, who plays his second. Just who will win the battle between Martin, Fyfe and Dangerfield? Etcetera.

“Our team at Seven is as excited as you. And we have veterans and rookies, just like your team.

One rookie for us is already a legend in the game. And our team can’t wait to work alongside him. Welcome Hodgey!”

Managing Director Seven Melbourne and Head of Network Sport Lewis Martin added, “A love of the game drives everything we do at Seven. From our incomparable admin, production and technical staff, to our commentary team led by the one and only Bruce McAvaney and Brian Taylor, we have one overriding goal – to make each and every viewer a part of the game. It’s what’s made Seven the Home of Footy for so long and it’s what will ensure Seven remains the only place to watch the football in 2020.”

The fan favourites who have long made Seven the Home of Footy all return in 2020, including football’s best callers Bruce McAvaney, Brian Taylor, James Brayshaw, Hamish McLachlan, Luke Darcy and Basil Zempilas.

Expert commentators Wayne Carey, Leigh Matthews, Matthew Richardson, Tim Watson, Cameron Ling and Jimmy Bartel are also back, while Gilbert McAdam, Abbey Holmes, Jude Bolton, Xavier Ellis, Mark Soderstrom, Jason Bennett, Nigel Carmody and Campbell Brown round out football’s best team.

Triple Hawthorn premiership skipper Hodge will share his rare insights on the modern game as an expert commentator on Seven’s Friday Night Football coverage, where he will be joined by Melbourne skipper Pearce, who returns as a field commentator following the birth of her twins Sylvie and Roy last year.

Long-time Essendon captain Watson will bring all the experience he gleaned over a stellar 220-game career into an expert comments role, working principally in the game’s newest marquee timeslot, Thursday night.

Brendon Goddard is another big-name signing for Seven this season, with the former St Kilda and Essendon star joining a revamped Game Day line-up on Sunday mornings that includes host Hamish McLachlan, Leigh Matthews and Daisy Pearce.

Abbey Way has quickly become one of Seven’s most versatile hosts and this year she joins the footy team on The Kick, the pre-game show that kick-starts Saturday Night Footy.

Happy hour has also been extended at The Front Bar in 2020 with star funnyman and Carlton diehard Andy Lee joining Mick Molloy, Sam Pang and Andy Maher to share a laugh about the week in footy and catch up with stars of yesteryear and today.

Iconic AFL chat show Talking Footy will again be a fixture on Monday nights, when host Luke Darcy, Wayne Carey and Tim Watson debate all the game’s burning issues, while Tom Browne and Jacqui Felgate keep viewers up to date with the latest breaking news.

And Adam Cooney and Cam Luke will settle in on the sofa once more, offering viewers their unique take on the match of the round as Armchair Experts returns to 7plus.

Seven’s AFL coverage in 2020 will also feature:

· AFLW – the remaining home and away rounds and all three weeks of the finals LIVE and FREE on Seven and 7plus

· Thursday Night Football – nine games, up from eight in 2019

· Live matches Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday

· 2020 AFL Grand Final Live and Exclusive

· Every AFL Final Live

· Blockbuster games Live including Round 1 Opening Night, Good Friday, Anzac Day, Dreamtime at the ’G and Queen’s Birthday

· The Brownlow Medal count Live

· Fans in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia can watch every game involving teams from their home states Live and Free

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