Caroline Wilson has taken aim at footy broadcasters scheduling club directors to commentate on their own teams.
The likes of Luke Darcy (Western Bulldogs), Mark Ricciuto (Adelaide) and Jimmy Bartel (GWS) have already been forced into the compromised situation, Darcy most notably during the Dogs’ win over West Coast in Round 2.
Wilson believes it frustrates viewers and puts the club staffers in difficult positions.
“There is just no excuse for TV networks and radio stations putting footy club directors behind the microphone to call their own footy teams, cost restrictions don’t cut it,” she told Footy Classified.
“Suggestions that the media is so cash-strapped or commentators so reliant on paying gigs that they have to rely on it is just excuses.
“Excuses for what is frankly a compromised call.
“This is nothing against Luke Darcy who called yesterday’s Western Bulldogs game, or Jimmy Bartel or Mark Ricciuto to name the current crop, but there is just no way their calls are not compromised when they’re so personally and sometimes professionally invested.
“Commentators like these calling their own footy clubs have to be acting even when their calls sound impartial. It’s off-putting for the audience, it compromises the callers and in the case of yesterday’s wonderful Bulldogs win, it was a case of poor scheduling by the Seven Network.
“It lacks integrity and it’s largely off-putting for the audience.”
Former Essendon captain Matthew Lloyd agreed with Wilson’s arrow.
“I reckon it’s unfair to Jimmy, Luke and the guys. Just don’t put them on those games,” Lloyd said.
The AFLW competition had a similar issue on the weekend, with current GWS player Nicola Barr on commentary for Fox Footy’s coverage of the Giants taking on Carlton.
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