Footy commentator Brian Taylor goes rogue after X-rated replay
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Brian Taylor couldn't help himself.
The veteran AFL caller left Channel 7 colleague Kane Cornes chortling as he went rogue over revealing footage of Bulldogs champion Marcus Bontempelli during the club's big win over St Kilda on Thursday night at Marvel Stadium.
The Dogs captain was somewhat stitched up when TV cameras captured the moment he crashed into the back of St Kilda's Mitch Owens, giving a free kick away with a high tackle in the third quarter.
FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer.
Slow-motion replays regrettably proved more revealing than most with the three-time AFL Players Association MVP seen sliding over his opponent's back and then landing on the ball.
Taylor was quick to point out Bontempelli's tackle when the replay showed the moment the 29-year-old took a direct hit to his middle stump.
'Have a look at Bontempelli here,' Taylor said.
'He lands on the ball in an awkward position. You can see just here, I think it got him right on the doodle.
'He felt uncomfortable for a moment.'
Cornes chuckled and responded by saying: 'It's a good pick up'.
You can watch the incident in the video player above
Brian Taylor with Matthew Richardson (left) with Marcus Bontempelli compromised by TV cameras (right). Photo: 7Plus.
Hawthorn great Luke Hodge also responded by saying: 'I thought he was disappointed because he gave away the free kick, but that's the reason'.
The grimace on Bontempelli's face said it all.
Bontempelli's unfortunate flop wasn't the only bizarre incident with footy fans left snickering over an apparent coin toss injury before the game.
Thursday night's TV broadcast showed the moment a corporate representative of St Kilda sponsor Chery Motor Group came undone with an apparent hamstring strain while flipping the coin.
The unfortunate victim was seen immediately grabbing at the muscle after hoisting the coin into the air with enough force to launch Elon's SpaceX Starship.
The man bravely hobbled off as Bontempelli and St Kilda captain Jack Steele ran back to their team huddle before the first bounce.
One video of the pre-match injury shared by footy commentator Giulio Di Giordio has more than two million views on X.
X
SUBSCRIBER ONLY
The hamstring homicide was discussed after the game on Seven with Saints champion Nick Riewoldt more than a little amused.
'That's unbelievable. Can you imagine his WhatsApp group at the moment,' he said with a laugh.
'It'd be merciless. Wow.'
He went on to say: 'It's been a rough night for Saints people'.
The victim was lucky to survive the incident. Photo: Fox Footy.
Leading injury analyst Brien Seeney, the physiotherapist behind the popular 'NRL PHYSIO' account on X, also posted a video of the hammy ping, writing: 'Textbook coin-toss hamstring strain mechanism.
'Likely to require 2-4 weeks recovery. Main rehab challenge is loading - need to start with tossing 5c coins and slowly progress all the way up to 50c. If that's done too quickly re-injury risk is sky high.'
Channel 7 reporter Mitch Cleary said people inside the Saints camp had confirmed the act was not staged and had in fact been a real injury.
It was a rough old night for the Saints with coach Ross Lyon left being blunt with reporters after the 72-point thumping.
Lyon said there's was 'no magic bullet' to fix the issues plaguing his struggling team as another season threatens to peter out into obscurity.
Originally published as Footy commentator Brian Taylor goes rogue after X-rated replay
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Jacob Weitering goes down with ankle injury
Carlton's injury woes have continued, with Jacob Weitering going down with an ankle injury in the first quarter against North Melbourne.
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
West Coast champion Jeremy McGovern forced into sudden retirement due to ongoing concussion issues
West Coast Eagles star and five-time All-Australian Jeremy McGovern says he's 'gutted' but respects the decision of the AFL's concussion panel that ruled he should retire on medical grounds. The decision for McGovern, 33, to step away and end his 197-game career was made after 'extensive consultation' with his family, club leaders and medical staff. But ultimately the recommendation from the AFL's concussion panel was something the superstar defender couldn't ignore. McGovern has only played six games this season and none since round 9 when he suffered concussion after an incident against Melbourne. 'It's been an absolute honour to pull on the West Coast jumper for the past 15 years and it's something that I will forever be grateful for,' McGovern said. 'As much as this isn't the way I would have liked to go out, I respect the decision. 'I'm gutted I don't get to pull the jumper on and run out one more time, but sometimes this is the way the game goes, and I am forever grateful to the West Coast supporters who have also shown me love and respect. 'I would like to thank everyone who has been involved with my career over the journey. 'My family – Mum and Dad, my brother Mitch, my wife Madi and my three kids Hudson, Marlee and Lewie – have been my biggest supporters as well as my friends who have been amazing through my whole time in the AFL. 'To the club, I can't explain how much you have given me over my time here and I can't thank you enough for drafting a fat kid from Albany and giving him a crack. 'I've always loved the game and winning a premiership is every kid's dream, but the lifelong friendships and relationships you build through footy mean more to me than anything. 'I will forever be indebted to West Coast and I will always bleed blue and gold.' The McGovern decision comes as Essendon youngster Nik Cox awaits his own findings from the concussion panel that in recent times has sent Collingwood premiership winner Nathan Murphy and Melbourne star Angus Brayshaw into early retirement. McGovern earnt the first of his five All-Australian blazers in 2015 and famously played in the 2018 grand final win against Collingwood despite having series internal injuries. He helped the Eagles win the game when he intercepted an Adam Treloar kick inside 50 that started the chain of possession that ended in Dom Sheed's matchwinning goal. West Coast football boss Gavin Bell said McGovern was 'exactly the type of player' teammates loved to play with. 'Even to overcome the injury setbacks he has battled in recent years to bounce back and become our club champion for the first time last year showed his commitment to getting the best out of himself,' he said. ''Gov' was exactly the type of player you would love to play with because he was tough and courageous, wanted to win, but also off the field he cared about his mates and looked after others.'
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
‘Kidding ourselves': Debate erupts over AFL's plan to revive State of Origin
The AFL is in talks to revive State of Origin, but there are fears the proposed showdown would only be an 'exhibition game'. As the NRL's State of Origin heads to a decider following Queensland's Game 2 win in Perth, it appears increasingly likely the AFL will bring back a State of Origin game as soon as next year. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. AFL CEO Andrew Dillon said earlier this year: 'I can't rule it in and I can't rule it out, but it will certainly be a conversation I'd like to have with the players and the clubs, 'There seems to be a bit of a groundswell for it.' It has now emerged that the WA government is in talks with the AFL to hold a State of Origin game in Perth during pre-season in the first week of February in 2026. WA deputy premier and sports minister Rita Saffioti said talks were in the early stages but the AFL is 'very keen' on the idea. 'It's not a done deal,' Saffioti said on Friday. 'But I know the AFL was very keen, and we're very keen. 'Everyone is very excited about having a WA State of Origin game in the AFL, there's some good discussions happening at the moment.' The game between the Fremantle Dockers and the Indigenous All Stars in February this year was considered a major success, and the AFL is considering holding a State of Origin match in a similar as soon as next season. But not everyone is a fan of the idea. Brian Taylor pointed out the hot conditions in Perth in February and noted team selection would be based on reputation instead of form if the match is held in pre-season. Taylor, who played for Victoria in a 1986 State of Origin game, said on Triple M: 'What are we trying to do here with State of Origin football, playing it in February? Do you know how hot it is in Perth in Feb? 'How many players are in form on the 6th of February? How are you picking the team? On the year before? 'It's about current form, it's about players playing well, like the All Australian — to achieve the status of getting selected in the side. 'I think this game is not going to work if it's in Feb. 'We currently have three byes currently in our season. Let's put one of those byes aside for a State of Origin weekend when the players have reached top form, halfway though or two thirds of the way through (a season).' NRL players earn $30,000 for each State of Origin earn match, and Taylor said a financial incentive may be required to get AFL players invested in the concept as a genuine competitive game. 'Let's give the players all of the gate, so a player could get $10,000 to $20,000 each per game,' Taylor said. 'Then they'll absolutely want to play.' He added: 'It has to be played mid-season, it has to be picked on form. Players are barely started their pre-season in the first week of Feb. 'Are we kidding ourselves? Are we trying to make this work?' Leigh Montagna said the likelihood is any State of Origin clash would be an 'exhibition game' in the mould of the Victoria vs All Stars game in 2020, held to raise funds for bushfire relief. 'It's different, it's an exhibition game,' Montagna said on Triple M. 'You're probably still thinking of State of Origin in the 80s and 90s when it was South Australia vs Victoria and they were playing for keeps. Now it's more of an exhibition game. 'I'd love to see (Christian) Petracca in the same forward line as Toby Greene and Paddy Dangerfield and the Victorians play together. And I'm sure the other states would like to see their players play in their state jersey. 'It's just no longer going to be what it was like in the old days. It's an exhibition. You pick them (the teams) on reputation.' Taylor replied: 'Why do we need an exhibition game of our own game in our own country? People see 20 games a year. 'It can't be (held) before they've even completed their pre-season. What a load of nonsense.' The last State of Origin match was between Victoria and South Australia in 1999, and it remains to be seen what state or amalgamation of states would take on Victoria if the concept is revived. 'We think this would be an incredible drawcard for the state,' WA deputy premier Rita Saffioti added. 'I know many of the players are actually excited, particularly those based over east, are very keen to play for their state, so I think there's a huge push from the players. 'Pre-season is a good time to do it, as opposed to in-season ... the clubs are already playing pre-season games,' Saffioti said. 'And we saw the Indigenous All Stars, we had some incredible players out there ... it makes a bit of sense to do it during February.'
