AFL 360
| Company type | Television program |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sports media |
| Founded | 2010 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Area served | Australia |
Key people | Gerard Whateley, Garry Lyon |
| Products | Television talk show on Australian Football League |
AFL 360 is an Australian television talk show that concentrates on the latest developments within the Australian Football League (AFL). It is broadcast on Fox Footy from Monday through Wednesday throughout the AFL season. The program is hosted by Gerard Whateley and Garry Lyon, frequently featuring appearances by players, coaches, and industry experts.
History
Initially launched in 2010 as a weekly program on Fox Sports, AFL 360 was presented by Gerard Whateley alongside Mark Robinson and aired on Wednesday evenings until the end of 2011. In 2012, it transitioned to the relaunched AFL-dedicated channel, Fox Footy.
From 2012 up until early 2020, the show was scheduled from Monday to Thursday nights during the AFL season, except on Thursdays when AFL matches were televised. Due to the condensed 2020 season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the broadcast times became more adaptable. Since 2021, it has maintained a steady timeslot airing Monday through Wednesday at 7:30 pm, with Thursday AFL fixtures becoming increasingly common.
Special episodes are produced annually prior to and immediately following the AFL Grand Final. The series has also aired extended editions for significant AFL news events, including a lengthy 2015 interview with former coach Mick Malthouse and off-season specials addressing major developments such as Lance Franklin’s move to the Sydney Swans in 2013 and the Essendon supplements controversy verdict in 2016. Additionally, a dedicated episode was broadcast following the passing of Adelaide Crows coach Phil Walsh in 2015.
In July 2018, regular contributors Jack Riewoldt and Jordan Lewis took over hosting duties for an episode as part of a "player takeover" initiative. On 22 March 2020, a special Sunday edition aired following the suspension of the AFL season due to COVID-19. The program marked its milestone 1,000th episode on 16 September 2020.
After Mark Robinson commenced medical leave in July 2021, various Fox Footy personalities rotated as his substitutes. He made a return via video call at the end of that year, disclosing he had undergone emergency open heart surgery, and resumed co-hosting at the beginning of the 2022 season continuing through to 2024.
In April 2022, AFL 360 Extra premiered on Thursdays when no AFL matches were scheduled, hosted by Kath Loughnan with co-hosts Nick Riewoldt and Jack Riewoldt. This segment was subsequently rebranded as AFL 360 Plus.
Beginning with the 2025 season, Garry Lyon joined Gerard Whateley as a permanent co-host as part of a format refresh.
Current Hosts
Former Hosts
- Mark Robinson – tenure from 2010 to 2024
Covering for Whateley
Covering for Lyon
Past substitute hosts
Regular guests
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Mark Maclure | David King | ||||||||||
| 2011 | ||||||||||||
| 2012 | Mark Thompson | Rodney Eade | Robert Murphy | Brad Sewell | Barry Hall | Cameron Mooney | ||||||
| 2013 | ||||||||||||
| 2014 | Paul Roos | Jordan Lewis | ||||||||||
| 2015 | Nathan Buckley | Brendon Goddard | Mark Thompson | |||||||||
| 2016 | Chris Scott | Jack Riewoldt | Dyson Heppell | Brian Lake | ||||||||
| 2017 | Alan Richardson | Nick Dal Santo | ||||||||||
| 2018 | Robert Murphy | Nick Riewoldt | Jason Dunstall | Dermott Brereton | ||||||||
| 2019 | Rotating Coaches | Adam Treloar | ||||||||||
| 2020 | Max Gawn | Jordan Lewis | Jarryd Roughead | No regular Thursday episodes | ||||||||
| 2021 | Christian Petracca | Mark Maclure | Leigh Montagna | |||||||||
| 2022 | Rotating Players including Jack Riewoldt, Christian Petracca, Tom Hawkins, Zach Merrett, Adam Treloar & Lachie Neale | Eddie Betts | ||||||||||
Monday - Coaches Night
- GVP (Garry's Valuable Player) – Launched in 2025, the GVP accolade is determined by Lyon’s 3-2-1 voting system from the weekend’s matches, with the highest-rated player receiving a Ford Mustang GT.
- The Coaches – Through a partnership with the AFL Coaches Association, every one of the 18 AFL coaches commits to appearing on the program and offering their perspectives throughout the season.
Tuesday - Players Night
- Real or Overreaction – Whateley and Lyon engage in debates to evaluate the truthfulness of various statements.
- The Players – Each week, prominent players participate to share insights on competitions and preview upcoming fixtures, frequently including athletes from key matches.
- Razor's Edge – Former umpire Ray Chamberlain provides expert commentary by analyzing recent umpiring calls.
- Tribunal Night – On weeks featuring major AFL Tribunal hearings, reporter David Zita delivers updates on rulings and discussions from AFL House.
Wednesday
- Simon Goodwin – The Melbourne Football Club coach appears every two weeks to discuss the Demons’ rebuilding efforts and analyze recent games.
- Simmo & Horse – Retired coaches Adam Simpson and John Longmire join weekly to preview the upcoming football weekend.
- Weekend's Picks – Whateley and Lyon choose their "headline," "plot twist," and "last dollar" selections for the weekend’s matches.
Previous
- Who would you rather be? – Weekly comparisons of two notable figures, asking "Who would you rather be?"
- 360 seconds – A rapid-fire segment where hosts respond to numerous questions within six minutes.
- The Bomber Diaries – Mark Thompson answers questions in a format resembling a press conference.
- Monday hero (briefly known as Monday champion) – Highlights standout performers from the weekend’s games.
- Two minute scramble – Hosts tackle several questions within two minutes.
- Tuesday matinee – Discussion of a significant non-football story from the weekend.
- Rascal of the Week – Robert Murphy, later succeeded by Jack Riewoldt, names a mischievous character each week.
- Wednesday love – Hosts select a person, club, or event they admired over the weekend.
- Looking forward to? – Hosts share their expectations for the upcoming weekend.
- Weekend Forecast – Predictions covering likely outcomes ("Sure Thing") and potential risks ("Most at Stake" and "Doomsday Scenario"), often featuring guest appearances.
Rascal of the Year
Although Robert Murphy’s weekly Rascal segment concluded in 2014, he continued presenting Rascal of the Year awards until 2016; Jack Riewoldt took over hosting duties starting in 2017. Recipients include:
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2012 | Steve Johnson |
| 2013 | Luke Hodge |
| 2014 | Mark Robinson |
| 2015 | Ross Lyon |
| 2016 | Cooper Woods* |
| 2017 | Peter Steven |
| 2018 | Heidi Schwegler |
| 2019 | Stuart Dew |
- Notes
- Woods earned the award as an Auskick participant featured during a halftime segment.
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Australian Football Media Awards | Most Outstanding Television Program | Template:Won |
| 2013 | Australian Football Media Awards | Most Outstanding Television Program | Template:Won |
| 2014 | ASTRA Awards | Most Outstanding Sports Entertainment Program | Template:Nom |
| 2015 | Australian Football Media Awards | Most Outstanding Television Program | Template:Won |
| 2016 (Logie Awards) | Logie Awards | Best Sports Program | Template:Nom |
| 2016 | Australian Football Media Awards | Most Outstanding Television Program | Template:Won |