Andrew Maher
Andrew Maher | |
|---|---|
| Occupation(s) | Sports broadcaster, journalist |
| Known for | AFL coverage, Big Bash League coverage, hosting Before the Game, The Fifth Quarter, Fox Sports FC, The Front Bar |
Andrew Maher is a prominent Australian sports broadcaster and journalist affiliated with the Seven Network and Melbourne-based radio station 1116 SEN. He is well-known for his coverage of Australian rules football and the Big Bash League on Network Ten, as well as for hosting the AFL analysis program Before the Game.
Maher worked as a boundary rider during the 2004, 2007, 2009, and 2011 AFL grand finals broadcast on Network Ten. Additionally, he presented The Fifth Quarter, a post-game show airing after Saturday night AFL matches (2004–2007, 2009, 2011), alongside a rotating panel of expert commentators such as Malcolm Blight, Matthew Lloyd, and Luke Darcy.
Early career
Maher's career began as a staff writer for the weekly football publication Inside Football, where he eventually rose to assistant editor. In the late 1990s, he took on the role of Football Editor at The Sunday Age.
Television career
In 1996, Maher joined Vuecast (now AFL Films), providing content for Sports AFL, a Pay TV channel on the Optus Vision platform. His roles included hosting 'One on One', producing Football Feedback, and working as a boundary rider during live match coverage. By 2001, he had moved to Channel 7, where he produced "Talking Footy" and contributed as a boundary line reporter.
Following Channel 10 securing AFL broadcast rights in 2002, Maher undertook various on-air and production responsibilities. These included boundary riding for Saturday afternoon fixtures, hosting the Saturday night preview show Before the Game, and co-hosting The Fifth Quarter alongside Michael Christian. Maher is also credited with popularizing the term "spotfires" to describe minor on-field scuffles during matches.
In September 2011, he commenced hosting the soccer panel program Fox Sports FC on Fox Sports.
By 2013, Maher was providing commentary for Network Ten's coverage of the T20 Big Bash League and reporting across various sports such as Formula 1, MotoGP, Golf, Tennis, and Athletics events including the Commonwealth Games and Stawell Gift. He remained host of Before the Game until its conclusion at the end of 2013.
Since 2015, Maher has co-hosted The Front Bar, which airs on afl.com.au and Channel 7. Alongside comedians Mick Molloy and Sam Pang, the show delivers a humorous perspective on weekly AFL developments.
AFL
Maher contributes to several programs including:
- Monday's Experts, a Monday review show presenting highlights, detailed analysis, and statistics from the latest AFL round, co-hosted with former AFL player Jarrod Molloy
- FREE Friday's Tip-Off, where he partners with SEN colleague Billy Brownless to preview upcoming football rounds and provide advice for tipping competitions.