Before the Game
| Company type | Television program |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television entertainment |
| Founded | March 1, 2003 |
| Defunct | December 13, 2013 |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , Australia |
| Owner | Roving Enterprises |
Before the Game was a comedic panel program centered on Australian rules football that aired on Network Ten from 1 March 2003 until 27 September 2013. The series was hosted by Andrew Maher and featured regular contributors such as Mick Molloy, Dave Hughes, Anthony Lehmann, and Neroli Meadows. It provided a humorous take on Australian Football League (AFL) developments, often including guest appearances by current players.
After the Game (2003)
The show initially launched as After the Game on 1 March 2003. It was originally scheduled as a 30-minute segment following Saturday night AFL matches, broadcast either live or delayed on or , depending on the region. With an M rating due to occasional strong language, it quickly developed a dedicated audience. One of its memorable moments included the shaving of Fraser Gehrig's mullet at the conclusion of the 2003 season.
Before the Game (2004–2013)
Building on its early success, the program shifted to a timeslot on 27 March 2004 and adopted a PG rating to attract a wider demographic. It was positioned between Saturday afternoon and evening AFL broadcasts on Ten.
Following Ten's loss of AFL broadcasting rights to the Seven Network after the 2011 season, the show's continuation was uncertain. Nevertheless, in 2012, Network Ten announced that Before the Game would return with its original panel and potential format adjustments, similar to how Nine Network maintained The Footy Show after losing AFL rights in 2006. On 21 June 2012, the program moved to Thursday evenings at 8:30 pm in Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia, while airing later on One in New South Wales and Queensland.
In 2013, it reverted to its initial Saturday 6:30 pm broadcast slot. On 24 August that year, due to Ten's contractual commitment to air live Bledisloe Cup rugby union matches on its primary channel, Before the Game was shown on One. That same year saw the addition of Fox Sports presenter Neroli Meadows to the panel, replacing Samantha Lane, who transitioned to Seven Network’s Saturday night AFL coverage.
The series was officially cancelled on 13 December 2013.
Host
- Andrew Maher (2005–2013)
Regular panelists
- Mick Molloy (2007–2013)
- Dave Hughes (2003–2013)
- Anthony Lehmann (2004–2013)
- Neroli Meadows (2013)
Regular cameo appearances were made by Ryan ‘Fitzy’ Fitzgerald and Peter Helliar, who portrayed the character Bryan Strauchan/‘Strauchanie’.
Former panelists
- Anthony Hudson (2003–2004)
- Bryan Strauchan
- Peter Helliar (2003–2006)
- Sam Lane (2003–2012)
- Damian Callinan (2003)
Tool of the Week
Sponsored by Home Hardware, the "Tool of the Week" award—bestowed by Dave Hughes—highlighted some of the most cringe-worthy moments related to the AFL. The individual deemed most notable throughout the season was honoured with the "Tool of the Year" title.
| Year | Recipient(s) | AFL Affiliation | Misconduct |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Eddie McGuire | President of Collingwood Football Club | Declining to pass a football to a young supporter from Carlton Football Club during an event. |
| 2012 | Matthew Boyd | Western Bulldogs | Permitting only an enthusiastic cheerleader to kiss his sweaty neck following a match. |
| 2011 | Guy McKenna | Gold Coast Football Club | Showing no reaction during a pre-game interview with hosts Jason Dunstall and Mick Malthouse. |
| 2010 | Jobe Watson | Essendon Football Club | Gazing at an elderly woman. |
| 2009 | Neil Balme | Football Operations Manager at Geelong Football Club | Mimicking a bowel movement after using players’ change room facilities. |
| 2008 | Dale Thomas | Collingwood Football Club | Recording his video blog while showering. |
| 2007 | Robert Copeland | Brisbane Lions | Sporting a "man-bra" prior to a match. |
| 2006 | Nick Dal Santo | St Kilda Football Club | Wearing swimwear in inappropriate colours at the beach. |
| 2005 | Tony Pasquale (non-AFL personnel) | Grounds Manager at Subiaco Oval | Persistently bothering umpires and players during match day. |
| 2004 | Brett Voss | St Kilda Football Club | Changing his swimwear publicly on camera. |
| 2003 | Shane Wakelin, Shane Woewodin, Alan Didak, Matthew Lokan, Jason Cloke, Chris Tarrant | Players from Collingwood Football Club | Delivering poor performances in a Sunsilk shampoo commercial. |
Headlines you might have missed
Each week, panelists presented satirical and fictitious football-related headlines purportedly from newspapers such as The Australian, The Age, and Herald Sun.
Holden round the Block
Introduced in 2013, this segment featured Lehmo alongside either Mick Molloy or Dave Hughes as they picked up a player for informal conversations while driving through local suburbs.
BTG Super Spray
Also beginning in 2013, Dave Hughes visited various teams’ training sessions with comedic intent to "stir things up," a role he later reprised on The Footy Show.
The Clean Team
Launched in 2013, this segment humorously spotlighted players unlikely to be implicated in alleged drug scandals associated with certain AFL clubs.
In Da House with Strauchanie
Infrequently returning during 2013, fictional Collingwood hopeful Bryan "Strauchanie" Strauchan—portrayed by Peter Helliar—featured in this comedic piece.
Lehmo's Footy Clinic
Lehmo explained particular football techniques before showing clips of players humorously failing to execute them effectively.
Fitzy's Make A Wish Foundation
Ryan Fitzgerald delighted children by arranging visits to their supported clubs or meetings with favourite players such as Bryan Strauchan, Brendan Fevola, Scott West, Jason Akermanis, and Adam Selwood.
Until the Fat Lady Sings
At each episode’s start, an overweight woman would perform a song signaling that a game had concluded. This bit ended after she sang post-siren. The role was filled by Pauline Smith (née Henderson).
Diary of a Footballer
This brief feature involved a well-known player reading excerpts from their personal diary.
Jumping in Hot Water
Sponsored by Aquamax, this quiz tested players’ knowledge about their club’s history. The player achieving the highest score earned their junior club a hot water system. For instance, in 2006 David Wirrpanda from the West Coast Eagles scored nine out of ten points benefiting Healesville Football Club.
This segment was replaced in 2007 by Inside 60, which had appeared intermittently during earlier seasons.
Inside 60 with Dave Hughes
This involved Hughes posing mostly humorous questions that often caused players to laugh uncontrollably. The segment lasted precisely sixty seconds and concluded with a siren sound.
Banners
In this segment titled Banners, each comedic panelist created humorous banners for various football clubs reflecting recent media stories or events.
Bryan Strauchan's earlier segments
Portrayed by actor and comedian Peter Helliar, Bryan Strauchan was featured regularly in mockumentary-style skits about an inept yet egotistical young football hopeful attempting to break into Collingwood Football Club. Known as Bryan "Superstar" Strauchan or simply "Strauchanie," he frequently used this catchphrase.
During the special Grand Final episode in 2006, Strauchanie was involved in an incident reminiscent of one involving Wayne Carey that led him to leave Collingwood and seek opportunities with other clubs such as the Western Bulldogs or Kangaroos. Although his chances of debuting in AFL were slim, his determination remained central to his character arc. The popularity of this persona resulted in a DVD release titled Strauchanie: Pure BS.
Production details
Produced by Roving Enterprises, owned by Australian television personality Rove McManus, known for his comedy/interview series Rove, Before the Game featured regular contributions from Peter Helliar and Dave Hughes. Filming took place at Channel Ten’s studios located in Melbourne.