On the Couch (Australian TV series)
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television broadcasting |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Area served | Australia |
| Products | Australian rules football television program |
On the Couch is a television series from Australia that concentrates on contemporary matters within the Australian Football League. It first aired in 2002 on the Fox Footy Channel and continued there until 2006. The program then transitioned to Fox Sports from 2007 through 2011, before returning to the revived Fox Footy channel in 2012. It is scheduled for broadcast on Monday evenings at 7:30 pm, immediately following AFL 360.
Format
Presented in a relaxed, lounge-room style setting, the show prioritizes thorough examination and conversation regarding recent AFL events over the weekend. Occasionally, the latter portion of the episode features interviews with players or coaches. This format bears resemblance to the Seven Network's Talking Footy, which also included journalist Mike Sheahan during its original tenure from 1994 to 2004.
History
The initial hosting team comprised former footballers Gerard Healy and Robert Walls, along with journalist Mike Sheahan. In 2009, James Hird succeeded Walls; following Hird’s departure to coach at Essendon, Paul Roos assumed the role. Roos left in 2014 to take up coaching duties at the Melbourne Football Club, with Fox Footy presenter and ex-player Jason Dunstall stepping in as his replacement.
In 2015, after a 13-year tenure, Mike Sheahan retired and was succeeded by recently retired triple-premiership winner Jonathan Brown. David King, who made sporadic appearances during 2015, became a permanent panel member in 2016. A special episode in July 2016 reunited the original trio of Healy, Sheahan, and Walls.
Towards the end of 2021, Healy resigned from hosting duties and was replaced by Garry Lyon; concurrently, the show’s timeslot changed to precede AFL 360. In November 2024, it was announced that Jack Riewoldt would take over hosting responsibilities from Lyon after Lyon joined AFL 360 as a co-host. By February 2025, Fox revealed that Leigh Matthews and Jordan Lewis would become part of the program—Lewis appearing weekly alongside Riewoldt, Brown, and Buckley, with Matthews contributing on a monthly basis.
Previous Hosts and Panellists
- Garry Lyon (host, 2022–2024; panellist, 2018–2021)
- Gerard Healy (host, 2002–2021)
- Mike Sheahan (2002–2014)
- Robert Walls (2002–2008)
- James Hird (2009–2010)
- Paul Roos (2011–2013, 2018–2019)
- David King (2015–2017)
- Jason Dunstall (2014–2017)
- Nick Riewoldt (2020–2022)
- Tom Morris (reporter, 2015–2021)
Additionally, commentators from Fox Sports such as Jason Dunstall, Brian Taylor, and Alastair Lynch have made contributions.