''On the Couch'' is an Australian television program focusing on current issues in the
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League (AFL) is the only fully professional competition of Australian rules football. Through the AFL Commission, the AFL also serves as the sport's governing body and is responsible for controlling the laws of the gam ...
. From its debut in 2002 until 2006, it was shown on the
Fox Footy Channel
The Fox Footy Channel was a channel exclusively dedicated to Australian rules football. It was owned by Foxtel and operated out of their Melbourne based studios. From 2002 - 2006 it was available on Foxtel, Austar, Optus Television, TransTV ...
, until the channel's demise. From 2007 to 2011 it was broadcast on
Fox Sports, before moving to the relaunched
Fox Footy from 2012 onwards. The show airs on Monday nights before ''
AFL 360
''AFL 360'' is an Australian television talk show that covers current issues in the Australian Football League (AFL). It airs on Fox Footy at Mondays to Wednesdays during the AFL season. It is hosted by Gerard Whateley and Mark Robinson, and f ...
''
Format
The shows format follows an "informal chat" style in a set that resembles a lounge room. It focuses more on in-depth coverage, analysis and discussions of topics from the weekend as well as occasionally holding an interview with a player or coach during the 2nd half of the episode.
The concept and style is similar to the
Seven Network program ''
Talking Footy'', which also featured
Mike Sheahan as chief journalist during its original run from 1994 to 2004.
History
Former players Gerard Healy and
Robert Walls and journalist
Mike Sheahan were the original presenters of the show. In 2009,
James Hird
James Albert Hird (born 4 February 1973) is a former professional Australian rules football player and past senior coach of the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Hird played as a midfielder and half-forward, but h ...
replaced Walls on the couch. When Hird left to pursue a coaching career with
Essendon Essendon may refer to:
Australia
*Electoral district of Essendon
*Electoral district of Essendon and Flemington
*Essendon, Victoria
**Essendon railway station
**Essendon Airport
*Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League
United King ...
,
Paul Roos replaced him. In 2014, Roos left to coach the
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed the Demons, is a professional Australian rules football club that competes in the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's elite competition. It is based in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, ...
and was replaced by long-time Fox Footy broadcaster and former player Jason Dunstall.
In 2015, Mike Sheahan announced that he was retiring from the show after 13 years. His replacement was recently retired
Brisbane Lions triple-premiership player
Jonathan Brown.
, who appeared occasionally in 2015, joined the series full-time in 2016. In July 2016, the original line-up of Healy, Sheahan and Walls returned for a special one-off episode before Fox Footy's 'Retro Round'.
In late 2021, Healy stepped down as host with
Garry Lyon replacing him, the show also commenced airing before
AFL 360
''AFL 360'' is an Australian television talk show that covers current issues in the Australian Football League (AFL). It airs on Fox Footy at Mondays to Wednesdays during the AFL season. It is hosted by Gerard Whateley and Mark Robinson, and f ...
.
Hosts
*
Gerard Healy
Gerard Healy (born 1 March 1961) is a former Australian rules footballer and commentator.
Healy attended St Bede's College in Mentone, where he was the senior football captain. Gerard is a trained physiotherapist.
VFL career
Melbourne Dem ...
(2002–2021)
*
Nick Riewoldt (2020–present)
*
Jonathan Brown (2015–present)
*
Garry Lyon (2018–2021 as panelist, 2022 - present, host)
*
David King (2015–2017)
*
Jason Dunstall (2014–2017)
*
Paul Roos (2011–2013, 2018–2019)
*
Mike Sheahan (2002–2014)
*
Robert Walls (2002–2008)
*
James Hird
James Albert Hird (born 4 February 1973) is a former professional Australian rules football player and past senior coach of the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Hird played as a midfielder and half-forward, but h ...
(2009–2010)
Various
Fox Sports commentators have filled in along the way including Jason Dunstall,
Brian Taylor and
Alastair Lynch
Alastair Graeme Lynch (born 19 June 1968) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played in the Australian Football League (AFL). He is best known as a three-time premiership full-forward for the Brisbane Lions.
The Tasmanian ...
.
See also
*
List of Australian television series
Future shows
Seven
* ''The 1% Club'' (Seven Network game show 2023–)
* ''Apartment Rules'' (Seven Network reality 2023–)
* '' Animals Aboard with Dr Harry'' (Seven Network reality 2023–)
* ''Armchair Experts'' (Seven Network sports ...
*
List of longest-running Australian television series
Below is a list of all the longest-running Australian television programs, both past and present, that have been broadcast for a minimum of 6–10 years or 6 seasons (or both).
All data is updated as of 2 February 2022.
Note: Programs with a s ...
References
External links
''On the Couch'' official website*
Fox Sports (Australian TV network) original programming
Fox Footy original programming
Australian rules football television series
2002 Australian television series debuts
2010s Australian television series
English-language television shows
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