What can we do about FoxFooty?

[Neil Appleby]

Last night I sat down with two other tragics to watch the game. Within 10 minutes I'd left the comfort of the couch and was sitting in front of the large plasma trying to decipher the moves and identify players.

I've whinged about it for 2-3 years, but how can it be possible that vision of the game is not as good as it was in the 1970s and 80s?

Channel 7 and Fox have far more cameras than footy directors like Channel 7's Alf Potter could ever have dreamed of. They have better cameras, digital technology, massive staff members and yet deliver an inferior product.

The reason is the absolute obsession directors have with the wide angle. Last night the action of many of the centre bounces was lost. We relied on the Fox commentators, no doubt using binoculars, to call play.

Many times throughout the game I had no idea who was doing what once the ball went to the outer side.

Fox and Seven, please stop showing us half ground views; you can give us the trends at quarter/half time. Let the experts do this. Please just give us clear vision of what's bloody going on.

And another things specific to Fox: what is this nonsense of refusing to give us full scores at the conclusion of quarters? Last night on the siren, before throwing to an ad break, we got graphics saying 'Collingwood leads by 14 points' or half Time Scores Collingwood 50 Hawthorn 39. I had to go to my smart phone to get the full score. I keep notes as I watch and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

C'mon Fox, lift your bloody game.

[Woods]

Didn't see the live broadcast but watched the highlights package on the CFC website.

With fewer and smaller stands at the Launceston oval there's possibly limited elevation available for the camera shots that we're used to seeing in the home & away games broadcast from the big mainland grounds.

FOX may have relied on local Tassie camera people and there might be few who are used to covering live AFL (it is a top flight skill both for cameramen and directors to capture the pictures as fluidly as we have all become used to - they are a rarely acknowledged talent behind the scenes).

FOX may also have cut back on gear and personnel given it was perceived as a small viewing audience. Eg. in the past I've seen rent-a-crane type cherry-pickers situated outside the ground used as a camera locations.

[colin_wood]

I dont have a problem with the wide angle shots IF there is enough detail.

@480p or whatever they broadcast in you cannot see the players faces or numbers when they pan out. If we had decent quality video this would not be such a problem.

[Dave The Man]

Get a Collingwood Only 24/7 Channel.

Last night it was not Fox Footy it was Channel Dawks

[GreekLunatic]

can someone kill dwayne russell and also dunstall and tab man king should go and dive in the yarra

[Skids]

I never noticed, it really was just a blur of black & white kicking lotsa goals.

[thompsoc]

[SteveH67]

Agreed, Dunstall was his usual bias self.

[SteveH67]

Russell and Brown taking pot shots at Eddie or Collingwood.

It was terrible.

Again, makes a mockery of these hypocrites (Tim Lane too) who claimed Eddie had a conflict of interest in the past.

[doriswilgus]

You made so many good points there, Neil. I was thinking the exact same thing when i was watching the coverage last night.Too many wide angle shots,especially at the centre bounces.You just have no idea who has got the ball,or where it is going,it's just a blur of arms and legs and jumpers.I don't know why the directors decide to televise games this way.They clearly have the option for a close up shot,but they seem to prefer the wide angle shot for some reason.It just makes the game so hard to follow.

[stui magpie]

I must have been drunk, I didn't have a problem with the commentary.

For mine, Russel just called the action and Derm and Brown added special comments and both did well. I really enjoyed Brown's insights into Crisp and PK.

Overall, if I barely notice the commentators except the occasional bit I like that stands out, they're doing a good job.

[What'sinaname]

Commentary was OK - Derm is starting to rival Bruce for the most openly gay commentator in the AFL. Der-wayne always try to keep a game exciting even when the rest of the planet know it's over. Ever after McEvoy's last goal there was a hint of the "Hawks are back in this"

Picture was as shite is normal for our third-world, under-developed, banana republic Nation of ours.

[jackcass]

I actually prefer a wider angle, gives you more of a sense of the game unfolding. Problem is with the quality of the picture.

On the commentary, not too sure. I was at the pub and beside having an elderly Pies supporter chewing my ear the entire game, a group of young guys with blaring music playing pool, and the volume down to a bare whisper, it all sounded okay. Couldn't expect too much balance or intelligence with Dermie, Russell, and Brown dog as the team.

[Pies2016]

Im with you Neil. I thought it was just me till i read your comments.
I could be biased though, Brereton just does my head in.

[think positive]

I watched it on my iPad, and it was great vision, easy to see who was who.