Before the Game
Encyclopedia
Before The Game is an Australian rules football
/comedy
television
show in Australia
on Network Ten
. The show is hosted by Andrew Maher
, with regular panelists including Mick Molloy
, Dave Hughes
, Sam Lane
, and Lehmo
. The format of the show is a light-hearted discussion of issues relating to the weekend's matches played so far in the Australian Football League
. Maher replaced co-host Anthony Hudson
in 2005, who was commentating on the new Channel 10 coverage and Molloy took over from Peter Helliar
at the end of 2007. Helliar continued to appear as his alter ego Bryan Strauchan
until the end of the 2009 season.
as After the Game. Originally, it was a half-hour broadcast following the Saturday night AFL match, aired at either or (depending on whether the televised match was live
or delayed
). During the existence of After the Game, the show was rated M and contained occasional profanity
. The show was a cult hit. One notable act was when the After the Game team shave Fraser Gehrig's mullet off at the end of the 2003 Season.
. When it moved to the primetime slot, to make it more 'family friendly', it was given a PG rating (but this had little effect on its comedy).
The show airs in between the Saturday afternoon and Saturday night matches. It usually goes for one hour, but sometimes it is a shorter half-hour version, if the AFL match to follow is live at 7:00pm. The show is delayed in Sydney and Brisbane, ironically airing after the game and not before it. However, it is shown at the earlier time on One HD in all cities. A post-match show called The Fifth Quarter
is screened after the match.
Before the Game can be heard through simulcast on Nova 100
.
The segment was replaced by Inside 60 in 2007, which has appeared on the show in much earlier seasons.
(played by Peter Helliar
) as he tries to make a career for himself at the Collingwood Football Club
. The segments are presented as a mockumentary and features similar comedy stylings to The Office
and similar shows. He also uses the catchphrase "Strauchanie" usually when he is referring to himself.
Bryan Strauchan is also known as Bryan Superstar Strauchan and Strauchanie. On the 2006 Grand Final episode of Before the Game he was involved in a Wayne Carey
like incident, and this has forced him to leave the Collingwood Football Club and look for a new home in 2007. Strauchanie has expressed an interest in the Western Bulldogs
but he would not rule out a move to the Kangaroos
. Strauchanie looks far from making his AFL debut match, but he will not give up the hard work he has shown at Collingwood Football Club. Bryan Strauchan's overwhelming success on this show has led to him releasing his new DVD: "Strauchanie: Pure BS".
and sponsored by Home Hardware
. The award is given to a particularly embarrassing performance by somebody related to the AFL
, either on or off the field. The "best" or most memorable of these tools is given the "Tool of the Year".
goes to a child's house as a surprise. Fitzy takes them to their supported clubs and/or to meet their favourite player(s). Footballers involved have included Bryan Strauchan, Brendan Fevola
, Scott West
, Jason Akermanis
and Adam Selwood
.
, the TV production company owned by Rove McManus
, an Australian television personality who appeared on his own comedy/interview show Rove, formerly known as Rove Live. Peter Helliar and Dave Hughes were also regulars on the show. the program is filmed at Channel 10 studios in Melbourne.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
/comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
show in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
on Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
. The show is hosted by Andrew Maher
Andrew Maher
Andrew Maher is an Australian journalist and television presenter. He is best known for covering Australian rules football for the Seven and Ten television networks. He has also worked in television and radio....
, with regular panelists including Mick Molloy
Mick Molloy
Michael "Mick" Molloy is an Australian comedian, writer and producer who has been active in the fields of radio, television, stand-up and film.-Biography:...
, Dave Hughes
Dave Hughes
David William "Hughesy" Hughes is an Australian stand-up comedian, radio and television presenter. He is currently co-host on the Network Ten's The Project and Before the Game as well as the breakfast radio show Hughesy and Kate.-Television:Hughes co-hosted the ABC comedy talk show The Glass House...
, Sam Lane
Samantha Lane
Samantha Jane Lane is an Australian television personality, sports reporter and daughter of football journalist and commentator Tim Lane....
, and Lehmo
Lehmo
Anthony Lehmann, better known by his nickname Lehmo, is an Australian comedian, radio personality, television personality and movie actor. He is probably best known as co-hosting Before the Game for Channel Ten, and co-hosting Triple M's drive time show with Wil Anderson...
. The format of the show is a light-hearted discussion of issues relating to the weekend's matches played so far in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
. Maher replaced co-host Anthony Hudson
Anthony Hudson
For the footballer of the same name see Anthony Hudson Anthony Hudson is an Australian rules football commentator on both television and radio.-Early career:...
in 2005, who was commentating on the new Channel 10 coverage and Molloy took over from Peter Helliar
Peter Helliar
Peter Jason Matthew Helliar is an Australian comedian, actor and writer. Most famous for his work on television as Rove McManus' sidekick on The Loft Live from 1997 to 1998 and on Rove from 1999 and 2009...
at the end of 2007. Helliar continued to appear as his alter ego Bryan Strauchan
Bryan Strauchan
Bryan Keith Strauchan , better known as "Strauchanie", is a fictional Australian rules football player, portrayed by Peter Helliar, who first appeared during short sketches on Before the Game....
until the end of the 2009 season.
After the Game
Before the Game first aired during 20032003 AFL season
Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2003.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-National Cup:...
as After the Game. Originally, it was a half-hour broadcast following the Saturday night AFL match, aired at either or (depending on whether the televised match was live
Live television
Live television refers to a television production broadcast in real-time, as events happen, in the present. From the early days of television until about 1958, live television was used heavily, except for filmed shows such as I Love Lucy and Gunsmoke. Video tape did not exist until 1957...
or delayed
Broadcast delay
In radio and television, broadcast delay refers to the practice of intentionally delaying broadcast of live material. A short delay is often used to prevent profanity, bloopers, violence, or other undesirable material from making it to air, including more mundane problems such as technical...
). During the existence of After the Game, the show was rated M and contained occasional profanity
Profanity
Profanity is a show of disrespect, or a desecration or debasement of someone or something. Profanity can take the form of words, expressions, gestures, or other social behaviors that are socially constructed or interpreted as insulting, rude, vulgar, obscene, desecrating, or other forms.The...
. The show was a cult hit. One notable act was when the After the Game team shave Fraser Gehrig's mullet off at the end of the 2003 Season.
Before the Game
Following the show's success in its late timeslot, it was moved to a time slot in 20042004 AFL season
Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2004.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-Wizard Home Loans Cup:The Wizard Home Loans Cup Final saw St...
. When it moved to the primetime slot, to make it more 'family friendly', it was given a PG rating (but this had little effect on its comedy).
The show airs in between the Saturday afternoon and Saturday night matches. It usually goes for one hour, but sometimes it is a shorter half-hour version, if the AFL match to follow is live at 7:00pm. The show is delayed in Sydney and Brisbane, ironically airing after the game and not before it. However, it is shown at the earlier time on One HD in all cities. A post-match show called The Fifth Quarter
The Fifth Quarter
The Fifth Quarter is an Australian rules football television program screening on Network Ten on 27 March 2004.Beginning in the 2004 season, the show is a review show focusing on the Australian rules football football competition, AFL...
is screened after the match.
Before the Game can be heard through simulcast on Nova 100
Nova 100
Nova 100 is a commercial radio station in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, broadcasting on 100.3 MHz. It is in the Melbourne radio market, with the intention of challenging the number one FM Austereo station Fox FM by playing alternative, hip hop, pop & dance music, with a strong lean towards...
.
Until the Fat Lady Sings
When the show started there was a segment called The Game's Not Over Until the Fat Lady Sings, where an overweight lady would go to a game and sing when she thought that the Game was over. This segment was scrapped due to the fat lady being fired for singing after the siren had gone. The part of the Fat Lady was played by Pauline Smith (nee Henderson).Diary of a Footballer
Another segment that was on the earlier program was Diary of a Footballer, a segment in which a well known footballer would read out a page of their diary.Jumping in Hot Water
Sponsored by Aquamax, a company that produces water heating units, a football player has to answer ten questions about the history of their football club. The junior football club of the player with the highest score at the end of the year would receive a hot water system.The segment was replaced by Inside 60 in 2007, which has appeared on the show in much earlier seasons.
Banners
In the current program, the Banners segment still exists, where each comedic panelist creates a banner for a specific football club, often to reflect events scrutinized by the media.Bryan Strauchan
A regular segment on the show follows talentless, egotistical, blonde, overweight youngster Bryan StrauchanBryan Strauchan
Bryan Keith Strauchan , better known as "Strauchanie", is a fictional Australian rules football player, portrayed by Peter Helliar, who first appeared during short sketches on Before the Game....
(played by Peter Helliar
Peter Helliar
Peter Jason Matthew Helliar is an Australian comedian, actor and writer. Most famous for his work on television as Rove McManus' sidekick on The Loft Live from 1997 to 1998 and on Rove from 1999 and 2009...
) as he tries to make a career for himself at the Collingwood Football Club
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
. The segments are presented as a mockumentary and features similar comedy stylings to The Office
The Office
The Office is a popular mockumentary/situation comedy TV show that was first made in the UK and has now been re-made in many other countries, with overall viewership in the hundreds of millions worldwide. The original version of The Office was created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. It...
and similar shows. He also uses the catchphrase "Strauchanie" usually when he is referring to himself.
Bryan Strauchan is also known as Bryan Superstar Strauchan and Strauchanie. On the 2006 Grand Final episode of Before the Game he was involved in a Wayne Carey
Wayne Carey
Wayne Carey is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the North Melbourne and Adelaide Football Clubs in the Australian Football League ....
like incident, and this has forced him to leave the Collingwood Football Club and look for a new home in 2007. Strauchanie has expressed an interest in the Western Bulldogs
Western Bulldogs
The Western Bulldogs are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne...
but he would not rule out a move to the Kangaroos
Kangaroos Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
. Strauchanie looks far from making his AFL debut match, but he will not give up the hard work he has shown at Collingwood Football Club. Bryan Strauchan's overwhelming success on this show has led to him releasing his new DVD: "Strauchanie: Pure BS".
Newspaper Headlines
Each week, now scrapping the Banners, each host takes a turn at reading out a headline that relates to the up and coming and new news. This usually involves the Australian, Age and Herald Sun, and are totally fictional.Inside 60 with Dave Hughes
This involves Dave asking questions to a football player from any team, most of them being funny, humorous, and hilarious, in which many players continually laugh. It lasts 60 seconds, finishing with a siren.Tool of the Week
The Tool of the Week is an award given by Dave HughesDave Hughes
David William "Hughesy" Hughes is an Australian stand-up comedian, radio and television presenter. He is currently co-host on the Network Ten's The Project and Before the Game as well as the breakfast radio show Hughesy and Kate.-Television:Hughes co-hosted the ABC comedy talk show The Glass House...
and sponsored by Home Hardware
Home Timber and Hardware
Home Timber and Hardware is Australia's third largest retail hardware chain. It is owned by Danks Holdings Ltd, now a subsidiary of Woolworths...
. The award is given to a particularly embarrassing performance by somebody related to the AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
, either on or off the field. The "best" or most memorable of these tools is given the "Tool of the Year".
Lehmo's Footy Clinic
In this segment Lehmo talks about a particular football skill, then shows footage of a player embarrassingly stuffing it up.Fitzy's Make A Wish Foundation
Ryan FitzgeraldRyan Fitzgerald
Ryan James "Fitzy" Fitzgerald is a former Australian rules footballer, Big Brother participant, and radio and television personality. After being drafted from the South Adelaide Football Club, he made his Australian Football League debut for Sydney in 2000, before being traded to Adelaide, where...
goes to a child's house as a surprise. Fitzy takes them to their supported clubs and/or to meet their favourite player(s). Footballers involved have included Bryan Strauchan, Brendan Fevola
Brendan Fevola
Brendan Fevola is a professional Australian rules footballer. He played with the Carlton and Brisbane Lions football clubs in the Australian Football League....
, Scott West
Scott West
Scott West is a former Australian rules football player who played for the Western Bulldogs in the Australian Football League...
, Jason Akermanis
Jason Akermanis
Jason Dean Akermanis is an Australian rules football player. He is a Brownlow Medallist and triple premiership player who played for the Brisbane Bears, Brisbane Lions and Western Bulldogs...
and Adam Selwood
Adam Selwood
Adam Murray Selwood is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League.-Career:...
.
Production details
Before the Game is produced by Roving EnterprisesRoving Enterprises
Roving Enterprises is an Australian television production company, run by comedian Rove McManus. The company is responsible for producing many shows and events, mainly for Network Ten...
, the TV production company owned by Rove McManus
Rove McManus
John Henry Michael "Rove" McManus is an Australian comedian, television presenter, producer and media personality. He was the host of the self-titled variety show Rove, and is the owner of the production company Roving Enterprises...
, an Australian television personality who appeared on his own comedy/interview show Rove, formerly known as Rove Live. Peter Helliar and Dave Hughes were also regulars on the show. the program is filmed at Channel 10 studios in Melbourne.