The action on the field was wild and unpredictable in the 2021 AFL Grand Final but there was one big winner from the coverage.
She made history on Saturday night and Channel 7 AFL commentator Daisy Pearce won over even more fans with her Grand Final performance.
There has been regular criticism the commentary box can be a bit of a boys club as former AFL players taking up most of the seats. That was until this year when Pearce became the first woman to make special comments on Channel 7’s broadcast of the Grand Final.
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Earlier this month she was awarded the Best Opinion/Analysis Award at the 2021 Australian Football Media Association awards and she shined on Grand Final day as the Melbourne Demons ended a 57-year Premiership drought with an emphatic 21.14 (140) to 10.6 (66) win over the Western Bulldogs.
Pearce, who plays for the Melbourne Demons in the AFLW, has quickly become one of the stars of footy commentary in Australia and said it best late in the call.
“It is not my club, it is Neale Daniher’s and Garry Lyon’s club. I am so proud, to take this club, with 57 years of hope and expectation, and turn it around. They deserve this,” she said.
The 33-year-old was widely praised for how she handled the biggest moment of her commentary career.
Steve Taylor tweeted: “Daisy Pearce absolutely saving this call.”
The Illawarra Mercury’s Tim Barrow added: “Is there a press red for Daisy Pearce option? She has lengths on the rest of the TV commentary.”
Sports broadcaster Chris Coleman was all for more Pearce, writing: “I’m sure there are plenty of misogynists around, but I’m looking forward to the day Daisy Pearce gets a bigger role in an #AFLGF commentary team.”
Author Adam Spencer hashtagged her the “best off ground”.
“Not for the first time this season, more informed, well-spoken observations from @DaisyPearce6 than pretty much the rest of the Channel 7 commentary team combined to half-time in the GF,” he tweeted.
Journalist Alex Fair said: “Thank God for Daisy Pearce.”
Even BlueBet Australia was behind Pearce, writing: “Top three first quarter performances: 3: Clayton Oliver 2: Christian Petracca 1: Daisy Pearce commentary.”
Pearce was kicking goals even before the game during her chat with Demons coach Simon Goodwin.
“Fantastic question to Goodwin, Daisy Pearce. She’s all class,” Sports reporter Daniel Garb tweeted.
If there was a Norm Smith Medal for the best performer in Seven’s commentary box, Pearce would be a clear winner.
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