What a thoroughly enjoyable experience it was to sit down and watch Friday night footy on Channel 7. I’ve never understood the complaints about their standard definition broadcast.
I have a state of the art TV that cost me thousands and while for me the SD broadcast can look a bit fuzzy, that’s what I like. No one ever asked Monet or Van Gogh to paint in high definition. Channel 7 gives us impressionist TV – we should be appreciative.
But as good as the viewing is, the commentary is even better. I took notes from the TV commentary and prepared this match report for The Roar.
On Friday it was a thrill to watch the might of Fremantle. Undefeated on top of the ladder and oozing with class.
From the first bounce Sandilands dominated the ruck and gave an armchair ride to Nat Fyfe, with out a doubt the best player in the competition, and Mundy and others. Big-bodied midfielders like Fyfe and Mundy intimidate their opponents and crash packs, win the hard ball and on Friday night we saw a showcase of their skills as Fremantle completely dominated the clearances.
Fyfe was in everything, taking spectacular marks, kicking what could be goal of the year, and crashing through tackles. Occasionally when tackled he dropped or threw the ball and we must applaud the umpires for doing the game a service and not paying free kicks for illegal disposal against the game’s best player.
The fans want to watch the champions take the game by the scruff of the neck and put their stamp on it. The umpires need to stand back and let Fyfe give us an exhibition. Fyfe is the best player in the competition.
Speaking of necks, several Fremantle players were brutally assaulted by their opponents with head high tackles. So what if they ducked their heads, you can’t do that to our purple warriors.
Fremantle had to suffer under the burden of being a man short after Johnson was subbed out in the first quarter but they rose to the occasion.
As well as that they were tired after having to travel interstate last week. But our boys showed courage and skill.
Ballantyne was in everything showing why he is such a force in the forward 50. Walters came into his own and kicked some dazzling goals, running rings around his opponent.
Neale and Barlow were outstanding. Exciting footy was played by the competitions premier team with the competition’s premier player – Nat Fyfe.
In the end Fremantle held onto top spot with Fyfe showing us all why he is the best player in the competition.
Result: Fremantle’s opponents won by 27 points.
Footnote: The author is hoping to get a job on the Channel Seven commentary team.
bryan
Guest
Yeah! 1139 lines positive modulation with AM sound!! Actually,the version which was finally used had 819 lines! In an analog TV system,you can only get more scanning lines (vertical resolution) by increasing the line frequency. This means you have to use more frequency spectrum ("bandwidth" in the real meaning of the word) for the same horizontal resolution as before,so increasing the number of lines isn't a magic way of increasing definition. The French dropped the 819 line system like a "hot spud" when 625 line SECAM came along. NTSC,SECAM,& PAL,although having less lines,were much more advanced technically than the earlier systems which were really just an extension of the same thinking which led to the UK 405 line system.
John Fedec
Guest
I agree with Murry , if I understand him correctly ! 576i is OBSOLETE The french were using a variant of HD back the 1940 with 1139 scanning lines ! we are WAY behind. Let's make 1080i the absolute minimum !!
Pete
Guest
Sorry took my chill pill. I was a bit over the top. Just very protective of Fremantle because I have seen them go through some bad times and I must admit the best commentators in football don’t show a hint of bias and that can be hard to do. Also enjoy the ROAR as you often have good AFL articles with fresh perspectives.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
See if you can get a transcript of the commentary. I've been watching the replay and paying attention to the commentary (the things we do!) and the content is definitely as pro-Richmond as it is the Dockers. The first three comments of the 3rd quarter were praising Richmond, they never really commented on some mysterious free-kicks that the Tigers were given and were keen to jump on a few that weren't. The reaction is definitely one of the "over" sort.
bryan
Guest
You all do realise that 7,72,& 73 are all the same Station? OK,maybe the Freo games are mostly on 73,but your TV isn't locked to 7! HD-v-SD?------from time to time,both formats are run with the same program- on related channels----it seems all you people with "golden eyes" can see the difference. when watching sport. I can't,even after working in TV for years--maybe because I like to watch the game. 7mate often show old games from the PAL days. Watching them verifies my feeling that the general standard of production is poorer these days. Modern cameras seem to be set up with "auto" settings which run into major problems when the picture includes a bright piece of grass,with the shadow of a grandstand falling over it. It doesn't know what to adjust the aperture & black levels for ,& ends up with anything along that line almost invisible Another thing is when the camera follows a ball from the ground to where the whole sunlit grandstand is in view. The camera saturates from the additional light level.. Earlier OB 's also gave a lot more closeups of the players,whereas the idea these days seems to be to watch coloured dots.
haydos
Guest
I found the picture quality better than usual, reason being it was on 7mate in Perth as a lot of games have been. Our timezone means a lot of Freo's games have gone to 7mate so not to clash with "normal" programming on 7. Not complaining :) but for some reason when it's a foxtel produced game on 7mate it seems a better quality picture than if its a 7 produced one. Maybe I'm wrong.
mikeh1980
Roar Rookie
Pete I guess you didn't watch Hawthorn V Port Adelaide earlier this year and then read/listen/hear the subsequent "outrage" about Brain Taylors bias toward Hawthorn. If you read the tweets and various media reporting of Channel 7 last Friday they were not critical that they talked up Freo because they are anti Freo. They were critical because the team was being belted yet remained the focus of the commentary team. Substitute any team 6-7 goals down being the focus and you get the same criticism: exhibit #1 Hawthorn as above. Take chill pill and take the blinkers off.
Shaw
Roar Rookie
I can't believe commercial free to air television is not of the highest possible quality and not annoying to anyone. They all have such high standards and their viewer's interests at heart. They are the bastion of all that is good and fair and trustworthy. If what you say is true it could be the beginning of the end of life as we know it. I'm to shocked to speak.
mikeh1980
Roar Rookie
Sent this in on Saturday when the game was still being discussed.7 were poor. As for Freo, I like Fyffe but as a non Freo supporter surprised the work of Sandilands to give him an armchair ride got less attention by commentators (though not in the coaches votes)
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
Yep the outraged preciousness of the reactions to the perceived bias is much funnier than any sarcastic digs, and the lack of self-awareness of where it sits in the broader scheme of hyperbole and "bias" is breathtaking.
Pete
Guest
Yes I get it - his sarcasm is the lowest form of wit (did I get that wrong?)– but seriously I have heard of Hawthorn payers described as so blessed with talent and being talked up with Greek God like abilities almost like the whole Hawthorn team is the commentators love children yet no one points out the bias because it’s a Victorian team and frankly it annoys me that when Fremantle is talked up the Victorian press don’t like it.
13th Man
Guest
i can't tell if your having a go at the Dockers or Channel 7 or both. If your having a go at Freo and our supporters, it's pretty sad really, we lose one game then all these victorians start telling us we're crap, can't win the premiership, sore losers etc. Has anyone remembered the first 9 games? One loss isn't the end of the world. If your having a go at 7 then thats ok. The fact that this was the first time they even broadcast the Dockers was pretty poor and the fact they Basil Zempilas commentating was even worse. I even started missing Eddie McGuire.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
What's that saying about sarcasm again?
Pete
Guest
Regarding footnote - Should try and get a job as a journalist first. Obviously a Victorian who plays dumb to bias commentating emanating constantly from that state.