Before the Game
The logo for Before the Game
Also known as	After the Game
Written by	Paul Calleja Adam Rozenbachs
Directed by	Peter Ots
Country of origin	Australia
Language(s)	English
Production company(s)	Roving Enterprises
Broadcast
Original channel	Ten
Original airing	1 March 2003
Status	On going

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 and Molloy replaced co-hosts Anthony Hudson and Peter Helliar at the end of 2005 and 2007 respectively.^[1]

[edit] After the Game

Before the Game first aired during 2003 as After the Game. Originally, it was a half-hour broadcast following the Saturday night AFL match, aired at either 10.30 pm or 11.00 pm (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.

[edit] Before the Game

Following the show's success in its late timeslot, it was moved to a 6.30 pm time slot in 2004. 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 (it is delayed in Sydney often after midnight but is shown at the earlier time on Ten's HD channel). A post-match show called The Fifth Quarter is screened after the match.

Before the Game can be heard through simulcast on Nova 100.

[edit] Recurring Segments

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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.

[edit] Bryan Strauchan

A regular segment on the show follows talentless, egotistical, blonde, overweight youngster Bryan Strauchan (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".

[edit] 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 invloves the Australia, Age and Herald Sun, and are totally fictional.

[edit] 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.

[edit] Tool of the Week

The Tool of the Week, the most popular segment of the show^{[citation needed]}, is an award given by Dave Hughes 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".

[edit] Lehmo's Footy Clinic

In this segment Lehmo talks about a particular football skill, then shows footage of a player embarrassingly stuffing it up.

[edit] Fitzy's Make A Wish Foundation

Ryan Fitzgerald 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 and Adam Selwood.

[edit] Production details

Before the Game is produced by Roving Enterprises, the TV production company owned by Rove McManus, an Australian television personality who appears on his own comedy/interview show Rove, formerly known as Rove Live. Peter Helliar and Dave Hughes are also regulars on the show.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Before the Game