- An incident happened during Carlton’s big win
- Saw Geelong veteran in hot water for dangerous tackle
- Petition launched accusing the commentator of perpetuation
Hundreds of football fans have signed a petition calling for the sacking of veteran AFL commentator Brian ‘BT’ Taylor by Channel 7 following a call they branded as biased on Friday evening.
Taylor was part of the commentary panel for the clash between Carlton and Geelong when the moment occurred, leaving footy fans shocked at his defense of Patrick Dangerfield, who gave away a free-kick after a dangerous tackle on Sam Walsh.
“Gosh, that almost looked like Paddy was trying to hold him down and Sam was trying to make contact with the ground,” he said on Channel 7 as the replays rolled in.
‘But I still agree with the decision, it was a dangerous tackle.’
That has led to footy fan Kent Hodder launching a petition to have Taylor removed from commentary, claiming AFL supporters have grown tired of his alleged bias.
The backlash against AFL commentator Brian Taylor came after his comments about this Patrick Dangerfield tackle on Sam Walsh
Hundreds of signatures have been collected calling on Channel 7 to reject the veteran commentator
‘My love for watching football has always been intertwined with the excitement of a good match and insightful commentary. Unfortunately, the latter is consistently marred by the presence of Brian Taylor,” the petition reads.
“His biased views, lack of understanding of the rules and overall incompetence have diminished the enjoyment of countless games.
“His failure to fully understand and explain the rules is causing confusion and casting doubt on his credibility.
‘The role of a commentator is vital in providing accurate, unbiased and insightful opinions to enhance the experience of watching the matches, and unfortunately Brian Taylor has fallen grossly short of this expectation.’
Taylor has come under fire several times in the past for comments made on air.
He was banned in 2014 for making homophobic comments against then Geelong player Harry Taylor
Taylor was taken off the field after his 150th game last weekend when the popular Cat player made an unusual wave at the crowd.
While watching the vision on Channel 7’s Saturday Night Footy panel, Taylor called him ‘a big p**fter’.
Taylor was a fierce part of the Collingwood Magpies in his playing days and wears his heart on his sleeve
In 2023, the commentator did his ‘Roaming Brian’ section when he failed to recognize Australian Test cricketer Matthew Wade and asked the Collingwood star if he was his brother.
Taylor was criticized earlier this season for his favorable comments on Essendon player Jake Kelly during the Anzac Day clash.
He was also criticized by fans for his biased commentary during Collingwood’s victory over Melbourne in last season’s final.
However, his comments about Walsh were also backed by Hawks champion and footy commentator Luke Hodge.
“I thought he did everything he could to protect him,” Hodge said during the quarter-final on Channel 7’s coverage.
Taylor added, “Me too.”
Hodge continued, “He dropped his body weight, putting his butt on the ground first. It was just that last head movement that the referee saw.”