Football television has been part of the fabric of the game for almost 70 years.
Shows have sprawled over every night of the week, ranging from prime-time panel slots, breaking news, analysis and comedy. All had their niche, and with that, the interest from the fans.
Trying to rank the greatest football programs of all time is no easy task. Some changed the way the game was discussed. Some entertained generations of supporters.
But who takes the cake as the best of the best?
These are the greatest footy shows ever produced.
8The Front Bar — Channel 7, 2015-present
The Front Bar gets its spot because it did what Seven had been trying to do for years: finally land a proper weekly footy entertainment show. It's also bloody great.
It started humbly as Friday Front Bar on the AFL website in 2015, before Seven picked it up in 2016 and eventually turned it into a prime-time Thursday night fixture.
After years of Seven trying to crack the code with shows like Four Quarters, Live and Kicking, The Game and The Bounce, this was the one that actually worked.
Andy Maher, Mick Molloy and Sam Pang found the sweet spot: pub chat, sharp gags, old players, nostalgic clips and just enough footy to make it feel legitimate. It was loose without being a shambles, affectionate without being too soft, and funny without trying to be The Footy Show 2.0.
Most impressively, it went head-to-head with Nine's once-almighty Footy Show and beat it, helping finish a 25-year Thursday night dynasty. A modern throwback, and a very good one.
