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.
6Before The Game — Channel 10, 2003-2013
An absolute staple of the Channel 10 era, Before The Game was the footy show that never tried to be too important, which is exactly why everyone loved it.
Debuting in 2003 as After The Game in a late Saturday night slot, Ten soon shifted it between its Saturday afternoon and Saturday night broadcasts, where it became the perfect warm-up act. It was cheap, cheerful and built around one very simple idea: footy is supposed to be fun.
With Peter Helliar, Dave Hughes, Lehmo and Mick Molloy alongside Sam Lane and Andy Maher, the show found the sweet spot between fan chat, comedy and actual footy.
Segments like Tool of the Week became regular fixtures, while Helliar's creation of Collingwood's prized recruit Bryan “Strauchanie” Strauchn became one of the great cult characters of 2000s footy television.
Players, coaches and officials genuinely seemed to enjoy coming on, and the show always felt like it had access to more than just the standard highlights reel.
When Ten lost the footy rights at the end of 2011, Before The Game battled on for two more seasons before being caught up in the network's brutal cost-cutting and axed in 2013. At its heart, it was a show about being a fan, loving the game and laughing at the circus around it. No wonder it is remembered so fondly.
