Phil Gould excluded from NRL Grand Final commentary for third year running
Channel 9 has left veteran commentator Phil Gould out of the NRL Grand Final broadcast team for the third consecutive year.
Phil Gould will not call this year's NRL Grand Final, continuing a three-year pattern of exclusion from the biggest broadcast. Channel 9 chose Newcastle legend Andrew Johns and former Queensland coach Billy Slater as expert commentators.
Mat Thompson will handle play-by-play. Gould will cover the State Championship final instead.
He will work alongside Storm legend Cameron Smith. That final is between Redcliffe and Penrith.
The move shows the broadcaster no longer ranks Gould among its top commentary talent. Gould faced heavy criticism after the 2020 Grand Final.
Fans said he seemed biased towards Penrith, his former club. Despite being retained for the 2021 decider, viewer complaints about bias led to his removal.
- Three consecutive years
- Years excluded
- Andrew Johns and Billy Slater
- Expert commentators chosen
- Mat Thompson
- Play-by-play caller
Why it mattersThis reflects how broadcasters assess commentary talent and manage perceptions of fairness, particularly when personal connections could bias coverage.
AustraliaAustralian NRL fans will see a different expert voice in the Grand Final booth, with Johns bringing neutral credentials after managing impartiality with Newcastle.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 2 h ago
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