Channel 7 AFL commentator James Brayshaw has denied claims of bias surrounding his call of the Anzac Day draw between Essendon and Collingwood.
He was accused of an “over-the-top appreciation” of Bombers defender Jake Kelly in a column by long-time journalist Mark Robinson this week.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: James Brayshaw denies ‘bias’ claims.
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The commentator had described Kelly as “reliable” after a mark and then praised his performance as “really good”.
“Well it won’t surprise anyone to know I haven’t read the article,” Brayshaw said on Talking Footy.
“But is that it? Those two grabs after shot-listing a whole game? Is there anything wrong with saying that? Back half of the game, I thought (Kelly) was really good.”
It was argued by Robinson “that Brayshaw is a great mate” of Kelly’s father Craig, the Collingwood chief executive, “might or might not have played a role” in the commentary.
But that was news to Brayshaw.
“No (we’re not great mates). He rang me today and said ‘since when have we been mates?’ And he was spot on, I said ‘I don’t know!’” he said.
Brayshaw is two decades into a TV and radio career that straddles his stint as North Melbourne president.
But “the thing that amazes” him is not being accused of bias for apparent links to the Kangaroos or other club identities.
“I’ve had the best part of a decade of calling two blokes with the same surname,” Brayshaw said of his nephews Angus and Andrew.
Angus debuted for Melbourne in 2015 and retired ahead of this season because of concussion concerns, while Andrew has become one of Fremantle’s leading lights since his debut in 2018.
“I’ve known them not since quite they came out of their mum but not long after that. I just think it’s a nonsense,” Brayshaw said.
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Brayshaw said he will not apologise for praising any footballer who deserves it.
“This game’s about the players,” he said.
“The players who play this game are magnificent athletes, they play a very difficult game and they do it superbly.
“If BT (Brian Taylor) or myself or anyone else is guilty of really enjoying how football’s played by modern footballers then I’m pretty happy to cop it.”
The topic had been broached on Talking Footy by Essendon great Tim Watson, who expanded on his view on Thursday morning.
“I’m still staggered that somebody would sit down like Robbo would and write an article like that and his two main points be as innocuous as the two major points that he made,” Watson said on SEN.
“They were just nothing things.
“How could this have possibly been something that somebody needed to write about given you’re the chief football writer of the Herald Sun? That’s a question. Is there an answer or not?”
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