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5 months ago
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Hundreds of footy fans have signed a petition calling for veteran AFL commentator Brian 'BT' Taylor to be stood down by Channel 7 after a call they have labelled biased from Friday night.
Taylor was part of the commentary panel for the Carlton versus Geelong clash when the moment occurred, with footy fans left shocked at his defence of Patrick Dangerfield who gave away a free kick for a dangerous tackle on Sam Walsh.
'Gee that almost looked like Paddy was trying to hold him up and Sam was trying to make contact with the ground,' he said on Channel 7 as replays rolled.
'But nevertheless I agree with the decision, dangerous tackle it was.'
That has resulted in footy fan Kent Hodder launching a petition to have Taylor removed from commentary because he claims AFL supporters have grown tired of his perceived 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 for Channel 7 to stand the veteran commentator down
'My love for watching footy has always been intertwined with the thrill of a good game and insightful commentary. Unfortunately, the latter has been consistently marred by the presence of Brian Taylor,' the petition reads.
'His biased viewpoints, lack of understanding of the rules, and overall incompetence have tarnished the enjoyment of countless games.
'His inability to fully comprehend and explain the rules causes confusion and casts doubt over his credibility.
'The role of a commentator is vital in providing accurate, unbiased, and insightful views to enhance the experience of watching the games and unfortunately, Brian Taylor is falling grossly short of this expectation.'
Taylor has come under fire for remarks made on air numerous times in the past.
He was suspended in 2014 for using a homophobic slur against then-Geelong player Harry Taylor
Taylor was being chaired from the field last weekend after his 150th game when the popular Cat player did an unusual wave to 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 was doing his 'Roaming Brian' section when he failed to recognise Australian Test cricket player Matthew Wade and asked Collingwood star if he was his brother.
Taylor faced criticism earlier in the season for his favorable commentary towards Essendon player Jake Kelly during the Anzac Day clash.
He also received backlash from fans for his biased commentary during Collingwood's win over Melbourne in last season's finals.
However his comments about Walsh were also supported by Hawks champion and footy commentator Luke Hodge.
'I thought he did everything he could do to protect him,' Hodge said at quarter time on Channel 7's coverage.
Taylor added: 'So do I.'
Hodge continued: 'He dropped his body weight, had his bum to the ground first it was just that last head flick that the umpire saw.'
English (US)