Leigh Matthews, one of Australian Football’s most decorated players and coaches, will join the Fox Footy commentary team for the first time on Thursday night as Brisbane takes on Collingwood in a blockbuster clash live and ad-break free during play on Kayo Sports.
Officially recognised as the greatest player of the 20th century for his role in four Hawthorn premierships between 1971 and 1983, ‘Lethal Leigh’ will share his unmatched insights and expertise with viewers throughout the Thursday Night Footy epic.
Matthews’ first match with Fox Footy is fitting - a top four clash between the AFL’s last two premiers, both of which he coached to a combined four premierships in 1990 (Collingwood), 2001, 2002 and 2003 (Brisbane) during his illustrious career.
He will be joined on Thursday at the Gabba by two of his former players, with Pies legend Nathan Buckley alongside him in the box and Lions great Alastair Lynch on the boundary. Mark Howard and Matt Hill will lead the call.
The Thursday Night Footy broadcast on Fox Footy, available on Kayo Sports, will be anchored by Sarah Jones, Jason Dunstall, David King, Leigh Montagna and Jon Ralph.
Matthews’ first game in commentary follows his Fox Footy debut with the On The Couch team on Monday, March 31. He will join that show once again next Monday, April 21 to review Round 6.
Steve Crawley, Managing Director Fox Sports, said:
“Leigh was a key off-season recruit for Fox Footy and what better game for him to add his voice than Brisbane v Collingwood on Thursday Night Footy.
“We’re excited to see this combination come to life in the commentary box, ‘Lethal’, Nathan Buckley and Alistair Lynch. We’ll all get a front seat to watch how they navigate the player-coach relationship while calling the game. Does coach still know best? We can’t wait.”
Fox Footy, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round of the 2025 AFL season live and with no ad-breaks during play. Every match on Fox Footy includes dedicated commentary and graphics.