Kelli Underwood
Encyclopedia
Kelli Underwood is a radio and television sports journalist and sportscaster
specialising in Australian rules football
. She is notable as being the first woman in history to call an Australian Football League
match on television which is seen by many as a landmark for women in Australian media for such a male dominated sport.
Underwood's work began in radio, starting out on a local radio station at Murray Bridge, South Australia
.
She moved to Melbourne and worked at Geelong station K-Rock before moving to 3AW
as a sports reporter and AFL match day reporter. There she joined Rex Hunt
commentating a match among much media fanfare.
Underwood's move into television began when she became a reporter for Ten News and Sports Tonight
.
She is also part of the ABC Radio
Grandstand team, working as a boundary rider and commentator.
During the Network Ten
broadcast of the 2009 NAB Cup
between Geelong
and the Adelaide Crows
, Underwood made history becoming the first woman to call an AFL match on television when she joined Tim Lane in commentary.
Channel Ten claimed her debut was a success, however that she would be used only on occasional matches during the NAB Cup.
She called her historic first AFL premiership season match on the 18th July 2009 - the Round 16 match between Geelong
and Melbourne
at Kardinia Park with Anthony Hudson
.
Underwood faced heavy criticism and in January 2011 Network Ten bowed to the pressure and relegated her to the position of boundary commentator. She will continue to call games on the radio for the ABC.
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
specialising in Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
. She is notable as being the first woman in history to call an Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
match on television which is seen by many as a landmark for women in Australian media for such a male dominated sport.
Underwood's work began in radio, starting out on a local radio station at Murray Bridge, South Australia
Murray Bridge, South Australia
Murray Bridge is the fourth most populous city in South Australia after Adelaide, Mount Gambier and Whyalla. It is located east-southeast of Adelaide and north of Meningie....
.
She moved to Melbourne and worked at Geelong station K-Rock before moving to 3AW
3AW
3AW is a talkback radio station in Melbourne, Australia on 693 kHz AM. It began transmission on 22 February 1932 as Melbourne's fifth commercial radio station.-History:...
as a sports reporter and AFL match day reporter. There she joined Rex Hunt
Rex Hunt
Rex James Hunt is an Australian television and radio personality, and a former Australian rules football player. He is an Australian rules football commentator, currently on the 1116 SEN radio station with son in law Lee Raynor conducting a program called Off The Hook. He is better known around...
commentating a match among much media fanfare.
Underwood's move into television began when she became a reporter for Ten News and Sports Tonight
Sports Tonight
Sports Tonight was an Australian sports information program broadcast on Network Ten . The program was broadcast on Weeknights at 10.30 pm; at 11.00pm , Fridays at 12.00am , and on Sunday from 7:30pm AEDT Sports Tonight was an Australian sports information program broadcast on Network Ten (and on...
.
She is also part of the ABC Radio
ABC Radio and Regional Content
ABC Radio and Regional Content is the division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation responsible for radio output and regional content.-Origins:...
Grandstand team, working as a boundary rider and commentator.
During the Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
broadcast of the 2009 NAB Cup
2009 NAB Cup
The 2009 NAB Cup is the Australian Football League pre-season competition that was played before the Australian Football League's 2009 Premiership season begins. It culminated with the Final on 13 March 2009 played between Geelong and Collingwood and was won by Geelong...
between Geelong
Geelong Football Club
The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
and the Adelaide Crows
Adelaide Crows
The Adelaide Football Club, nicknamed The Crows, is a professional Australian rules football club based in Adelaide, South Australia, playing in the Australian Football League ....
, Underwood made history becoming the first woman to call an AFL match on television when she joined Tim Lane in commentary.
Channel Ten claimed her debut was a success, however that she would be used only on occasional matches during the NAB Cup.
She called her historic first AFL premiership season match on the 18th July 2009 - the Round 16 match between Geelong
Geelong Football Club
The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
and Melbourne
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
at Kardinia Park with Anthony Hudson
Anthony Hudson
For the footballer of the same name see Anthony Hudson Anthony Hudson is an Australian rules football commentator on both television and radio.-Early career:...
.
Underwood faced heavy criticism and in January 2011 Network Ten bowed to the pressure and relegated her to the position of boundary commentator. She will continue to call games on the radio for the ABC.