Fox Sports fires up a new era of rugby league with '5 live' in 2012
In a landmark year for Rugby League, FOX SPORTS is firing up to make 2012 the most memorable and entertaining season on record adding a host of fresh faces and a renewed approach to its NRL coverage.
Headlining the new-look team is one of Australia’s most talented entertainers and Rugby League analysts, Matthew Johns, who joins FOX SPORTS exclusively for the 2012 season as the face of Monday Night Football and co-host of NRL on FOX.
Joining the former Knights, Blues and Kangaroos five-eighth at his new TV home is Dragons 2010 Premiership star Mark Gasnier, current Roosters skipper Braith Anasta, renowned League hard man Mark ‘MG’ Geyer, and experienced TV analyst and former Queensland utility Ben Ikin.
The first of 5 LIVE Round 1 encounters kicks off at 5.30pm AEDT this Saturday, when the Raiders host the Storm in the first match of a LIVE Super Saturday triple-header on FOX SPORTS 2HD & FOX SPORTS 2. The night’s action will continue when the Bulldogs visit the Panthers in a western Sydney showdown at 7.30pm AEDT and the Cowboys host the Titans in an all-Queensland tussle at 9.30pm AEDT.
The FOX SPORTS NRL Sunday team will then deliver all the action from a sold-out Leichhardt Oval from 2.00pm AEDT on Sunday when early Premiership favourites Wests Tigers take on the Sharks.
Then on Monday, Matthew Johns and his all-star panel deliver an hour of entertaining build up from 6.00pm AEDT LIVE from ANZ Stadium before handing over to Warren Smith and the commentary team for the year’s blockbuster opening Monday Night Football clash between the Rabbitohs and Roosters.
Monday Night Football is EXCLUSIVELY LIVE on FOX SPORTS, where Johns will join former Queensland enforcer Gorden Tallis and a third expert in the studio for each edition to preview and review the contest while Smith, Greg Alexander, Laurie Daley and Andy Raymond call the on-field action.
Flagship magazine show NRL on FOX will screen Wednesday nights at 7.30pm throughout the season, featuring an all-new panel headed by co-hosts Matthew Johns and Warren Smith, alongside Mark Geyer.
FOX SPORTS will also once again follow the game’s next generation of stars with LIVE and EXCLUSIVE coverage of the Toyota Cup.
In addition to LIVE television coverage of the Telstra Premiership, FOX SPORTS will provide exclusive online content including a ground-breaking Match Centre featuring detailed LIVE tracking and statistical analysis of each match. The FOX SPORTS commentary team will also be online regularly to provide hard-hitting opinion on the game’s biggest issues.
FOX SPORTS coverage of 5 LIVE matches every full round of the 2012 NRL Telstra Premiership is available in HIGH DEFINITION for FOXTEL and AUSTAR sports subscribers. NRL news and highlights feature daily throughout the season on FOX SPORTS News.
The complete FOX SPORTS NRL team for 2012 is: Matthew Johns, Warren Smith, Ryan Phelan, Mark Geyer, Laurie Daley, Greg Alexander, Gorden Tallis, Gary Belcher, Mark Gasnier, Braith Anasta, Ben Ikin, Brett Kimmorley, Matt Russell, Andy Raymond, Mark Braybrook and Lara Pitt.
