Channel Seven AFL commentator and ex-St Kilda player Nick Riewoldt was part of a surprising moment on Thursday night in Melbourne.
This took place just before they went live for an exciting game between Collingwood and Adelaide.
While Riewoldt was next to famous broadcaster Bruce McAvaney, getting ready for the live show, a fan unexpectedly came up from behind and grabbed him.
The fan shouted, “Heath Shaw, Heath Shaw … he snuck up like a librarian. “
This was a shout-out to a famous play by Heath Shaw against Riewoldt during the 2010 AFL Grand Final replay.
Riewoldt quickly turned and shoved the man away; later, Channel Seven explained this was a “natural reaction to protect those around him.”
The whole incident was filmed and shared on social media.
Channel Seven’s Sports Director Chris Jones spoke out, supporting Riewoldt’s response and highlighting the network’s focus on engaging with fans while keeping staff safe.
“We really enjoy being with the fans and feeling the energy – it makes it more fun for everyone and creates a better experience for viewers at home. That’s what makes covering these big events so amazing,” Jones said.
“But it’s also key that our crew feels secure in those situations.
We value connecting with fans, but any physical interaction that makes our team feel unsafe isn’t right.
We don’t accept violence in any way, and making sure everyone’s safe is our main priority. “
People all over Australia also backed Riewoldt’s response after seeing the video online.
“You can’t just touch someone like that, good reaction,” one person said.
“Hey, if a random guy came up to you and hugged you from behind, you wouldn’t just accept it,” another person added. “Normal reaction for anyone, don’t touch people you don’t know,” a third person commented.
Channel Seven supported Riewoldt, saying his reaction was a normal and human response.
Riewoldt, who just returned to Australia after living in Houston, Texas, joined Channel Seven’s commentary team for the 2025 season.
In July, Channel Seven host Andy Maher had a heated encounter with an AFL fan who had to be taken away by security during the Carlton versus Melbourne game at the MCG.
Footage showed the man, who was wobbling, get up and confront the well-known commentator while he watched the game.
We don’t know what the man said, but he was seen touching Maher’s shoulder during the incident, while other fans yelled for security to step in.
A woman was seen trying to calm things down before MCG security arrived and took the disruptive man away.
It was the final three minutes of the match, and I saw that two guys were really angry, Maher shared with News Corp back then.
