Rugby league legend Phil Gould has been slammed over his commentary of the NRL grand final, with fans lining up to call out his seemingly evident anti-Melbourne ‘bias’.
Just days after calling the eventual premiers ‘overrated’ despite their incredible year, the ex-NSW coach again came under fire while covering the match for Channel Nine.
Perceiving there to be a bias against the Storm because of their success outside of a rugby league heartland, Victorian fans flooded social media to the Panthers legend.
With those tuning in to the decider including many non-NRL fans, neutral viewers of the match were clearly shocked by Gould’s commentary – including some big name AFL stars.
Channel Nine commentator and NRL legend Phil Gould (right) has been slammed over what was a perceived bias against the Melbourne Storm (left) during Sunday night’s NRL grand final
With those tuning in to the decider including many non-NRL fans, neutral viewers of the match were unimpressed by Gould’s commentary – including ex-AFL star Brendan Fevola (pictured)
‘Nothing better then hearing Gus Gould trying to make excuse about every team the storm plays. Suck it up Gus the Storm are the greatest,’ tweeted Brendan Fevola.
‘Seriously, if an AFL caller was as ridiculously hostile to a particular team as Gould is, they’d last five minutes. It’s comical,’ sports journalist Rohan Connolly said.
‘Gus Gould is hilarious. Cowboys also winners, Storm full of NSW guys – no mention of ones from QLD. He really doesn’t like Storm,’ former Olympian David Culbert said.
Despite his comments earlier in the week Gould was never specifically critical of the Storm during their dominant 34-6 win over the North Queensland Cowboys.
Instead viewers were aggrieved by the lack of compliments afforded to Melbourne in what was an almost flawless victory.
‘OK Phil Gould are we going to pretend you didn’t say this Storm side was overrated?’ one commenter wrote.
Gould was slammed for failing to praise the Storm in their almost flawless performance which came just days after he had called them ‘overrated’ and ‘beatable’ despite an impressive year
Gould (pictured) is a former NSW State of Origin coach and current general manager of football for Sydney-based club Penrith Panthers
‘Gus Gould’s commentary is about as exciting as a wet mop,’ former AFL player Josh Fraser wrote.
It comes a fortnight after AFL legend Garry Lyon also raised the topic on Melbourne radio after the Storm’s week one finals victory over Parramatta.
Lyon, himself a former Channel Nine commentator, accused the team of being part of a rugby league ‘Sydney mafia’ who are anti-Melbourne.
‘If Gus Gould wasn’t barracking for Parramatta to get over the line then I’m not here,’ Lyon told SEN.
‘It was almost nauseating to me. I think there is enormous envy about the Melbourne Storm from the Sydney football mafia.
‘The commentary comes out too during State of Origin. Those are the only games I watch — Melbourne Storm and State of Origin and I reckon you can tell who is NSW and who is Queensland.’
Melbourne clinched the premiership with an impressive 34-6 win over the North Queensland Cowboys