Lauren Wood leads Fox Footy’s Midweek Tackle: how to watch AFL coverage in the UK and New Zealand

Match date: 16 June 2026

Midweek Tackle is part of Fox Footy’s Tuesday night AFL coverage and, for viewers in Britain and overseas, it is available through Kayo Sports and Sky Sport 2 in New Zealand, with Lauren Wood fronting the programme. AFL.com.au lists Wood as the host of Midweek Tackle on Tuesday from 7:30pm, alongside regular contributors including Jon Ralph, Scott Gullan, Josh Barnes, Glenn McFarlane and Corbin Middlemas, while Kayo Sports also bills Wood with Gullan and Middlemas as the show’s core on-air team.[1][2]

The programme is designed as a weekly AFL news wrap, bringing together headlines, trade chatter and the biggest talking points ahead of the next round. Kayo’s description says the panel offers “inside word, scoops and headlines”, which fits Fox Footy’s broader approach of making its studio shows a mix of analysis, breaking news and debate rather than simple match reaction.[2]

For fans in the UK, the key point is that Fox Footy remains the central broadcaster for this content, with Kayo Sports carrying the live and on-demand feed and Sky Sport 2 providing access for New Zealand audiences. That matters because AFL media rights are often split by territory, and the easiest way to follow a specific studio programme such as Midweek Tackle is usually through the rights-holder’s streaming or pay-TV platform rather than a free-to-air service.[1][5]

Lauren Wood has become one of the recognisable faces of AFL media. AFL.com.au describes her as a “respected journalist”, and her role on Midweek Tackle positions her as the steady lead interviewer and presenter guiding a panel of specialist football writers and commentators through the week’s agenda.[1] That format is a good fit for Wood’s background, which is rooted in journalism rather than former-player analysis, giving the show a news-first tone that complements the more opinion-led contributions around her.[1][2]

The broader Fox Footy line-up for 2026 has also been publicised by AFL channels, underlining how central the network’s studio and commentary talent is to AFL coverage this season.[8] One notable addition mentioned by AFL.com.au is Shane Crawford, the Hawthorn premiership player who also has wide television experience through entertainment and lifestyle programming, showing how Fox Footy continues to blend football credentials with mainstream broadcast personalities.[1]

That mix of voices is part of why Midweek Tackle has found an audience beyond Australia. AFL is increasingly followed by British and global fans who want a regular, digestible way to keep up with clubs, trades and selection news, and a show hosted by a journalist like Wood is particularly useful because it packages the sport for viewers who may not follow every local detail day to day.[1][2][3]

Fox Footy has also been pushing short-form digital clips from the programme on social platforms and YouTube, which helps international audiences sample the debate even if they are not watching live.[4][6][7] In practical terms, the clearest way to watch is still via the broadcaster and its associated platforms, but the online clips also show how the AFL’s media ecosystem now reaches fans well beyond Australia’s traditional broadcast schedule.[2][5]

Midweek Tackle therefore sits squarely in Fox Footy’s premium AFL offering: a Tuesday night discussion show led by Lauren Wood, backed by experienced journalists and built for viewers who want the week’s football storylines broken down quickly and clearly.[1][2]

Article generated: 16 June 2026, 10:30 GMT