Jimmy Bartel leads 3AW Sports Today AFL coverage as Round 22 gets underway
Match date:
Jimmy Bartel fronts 3AW Sports Today on 3AW (Melbourne) for today’s AFL coverage, with Jack Silvagni and Cal Twomey joining as pundits for the build-up to Round 22. For listeners in the UK, the key detail is that this is radio coverage rather than a TV broadcast, so fans outside Australia will need access to the relevant AFL audio or streaming options rather than a British channel package.
The AFL Round 22 fixture includes Western Bulldogs v North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium on Thursday 6 August, with the game listed at 7:30pm AEST in multiple fixture listings, which converts to 10:30am UK time. ESPN’s UK schedule and other fixture guides both show the Thursday night clash at Marvel Stadium, confirming the match sits at the centre of the day’s AFL conversation. AFL fixture details can also be checked through the competition’s official listings.
Jimmy Bartel brings high-level playing and analytical experience to the programme. A Geelong great and former Brownlow medallist, Bartel has built a strong media career after retirement, becoming one of the more respected voices in Australian football for his direct, tactical commentary and calm presenting style. His background gives 3AW Sports Today a clear blend of insight and authority that suits live AFL discussion.
Jack Silvagni adds recent first-hand football knowledge and club perspective. As a Carlton-connected football figure and former AFL player, Silvagni is able to offer the modern-player view on form, structure and selection, which is particularly useful in the middle of a season when teams are managing injuries, rest and finals pressure. His presence also broadens the discussion beyond match previews into player roles and club identity.
Cal Twomey is one of the AFL media’s best-known news breakers and list experts. He has developed a reputation for draft coverage, trade reporting and selection analysis, and his commentary typically adds a recruitment-and-strategy layer to team discussions. That makes him a strong fit for a programme like this, where listeners want both match detail and the wider context around list management and late-season decisions.
Round 22 itself is packed with significant fixtures across the weekend, including Brisbane Lions v Hawthorn, Melbourne v Fremantle, Sydney Swans v Port Adelaide, and West Coast Eagles v Collingwood, alongside the Western Bulldogs-North Melbourne game highlighted in the Thursday schedule. Fixture listings from ESPN, Sporting News and other AFL schedule guides all place these matches across Thursday to Sunday, showing how the round is spread across the Australian sporting week.
For international audiences, this programme matters because it provides a strong route into the AFL narrative even if the match itself is not on a UK free-to-air channel such as BBC, Sky, ITV or TNT. Australian radio and AFL-specific streaming services remain the most relevant ways to follow the discussion live from outside Melbourne, while the official AFL and broadcast schedules remain the best source for confirmed times and coverage details.
With Bartel anchoring the show, Silvagni offering playing experience, and Twomey delivering news and list expertise, 3AW Sports Today is positioned as a useful AFL listen for fans wanting informed commentary on Round 22, team form and the broader shape of the 2026 premiership race.
Article generated: 6 August 2026, 09:00 GMT