Luke and Sam Darcy: Footy star reveals the family dilemma that made him quit his job as one of the AFL’s most popular TV commentators
AFL commentator and Bulldogs legend Luke Darcy has spoken about his decision to walk away from the media, revealing the ‘uncomfortable’ family dilemma that forced him to give up his job with Channel Seven.
Darcy, 49, racked up 226 games for the Bulldogs before retiring in 2007 and entering the media.
He went on to become one of the game’s most popular commentators, working for Network 10, Triple M and Channel Seven, before shocking the footy world in 2024 by deciding to walk away from it all.
Darcy revealed that he knew he needed the change after Seven required him to work on a game that his son, Western Bulldogs star Sam, was playing in – despite the fact he asked not to cover it.
‘I was very conscious of giving clear air to him and it was getting uncomfortable,’ Darcy explained to Dylan Buckley on his Dyl & Friends podcast.
‘I’d been at Seven for years and suddenly you’re rostered on a game your son’s playing. I said, “Hard no, I’m not doing it”, and understandably (they’re) going we’ve paid you … we’d like you do it.
Luke Darcy (pictured left with Joel Selwood) was one of the game’s most popular commentators before shocking the footy world in 2024 and walking away from the media
Darcy said his shock decision was made after Channel Seven required him to work on a game that his son Sam (pictured together) was playing in
‘Had a fairly healthy debate around not doing it, I did it once and I just regretted it straight away. That made it easier wanting to give him as much space as I could as well.’
Darcy explained that he also wanted to spend more time with his wife Bec and pursue other interests.
‘I felt like I’d had this great chapter and I’d been unbelievably lucky to fall into the Triple M footy with those guys, it’s about as much fun you can have,’ he said.
‘From the age of 17 to I’m turning 50 in a couple of months time, all my winter months had been on a plane and travelling and that was the main decision. Unbelievable wife who’s a superstar, who I genuinely love spending time with.
‘I just felt like there were some other chapters of passion I wanted to pursue. There’s some stuff in the business world that I was really loving. Can I buy back all that time?
‘Would I regret not calling another 100 AFL games? No. Would I regret not jumping into that pond and have a crack … bit of the unknown, stuff I love, trying to build something I’ve been working on.
‘It’s nice to do it on your own terms. You don’t get to do that too often in that space. You normally get sacked.’
Meanwhile, Darcy’s son Sam is expected to be sidelined for two to three months with a knee injury.
Darcy (pictured with family) said that he also wanted to spend more time with his wife Bec and pursue other interests
Sam Darcy injured his knee two weeks ago but is expected to be back in two or three months
The Bulldogs feared the worst when Darcy went down clutching the knee during last month’s 71-point thrashing of St Kilda.
Scans cleared the 21-year-old key forward of damage to his anterior cruciate ligament, which would have ruled him out for the rest of the year.
But he suffered an impaction fracture at the front of his knee and associated ligament damage at the back of his knee.
Darcy kicked 38 goals in a breakout campaign last year and added 14 as the Bulldogs’ most prolific forward through their first five games this season.
Widely regarded as a generational talent, Darcy signed a four-year contract extension with the Bulldogs last December, which ties him to the club until the end of 2029.
