Footy TV ratings battle: The ratings and reviews are in

Channel Nine’s revamped Footy Show has been comprehensively beaten by The Front Bar ahead of the first round of AFL.

The Footy Show, which had the top-rating Married At First Sight as its lead-in, pulled 193,000, compared to Front Bar’s 278,000.

Reviews of the rejuvenated program, which no longer features long-time regular Sam Newman, have been mixed but generally more favourable than recent iterations.

3AW Breakfast entertainment reporter Peter Ford said the new team — Lehmo, Neroli Meadows, Brendan Fevola, Shane Crawford and Dylan Alcott — had immediate chemistry.

Compelling stuff from Fev last night on the #9AFLFootyShow. Took a lot of people with him. #AFL pic.twitter.com/Wn2ZpXOOcd

— The AFL Footy Show (@AFLFootyShow) March 20, 2019

“Last night I thought there was a great comfort to them all; maybe too much,” he said.

“Some of the blow-back is suggesting there was too much laughter, seemingly forced laughter.”

Click PLAY to hear Peter Ford’s review