The most diverse and progressive halftime show in AFL Grand Final history has been savaged by viewers as 'worse than Meatloaf's' disastrous 2011 performance.
First Nations performers were given the spotlight during the Geelong vs Sydney clash at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday, but some disgruntled fans called it a 'woke' move designed to 'tick boxes'.
Aussie rock band Goanna led the halftime performance with their 1982 hit Solid Rock, before being joined by Indigenous artists including Christine Anu, Emma Donovan, Tasman Keith and William Barton.
Indie rockers The Temper Trap also performed with Indigenous stars Budjerah and Ngaiire.
Adding more diversity to the halftime line-up was nonbinary singer G Flip, who uses they/them pronouns and is dating American reality star Chrishell Stause from Netflix's Selling Sunset.
G Flip opened her performance with a roaring drum solo, before later returning to belt out Jet's Are You Gonna Be My Girl, which may have been a reference to her relationship with Stause.
Christine Anu and Emma Donovan were then introduced with a didgeridoo solo, which bled into Goanna's Solid Rock.
While some viewers were no doubt happy to see underrepresented minority groups taking centre stage, others called it 'woke' and said the vocals weren't up to scratch.
The pitchy vocals may have been due to the notoriously poor acoustics at the MCG, where artists have been known to struggle to hear themselves during performances in the past.
'That halftime show was pretty bad, felt like they were trying to be woke. Was it just me?' one viewer complained.
'Dreadful halftime show at the @AFL Grand Final. More about ticking boxes then entertainment! We get lectured to everyday bit over it coming into sport,' another tweeted.
'This woke halftime show was terrible. If you're going to go woke at least be good,' raged one footy fan.
'AFL half time entertainment all about pushing Indigenous politics. The group is horrendous. So predictable,' said another.
Some branded the halftime show worse than Meatloaf's infamous performance at the 2011 AFL Grand Final.
'That AFL rendition of Goanna’s Solid Rock, was the worst I’ve ever heard,' tweeted one viewer. 'Their performance was worse than Meatloaf's.'
Several fans said they were shocked by the quality of the halftime show after the AFL just signed a record-breaking new television deal.
Earlier this month, the league renewed its domestic broadcast deals with pay-TV network Foxtel, free-to-air broadcaster Channel Seven and telecommunications company Telstra, penning a seven-year contract worth a whopping AUS$4.5billion.
Despite the backlash, a few fans enjoyed the performance.
'Good half show,' tweeted one, while ABC reporter Daniel Miles wrote: 'Solid Rock! Chills… that was epic.'
'G Flip doing Jet’s "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" is deliciously cheeky. Also historical, they’re the first nonbinary artist to play the #AFLGrandFinal Half Time Show!' said another viewer.
It was quite the change from previous Grand Final halftime shows.
In 2021, alternative rock band Birds of Tokyo performed with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra. Before that, Sheppard performed with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.
Earlier in the day, English pop legend Robbie Williams had opened the Grand Final with a spine-tingling setlist that included all of his biggest hits, as well as a cover of John Farnham's You're the Voice.
He began with his 1997 hit Let Me Entertain You, before launching into another crowd pleaser, Rock DJ, as the sold-out crowd got pumped up for the historic showdown between the Sydney Swans and Geelong Cats.
The most incredible moment of the performance was his rendition of the ballad Angels, which he dedicated to late cricket legend Shane Warne.
He described his friend Warne as 'one of Australia's greatest rock stars' as the cameras cut to the Spin King's grieving son Jackson in the crowd at the world-famous sporting ground.
'Love you, Warnie,' Williams added.
After this, he paid tribute to Farnham - who was recently diagnosed with oral cancer - with a stirring performance of his signature song You're the Voice, which had the whole crowd singing along in unison.
'I want everyone to sing along to this. The next song is the unofficial national anthem of Australia,' he said, before adding: 'Let's all send our love to John and his family.'
Williams also performed one of his new songs, Lost, joking to the audience that 'we'll get through it together' since many in attendance most likely didn't know the tune.
He then 'got back to the hits' with an emotional rendition of Feel.
Williams ended the set with Kids, his 2000 chart-topping duet with Kylie Minogue, with Delta Goodrem standing in for the pop princess.
The former Take That band member donned a hot pink ensemble for the pre-show as he whipped the crowd into an energetic frenzy.
He was surrounded by back-up dancers in skintight gold bodysuits and silver spacesuits, along with a live band.
Williams had teased a potential Grand Final reunion with Minogue a few weeks ago during an interview with Fox Melbourne.
'I need to ask her,' he said cheekily. 'Maybe I should do that on this radio show right here, right now. Kylie, please come and sing with me. I’d love it if you did.'
Minogue didn't end up joining him on stage, with Goodrem instead providing the female vocals for Kids.
The reaction to the pre-show was overwhelmingly positive, with fans saying Williams and Goodrem 'nailed it' and others even rating it the best AFL Grand Final performance ever.
Williams' performance was followed by a rendition of the Australian national anthem by singer Katie Noonan.
The acclaimed jazz and classical singer was joined by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra to perform Advance Australia Fair, which was arranged by composer Chong Lim.
Her performance divided fans, with many either loving or hating Katie's signature soprano falsetto.
'Katie Noonan should be charged. She just murdered Advance Australia Fair,' tweeted one disgruntled viewer.
'Worst rendition of the Australian National Anthem in history by @KTNoonan started out at dolphin decibel,' added another.
'Nice work Katie Noonan - a National Anthem that's not chronically drawn out, full of Australian Idol vocal licks, and is actually sung simply and beautifully,' added one.
'Wow Ms Noonan who just sang the National Anthem. What a great job!!!!!' gushed another.
There was also a heartwarming pre-game moment when Joel Selwood of the Geelong Cats carried retired player Gary Ablett Jr.'s son Levi onto the field.
Three-year-old Levi was diagnosed in 2020 with a rare degenerative illness that leaves him with less resistance to naturally fight illnesses compared to healthier children.
Ablett's model wife Jordan has previously said it is unlikely the couple's eldest child will ever learn to talk.
