IN AN AFL Grand Final first, the National Indigenous Radio Service (NIRS) will showcase an all-indigenous commentary team for Saturday's clash between West Coast and Collingwood.

Chris Johnson, who won three premierships with Brisbane, will host the call, alongside former Sydney, Adelaide and Collingwood defender Tony Armstrong.

Johnson's triple-premiership teammate, Darryl White, will join Nathan Lovett-Murray (ex-Essendon), Josh Hill (Western Bulldogs/West Coast) and Chris Egan (Collingwood) as the broadcast's experts.

Andrew Underwood, the broadcast rights holder for AFL Indigenous Broadcasting, said putting together the all-Indigenous commentary team was a significant event for indigenous affairs in sport.

"It's massive – a huge occasion," said Underwood, who played 24 games for Essendon and Richmond from 1989-91.  

"People probably underestimate how under-represented indigenous people are. We represent less than two per cent of the population.

"Fifty per cent of the NIRS is indigenous, [while on Saturday] our entire crew will be indigenous, including our producer – and station manager at Brisbane's 98.9FM - Dan Rennie.

"We have created an avenue for other Indigenous people to be involved," he said.

"The aim of the NIRS is to provide past indigenous players a platform to explore media opportunities."

Until NIRS's broadcast restrictions were lifted last year and AFL Indigenous Broadcasting became available to all licensed community broadcasters nationally, it had been forced to rely on its major sponsors, Virgin Australia and Bendigo Bank.

Distributing AFL content for more than 200 community stations nationwide, the NIRS reaches an average weekend audience of 700,000 but Underwood believes that number could exceed one million during Saturday's Grand Final broadcast.

"When we got our licence back in the 1990s, we were calling one game a weekend to small audiences," Underwood said.

"We then grew to broadcasting three or four games per weekend to Brisbane.

"We're now heard in areas as remote as the Kimberley (in Western Australia) and as mainstream as Bendigo and Shepparton (Victoria).

"[We want to] take footy where people can't get it. It just shows how far we've come as a radio service. Saturday will be a celebration of our year."

Underwood believes Armstrong – who only started commentating this year – has transitioned into the role seamlessly.

"Tony has an insightful knowledge of the game and he's adapted really well to radio," Underwood said.

"His first call was only six-to-eight weeks ago, and he's taken to it like a duck to water."

Tony Armstrong celebrating his first win as a Magpie. Picture: AFL Photos

After playing 35 games for three AFL clubs in six seasons, Armstrong has relished the opportunity to broadcast the game he loves and is excited what the future holds.

"I knew I was never going to be a superstar," Armstrong said.

"Most footballers don't finish up on their own terms very often, which can leave them frustrated … but I was pretty content when I finished up.

"When I was given the opportunity to do special comments (on the NIRS), I immediately fell in love with it.

"I love the live theatre of commentating and the challenge of trying to describe a game really crisply in a concise manner which the listener can enjoy.

"I'd love to do commercial radio and if an opportunity came up at Channel 7 or Fox Footy, I'd jump at it with both hands."

Armstrong revealed Triple M commentator Brian Taylor – winner of the 'Most Outstanding Caller (radio)' award at this month's recent Australian Football Media Association awards – had been imparting his knowledge.

"Brian, (ex-League ruckman Peter) 'Crackers' Keenan, Peter Cardamone and Barry Denner have all been great and given me advice when it comes to calling," he said.

"(They have said to) try and relax, stick with your mechanics and call a second behind the game."

Johnson, who will draw on his 264 games and three premierships worth of experience, says the key to an engaging commentary team is the group's chemistry.

"Knowing who the people are in the box is really important," Johnson said.

"We're calling for someone without a set of eyes – to give them the sense that they're at the MCG on Saturday."

Johnson said Armstrong had a "real knack" for commentating and that it had earned him an opportunity to provide special comments for Triple M this season.

"I've been (commentating) for four years, but Tony certainly looked more comfortable coming into the commentary space than myself," Johnson said.

And while Armstrong is excited about making history on Saturday, he believes there should be more indigenous talent on commercial airwaves.

"Unfortunately, we don't see [much of] that," he said.

"We've come a long way in our game in terms of on-field, but there's still a long way to go in the media arena.

"There are so many talented indigenous men and women out there; I don't think it's a [supply of] talent issue."

After two anti-climactic preliminary finals, Armstrong hopes the Grand Final produces something memorable.

"It's going to be an incredible game. I think it will go right down to the wire," he said.

"But I think West Coast will get up – their tall forward line might stretch Collingwood's back six."

And when Armstrong was asked whether there'd be a rivalry with colleague Johnson to call the game's final moments, he said: "Absolutely not… 'Johno' can have it. He's the master and I'm the apprentice."

The NIRS broadcast can be heard on Saturday across more than 200 community radio stations, including Brisbane's 98.9FM, Cairns' Bumma Bippera Media 98.7FM, Sydney's SWR 99.9, Shepparton's ONE FM 98.5 and Bendigo's Fresh FM 105.1 (from noon AEST); Alice Spring's CAAM Radio (from 11.30am ACST); Perth's 91.3 Sport FM and the Kimberley's Waringarri Radio 6WR (from 10am AWST) or via radioau.net/national-indigenous-service (from noon AEST).