Channel Seven has sparked an online uproar over its AFL coverage after a commentator made a 'pathetic' joke about his wife's pregnancy live on air.

The controversy arose when former AFL premiership star Xavier Ellis made on-air comments about his heavily pregnant wife Emily during Saturday night's elimination final.

Ellis' joke that he'll be busy watching the races while his wife gave birth infuriated Channel Nine journalist Caroline Wilson, who described the comment as 'rubbish' and a 'boys club'.

Ellis apologised for the comments, but was also inundated with support from fans.

The controversial comment was made between quarters of the West Coast-Collingwood elimination final on Saturday, in a discussion between the studio and the boundary-side commentators.

'Isn't your much, much, much better half expecting?' Channel Seven presenter James Brayshaw asked Ellis.

Ellis replied: 'Yes, at the end of the month. I've scheduled that in for Derby Day, so I'll be watching the races while she gets to work.'

Wilson made her criticism in her 'Caro's Arrow' segment on Nine's Footy Classified on Monday night.

'How is it in a network where Daisy Pearce has become one of the best special commentators in the country, and the face of footy news is Jacqui Felgate, that we have to put up with rubbish like this?

'Enough of the boys club, lads … it was pathetic.'

Wilson began the segment moments earlier praising the rival network for their coverage during a turbulent season disrupted by COVID-19.

'Channel Seven and their footy coverage has been our friend all season. They haven't been perfect, but then, who has? Certainly not me, and they've made the best of a bad situation,' Wilson said. 

'To be fair, most of the best and biggest moments were given their due.'

Wilson ended her 60-second rant with a firm warning to her fellow co-hosts, who also appear on the light-hearted Sunday Footy Show on Nine.

'And Matthew (Lloyd), I've got my eye on your show on a Sunday — and you too Kane (Cornes) — so you won't be getting off lightly if you come up with that sort of stuff,' she warned.

Wilson's comments' sparked a response from Ellis, who apologised for any offence while providing context to his controversial comments.

He and his wife Emily are expecting their second child. 

'I want to apologise if anyone found the comments I made on Saturday night offensive. Obviously it wasn't my intention; maybe just a poor attempt at some poor humour,' Ellis explained in a video posted on late Monday night.

'Em's (first) labour went for 24 hours last time, and while she slept, I did indeed watch the races to pass the time. And this year, her caesarean is scheduled for Derby Day.

'So there's the connection. Maybe it was just a poor attempt at some humour, and I do apologise if someone was offended, and I can guarantee that Emily isn't.

'We're just both excited to welcome number two into the world.'

Ellis was flooded with messages of support from fans who insisted he didn't have to apologise.

'I’m really concerned for the world if a simple comment that is clearly a joke, which is also clearly an inside joke between you and your wife is deemed offensive by someone completely outside of the situation. Not sure how Caro is offended by this,' one fan commented.

Another added: 'But it’s your life...and your partners life...so pretty sure you’re allowed to joke about it if you’re both OK with it! Appreciate you trying to straighten it out mate but you have nothing to apologise for. We need more laughs in the world right now not less.'

Other dads shared their own sports watching moments while their partner was in labour. 

'Don’t listen to her rubbish..I watched day 3 of the Boxing Day text in 09 while the wife had our son..no issues from her so play on,' one commented.

Ellis played 120 AFL games, which included a premiership with Hawthorn in 2008.

He announced his retirement in early 2016 due to injury after two season stint with  West Coast.