Channel Nine’s football television bloodbath continues after AFL legend Leigh Matthews announced he was leaving.
Leigh Matthews, who joined the network this year to front new show Footy Furnace, will leave the show on Sunday night.
Matthews, 72, who was a prolific footballer before moving into coaching and commentator, has been poached by Channel Seven ahead of the 2025 season.
His departure is the latest setback for Nine, following the recent defection of Kane Cornes, Caroline Wilson and Craig Hutchison to Seven.
These departures leave Matthew Lloyd as the only remaining member of the Monday night Footy Classified panel.
Matthews, who has been officially recognized as the “Greatest Player of the 20th Century”, had made intermittent appearances on Seven since the 1990s, when he was also a panelist on analysis show Talking Footy.
Matthews has an unrivaled football career, having won four premierships as a coach (three with Brisbane from 2001 to 2003 and one with Collingwood in 1990), as well as four premierships as a player with Hawthorn.
Channel Nine now has a number of vacancies to fill, although Eddie McGuire downplayed the impact of losing veterans Caroline Wilson and Craig Hutchison, who had been with the network for 18 years.
Channel Nine’s football television bloodbath continues after AFL legend Leigh Matthews announced he was leaving. Leigh Matthews, who joined the network this year to front new show Footy Furnace, will leave the show on Sunday night. in the photo
“At the end of the season, you get rid of the chart-cloggers and the new superstars come in,” he said in a cheeky interview on the Today show.
‘And that’s what we’re doing. We actually ordered it when I was in Sydney. And it has been fantastic. And it’s great that Channel Copycat is taking something we’ve done for 18 years and putting it on the air,” McGuire added.
He Herald of the sun McGuire, previously reported, suggested there “may be legal action afoot” in the wake of Footy Classified panel stars Kane Cornes, Caroline Wilson and Craig Hutchison jumping ship.
Matthews, 72, who was a prolific footballer before moving into coaching and commentator, has been poached by Channel Seven ahead of the 2025 season.
Kane has already confirmed his move, while it is reported that Caroline is contracted to Nine until December.
His contract includes a restriction clause that would mean he would not be able to start with Seven until mid-2025.
Speaking in Melbourne at the Carbine Club lunch at Crown last Tuesday, Eddie was still unsure if the show would be broadcast on Tuesday night, saying tensions had risen.
‘Footy Classified tonight, we’re still not sure who will be there, I’m waiting for a phone call to come in as we speak.
“There may be some legal action afoot, things are getting very heated.”
Matthews’ departure is the latest setback for Nine, following the recent defection of Kane Cornes, Caroline Wilson and Craig Hutchison (all pictured) to Seven.
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