- Footy Classified may not air on Tuesday night
- The broadcaster is also considering a last-minute change of hosting.
Channel Nine’s Footy Classified could reportedly be taken off air on Tuesday night after three of the show’s panel stars sensationally defected to Channel Seven ahead of the 2025 AFL season.
It would be a surprise move by the broadcaster ahead of Saturday’s grand final between the Sydney Swans and Brisbane Lions, with “crisis talks” taking place between broadcaster executives to determine the best course of action.
Former Port Adelaide champion Kane Cornes, veteran journalist Caroline Wilson and media presenter Craig Hutchison will all jump ship, with the latter using his television production company to help Seven’s football programming.
The trio were set to preview the AFL decider with Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd.
Lloyd was frustrated by the situation, telling 3AW Radio on Monday night: “I’m bitterly disappointed, but no one is bigger than the show.”
Footy Classified has been rescheduled for Tuesday this week following the Brownlow Medal celebration on Monday.
According News CorporationPlayers including Eddie McGuire, Geelong great Jimmy Bartel and football journalist Damian Barrett have all been told to stand by while the broadcaster examines their options.
Hutchison, along with Wilson, was one of the original panelists on Football classifieds, Now in its 18th season.
Channel Nine’s Footy Classified could be taken off air on Tuesday after stars Caroline Wilson, Craig Hutchison and Kane Cornes (pictured left to right) defected to Channel Seven ahead of the 2025 AFL season.
The trio were set to preview the AFL grand final with Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd (pictured), who told 3AW Radio he is “deeply disappointed but no one is bigger than the spectacle”.
Players including Eddie McGuire (pictured with wife Carla), Geelong great Jimmy Bartel and footy reporter Damian Barrett have all been told to be on standby on Tuesday.
Cornes, known for his outspoken views, announced his move in August.
He ruffled feathers at Seven before he even started at the broadcaster following his recent brutal takedown of Richmond legend Trent Cotchin.
“I got it (the criticism),” Cornes said on the show. Howie Games Podcast.
‘They (Seven) were really, really upset about that (the segment parodying Trent Cotchin).
“That made me feel a little guilty.”
This came after Cornes made a now-infamous video in which he mocked Cotchin’s pitch on camera in his new role as an AFL analyst.
“We arrived on Sunday and I had seen a video of Trent Cotchin. To be honest, I thought he was a mediocre product,” he explained.
‘Yes, Trent is new (to the media), I personally wouldn’t have put that on social media after seeing what it was, so I think they (the producers) let Trent down by doing that.
“We sometimes make fun of each other, so I thought, is there anything we can do with this Cotchin video? I didn’t really give the video a rating.
‘We put our minds together… and said, well, why don’t we film you (Kane) in a similar style, find the most boring play of the year and recreate what happened?
“I think I said to Matt (our producer), ‘Is this out of place? Is this too disgusting? ‘ And the consensus was, ‘No, it was kind of funny. ‘”
“Would it have been difficult for Trent to watch it? It’s possible. Do I regret doing it? No. I would do it again.”