- Leigh Matthews leaves Channel 9
- Footy Great is calling for an end to his television career
- His departure follows the departure of other Channel 7 stars.
Leigh Matthews has joined the mass exodus at Nine, with the titanic football pundit calling it quits after an illustrious career behind the microphone.
According news.com.auMatthews’ appearance on Channel 9’s Footy Furnace on Sunday night was his last, with the 72-year-old stepping away from the AFL media.
He will not join his Nine colleagues Kane Cornes and Caroline Wilson in abandoning ship for rival broadcaster Seven, moves that have rattled the powers that be at Nine.
The media shake-up has been one of the most dominant storylines during the final series, with Eddie McGuire attacking those who left Nine’s flagship show Footy Classified, which he created 18 years ago.
“At the end of the season, you get rid of the clogging up the roster and put in the new superstars,” McGuire said on the Today show this week.
Leigh Matthews is leaving Channel 9, dealing another blow to the station
His departure follows the departures of Kane Cornes (left) and Caroline Wilson (right).
‘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.’
Bombers legend Matthew Lloyd remains the only surviving member of the Footy Classified line-up, with presenter Craig Hutchinson also leaving the show.
Matthews presented the Premiership Cup to Lions coach Chris Fagan in the Grand Final on Saturday and appeared on Seven during the 1990s, where he was a panellist on the analysis show Talking Footy.
He also commentated on select AFL matches for the network, before being lured to Nine.
Matthews is part of the 3AW commentary team and News Corp reports that he will not appear on television next year.
His departure from television screens will be a huge loss for football fans as Matthews is one of the most revered voices in football.
He won four premierships as a coach and another four as a player.