Channel Nine’s football TV massacre continues after AFL legend Leigh Matthews announced he was leaving.
Leigh Matthews, who joined the network this year to helm the new Footy Furnace show, is leaving the program on Sunday night.
Matthews, 72, who was a prolific footballer before turning to coaching and commentary, has been poached by Channel Seven ahead of the 2025 season.
His departure is the latest setback for Nine, following the recent defections of Kane Cornes, Caroline Wilson and Craig Hutchison to Seven.
The departure leaves Matthew Lloyd as Footy Classified’s only remaining panellist on Monday evening.
Matthews, who has been officially recognized as the ‘best player of the twentieth century’, has appeared on Seven intermittently since the 1990s, when he was also a panellist on the major analysis show Talking Footy.
Matthews boasts an unparalleled football career, with four premierships as a coach (three at Brisbane from 2001 to 2003 and one at Collingwood in 1990), along with four premierships as a player at Hawthorn.
Channel Nine now has several vacancies to fill, although Eddie McGuire played down the impact of losing long-time veterans Caroline Wilson and Craig Hutchison, who had been with the network for 18 years.
Channel Nine’s football TV massacre continues after AFL legend Leigh Matthews announced he was leaving. Leigh Matthews, who joined the network this year to helm the new Footy Furnace show, is leaving the program on Sunday night. Pictured
“At the end of the season you get rid of the list cloggers and move in the new superstars,” he claimed in a cheeky interview on the Today show.
‘And that’s what we do. We actually commissioned it when I was in Sydney. And it was fantastic. And it’s great that Channel Copycat is just putting something we’ve been doing for 18 years on the air,” McGuire added.
The Herald Sun previously reported McGuire suggested ‘legal action could take place’, 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 turning to coaching and commentary, has been poached by Channel Seven ahead of the 2025 season
Kane has already confirmed his move, while Caroline is reportedly under contract with Nine until December.
Her contract includes a restraint clause, which means she cannot start at Seven until mid-2025.
Speaking in Melbourne at the Carbine Club Lunch at Crown last Tuesday, Eddie was still unsure whether the show would air on Tuesday night as tensions had risen.
“Footy Classified tonight, who’s going to be joining us, we’re still not sure, I’m waiting for a call as we speak.
“Maybe legal action will be taken, it’s all going to be very exciting.”
Matthews’ departure is the latest setback for Nine, following the recent defections of Kane Cornes, Caroline Wilson and Craig Hutchison (all pictured) to Seven
.
