Seven reveals new host for agenda-setting AFL show, as Age makes a splash

McClure first joined The Age in 2016 and resigned from a full-time role in 2022. In his return to the masthead as senior sports affairs journalist he will cover the big stories in AFL and explore the stories and the people behind major sporting events, including the Australian Open tennis and the Formula 1 Grand Prix, and their part in Australia’s sporting landscape.

“It’s truly an honour to come back to The Age and work alongside Australia’s best journalists,” McClure said.

“The Age holds a particularly special place in my heart given my father Geoff’s history with the masthead. To be able to follow in his footsteps means more to me than I’m able to put into words. I’m looking forward to getting my teeth stuck in and what better way to start than with the Australian Open.”

The role will allow McClure to continue working across a wide range of media assets, amplifying his work and reaching a diverse audience. Patrick Elligett, editor of The Age said: “I am thrilled to welcome Sam McClure back to The Age on a full-time basis. Sam is, undoubtedly, one of the best newsbreakers in sports journalism, which he has shown consistently in recent months through his Scoop column.”

Hutchison left Seven 18 years ago, having been a major AFL news breaker for the network.

Seven’s upgraded slate of shows will also feature a Tuesday night version of The Agenda Setters, which will include Cornes and, as yet unnamed fellow panellists.

Age columnist Caroline Wilson, who also quit Footy Classified, produced by Eddie McGuire’s Jam TV, may join this show when her restraint clause expires midway through next season.

Jones and Hutchison have a long history, and Hutchison’s tentacles extend further than just hosting. As the chief executive of Sports Entertainment Group, the company’s Rainmaker television production arm will help to produce the programs. There will also be a Wednesday night AFL interview program on Seven, Unfiltered, to be hosted by Hamish McLachlan.

“The Agenda Setters on Mondays and Tuesdays will be appointment viewing, and together with Rainmaker, we’ve assembled an incredibly experienced production team for this show to complement our unrivalled on-air line-up,” Jones said.

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“Unfiltered on Wednesdays is going to take us behind the curtain and give fans the opportunity to learn more about the person behind the athlete.

“From mid-week footy analysis headlined by new signings Kane Cornes, Craig Hutchison and Nick Riewoldt alongside our existing group of AFL experts, to light-hearted footy content midweek, all before the first bounce on Thursday night footy, there has never been a more exciting time to be an AFL fan.”

Seven’s upgrade will include more robust game-day coverage, while the straight-shooting Cornes, a former Port Adelaide premiership player and leading analyst, has already been used on Seven’s news, which has a new face of sport in Melbourne as Rebecca Maddern replaces long-time sports host Tim Watson.

Nine, the owner of this masthead, continues to work through its new line-ups for Footy Classified, which will air on Mondays and in the new timeslot of Tuesday next season. Nine has already announced the key signing of Essendon great James Hird.

Foxtel’s Fox Footy, which will now have its own commentary team at all matches as part of the new $4.5 billion broadcast deal, has also made a splash, luring media veteran Leigh Matthews from Nine and Shaun Burgoyne from Seven, while now having Gerard Whateley as a game caller.

In other major moves, former Richmond star Jack Riewoldt will replace Garry Lyon as host of Fox Footy’s Monday night’s flagship program On the Couch next season, while Lyon and Whateley will front the nightly AFL 360.

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