Malcolm Blight returns to Adelaide to co-host FIVEaa Sportsday show

SOUTH Australia’s favourite football son Malcolm Blight is home after nearly two decades away from Adelaide. Here’s what he’s doing.

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SOUTH Australia’s favourite football son Malcolm Blight is home after nearly two decades away from Adelaide.

The man dubbed “The Messiah”, after leading the Crows to AFL premierships in 1997 and 1998, has moved back to SA with wife Patsy and will take up a new radio role alongside Kane Cornes on FIVEaa next month.

Blight, 67, has lived in Queensland since 2002 and was previously based in Melbourne, but said he’d been thinking for several months about returning to live in Adelaide, where the couple still have plenty of family and friends.

“The planets didn’t quite align, I had commitments in Queensland... that was about two to three months ago,” he said. “Then it was just that phone call that came out of the blue and I thought, ‘Oh wow, this is interesting’. It just all worked out.

Malcolm Blight with his co-host Kane Cornes. Blight is moving back to Adelaide sports show on FIVEaa. Picture: Tom Huntley

“We’ve been back so often over the years, it’s still our home,” Blight said. “A lot of her (Patsy’s) family are still here and so are mine. We’re just part of South Australia.

“It’s where a lot of our old friends are. We’ve kept in contact with a lot of them.

“There’s a lot of great memories here, both at Woodville and at the Crows.”

Blight will co-host FIVEaa and Crocmedia’s weeknight Sportsday SA radio show from January 15, replacing new Crows’ assistant coach Ben Hart, and will also help with the station’s 2018 AFL coverage. While Blight has years of media experience as a commentator on TV and in print, this will be his first regular role on radio.

“To actually do a radio show, I’ve never done that, so that’s half-intriguing,” said Blight, who in June was inducted into the AFL’s Hall of Fame as a legend.

Malcolm Blight, with the 1998 premiership Crows team.

“I love my sport and to get a chance to talk about it for a couple of hours will be great.

“The other thing for me is talking to the country people.

“I’ve floated around the country a lot of years and there’s plenty of people I’d love to have a chat to, and even an Adelaide market, it’s a pretty parochial footy town.”

Blight said he was also excited about being able to spend more time at his old stamping ground, Adelaide Oval, which is also home to his own statue.

“As I’ve travelled around the country, Adelaide Oval has become symbolic to the people of SA and so now it’s got this real welcoming feeling coming here,” he said.

“There’s a little statue out the front that I wouldn’t mind polishing occasionally as well.”

Cornes, the son of Crows’ inaugural coach Graham, said Blight was the “perfect fit” for the new-look show.

Malcolm Blight with the Crows’ grand final premiership cup in 1997.

“I am really excited about working with someone of the footy and sporting intellect and the status of Blighty,” he said. “I’m looking forward to learning a lot and I’m sure he’ll keep me on my toes.”

Cornes added with a laugh: “I think Dad’s a little bit nervous that Malcolm might be treading on his toes a little bit; a little rivalry perhaps.”

Blighty’s life in football

■ 1950: Born Malcolm Jack Blight on February 16, in Adelaide.

■ 1968–73: Makes his SANFL league debut for Woodville, wins the Magarey Medal in 1972.

■ 1974-82: Moves to North Melbourne, playing under Ron Barassi and wins two premierships in 1975 and 1977, the Brownlow Medal in 1978 and the Coleman Medal in 1982.

■ 1983-87: Returns to Woodville as playing coach from 1983 for three seasons, and head coach for 1986 and ’87.

■ 1989-94: Takes the reins at Geelong, leading a star-studded team including Gary Ablett to three grand final losses.

■ 1995-96: Quits and takes up high-profile role in the Melbourne media on Seven’s Talking Footy and commentating on football.

■ 1997-99: Returns to Adelaide and leads the Crows to back-to-back premierships in his first two years at the helm.

■ 2001: Enticed back to coaching with a million-dollar offer at St Kilda, but lasts only 15 games before getting sacked.

■ 2002: Moves back to Queensland, living in Palm Cove, near Cairns.

■ 2009: Joins the Gold Coast Suns as a board member.

■ 2012: Moves to Gold Coast and becomes a director of coaching at the Suns in a part-time role with coach Guy McKenna. He leaves the role in 2015, becoming a Suns club ambassador.

■ 2017: Comes back home to Adelaide to take up radio role on FIVEaa.