AFL great Luke Darcy horrified as Channel 7 host’s exit confirmed

An AFL great has “dropped a bomb” over big changes happening at Channel 7 with the network’s big secret now out in the open.

AFL great Luke Darcy was left horrified with himself as he attempted to back pedal from some juicy rumour-spreading on Friday night.

The Channel 7 AFL caller spilled the beans on his network’s big secret that veteran sport presenter Tim Watson is set to vacate his position at the end of the year.

There have been rumblings about expected line-up changes at Seven in recent weeks — but it appears Darcy let the cat out of the bag too early.

Watch the best coverage of the 2024 AFL finals, with expert analysis and every game until the Grand Final LIVE with no ad-breaks during play, on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today >

The former Western Bulldogs star had previously been joking with footy commentator colleagues about other footy pundits sending their “reel” into Seven executives to be considered for Watson’s position.

But then Darcy got a bit carried away with his loose lips.

“I am going to drop another little bomb here and that is … Tim ‘Whispy’ Watson is about to finish up at the Seven network,” Darcy said on Triple M before Sydney’s win over Port Adelaide on Friday night.

“So there is a little bomb for you. This is Kerry Stokes’ favourite ever media person, Tim Watson.”

Then 49-year-old then quickly attempted to walk it back when asked if the Essendon legend was aware Darcy was going to drop the news.

“That may have been an off-air conversation,” Darcy said.

Tim Watson, Rebecca Maddern and Luke Darcy.

“Let’s forget that part … let’s forget that …. we are going to move on from that part.”

Later in the segment he showed further regret.

“I am getting wave off everywhere here,” he said.

“Sorry Whispy, one of the most loved people at Channel Seven.”

According to News Corp, form Footy Show host Rebecca Maddern is expected to take over Watson’s role.

That would see the weekend newsreader join Seven’s Melbourne news team, fronted by Peter Mitchell and Jane Bunn.

Maddern’s weekend spot would likely be taken over by former ABC presenter Karina Carvalho.

Darcy, however, joked fellow Triple M commentator and Footy Show co-host Nathan Brown will be chasing the job.

After Kane Cornes’ stunning move from Nine to Seven, jokes had been flying in all directions about Brown sending his “reel” into Seven — and Darcy couldn’t resist stirring the pot.

“Now that spot is available, would you send your showreel in,” Darcy asked.

Brown responded: “I don’t have a showreel and no, I wouldn’t”.

Watson has recently been cheekily hinting about changes at Seven when speaking with SEN breakfast radio co-host Gary Lyon.

Darcy’s apparent blunder is far from the only time dirty laundry has been aired this week.

Cornes was on Saturday forced to admit he called an industry colleague the C-word to his face in an aggressive exchange after being exposed by a pair of rivals at Triple M.

On the same Friday Huddle show on Triple M, Darcy began pressing his colleagues for dirt about a rumour Cornes had “abused someone in the most horrific style”.

Channel 7 Melbourne newsreader Karina Carvalho.

Collingwood star Scott Pendlebury with Tim Watson. Photo: Channel 7.

“He needs to apologise for that,” Darcy said.

“I’m assuming he will, come out and apologise. Have you two been asked not to talk about this?”

Darcy’s colleagues Brown, journalist Damien Barrett and host Mark Howard were all tight-lipped.

It was only when Cornes - who had been listening to the discussion while travelling in an Uber - rang-in to the show that his version of the incident was revealed.

“You’ve added a fair amount of mayonnaise so I thought I’d clear up what actually happened today,” Cornes said.

“I’ll tell you exactly what happened and I don’t regret a minute of it.”

Cornes revealed the target of his ire was Dylan Leach, who works for betting company Neds and has been dogged in his criticism of Cornes on social media.

“Dylan Leach was in the SEN studios, I’ve never met Dylan, I’ve had some correspondence online with him and he’s been incredibly critical of me online,” Cornes said.

“I thought if I ever see that guy, I’m going to ask him if he’s prepared to say what he said online to my face.

“So that’s exactly what I did … I said ‘Dylan are you prepared to say what you’ve been saying online to my face?’

“He walked over and said ‘Kane, great to meet you’ and I just said ‘don’t be a C and be very careful’ and walked out of the studio. That’s the exact truth of it.”

Cornes also admitted he’d texted Brown and Barrett - who are colleagues of his at Channel 9 — asking them not to talk about it on-air.

It’s been a bombshell week in the Triple M studios.

Originally published as AFL great Luke Darcy horrified as Channel 7 host’s exit confirmed