Mark Robinson comes clean on AFL 360 exit after 15 years

Long-time Mark Robinson has opened up on his shock exit from Fox Footy’s AFL 360 after 15 years behind the desk.

Mark Robinson and Gerard Whateley from Fox Footy's AFL 360 program. Picture: FOX FOOTY

Long-time AFL 360 host Mark Robinson has come clean on both his exit from the show and his absence from what would have been his last show behind the desk.

Robinson, who has been News Corp’s chief football writer since 2012, has been a staple on the Fox Footy tentpole since it was launched in 2010 alongside Gerard Whateley.

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But news emerged that Robinson was exiting the role and would feature on the show’s grand final review show, which doubles as the show’s season finale, for his final show.

However, Robinson was a notable absentee with Richmond great Jack Riewoldt taking the seat next to Whateley.

As the news has leaked out that Robinson had been the casualty of a shake up of the long-running show in the lead up to the AFL Grand Final, the consummate professional showed no signs of anything untoward in recent broadcasts.

But speaking on his regular slot on RSN’s Breakfast with Harf, Robinson opened up on the exit, revealing it wasn’t his choice.

“No, I didn’t go in last night as you know,” he began.

“Wow, what can I say? I enjoyed it for 14 years, it was great, I loved it. Changed my life.

“But the decision was made last week that I was no longer required on this show.

“Got told last Tuesday by (Fox Sports boss) Steve Crawley that changes would be made, and unfortunately I’m the change.

“It was pretty tough doing the shows last week actually.”

Mark Robinson on his final episode last Thursday. Photo: Fox Sports

Robinson said he was “pretty quiet” and “just didn’t have the same buzz” after being told the news.

He said it was why he didn’t go in for the grand final review.

“The grand final show’s a real celebratory show, it’s like ‘wow what a performance how great was that’, and I just wasn’t in that headspace,” he said.

“Not that I was depressed or anything — I thought I might say something or act in a way that I might regret. So a sign of maturity. I just said I’m not coming in. Yeah, I didn’t go in.”

Robinson said he had been touched by friends and Fox Footy colleagues reaching out to him after the news broke.

He said it had been “a strange feeling”, adding: “Clearly at the end not everyone was in my corner. Well, if you’re going to get sacked from that show, clearly people aren’t in your corner.

“These things happen, you just have to deal with it. It’s a crappy feeling at the time — it really is — but the dust will settle.”

But while it’s the end of an era, it won’t be the last we see of Mark Robinson on our screens.

“Steve Crawley, he’s been really good to me — he’s offered me a couple of roles or asked me to consider a couple of roles at Fox Footy, and they’re exciting enough,” Robinson said.

“At the time I just said ‘can I think about it?’ because I was still picking myself up from the floor.

“But as time settles you’ve just got to get on with life. There’s nothing else you can do.

“You’ve got to get on with life and other opportunities. It might be the best thing that’s happened to me.”

Gerard Whateley and Mark Robinson in 2013. Photo by Martin Philbey

While Robinson wasn’t on the desk for the 2024 finale, long-time AFL 360 co-host Gerard Whateley paid tribute to the veteran broadcaster at the end of the show.

“Tonight the big thank you is to Robbo. We’ve shared 15 years at the desk together,” Whateley said.

“We were brought together with almost nothing in common other than footy.

“It was passion that bound us to each other and also bound us to you (the audience).

“In television terms it’s an astonishingly long time to spend together and I’ll always have a sense of gratitude to the almost 1500 shows that we’ve done in partnership together.

“Robbo, it’s been grand.

“I’ll see you for 360 next year.”

Although no decision has been made on a potential replacement for Robinson at the 360 desk, The Agehas reported Melbourne Demons great Garry Lyon is the frontrunner for the role.

The report added that Kane Cornes had been Fox’s top target to fill the role, while Nick Riewoldt was also considered as an option — both have since joined Channel 7.

The report added a spokesperson confirmed that no decision had yet been made.

Robinson spent time away from the show in 2021 after suffering two heart attacks and undergoing open-heart surgery.

Originally published as Mark Robinson comes clean on AFL 360 exit after 15 years