Seven hiring frenzy lands Nick Riewoldt, Craig Hutchison departs Nine

Former St Kilda champion Nick Riewoldt will join Kane Cornes and Caroline Wilson on Channel 7 next year, while Craig Hutchison has also parted ways with Channel 9.

Former St Kilda champion Nick Riewoldt is returning to the media next year and will be the latest name to sign with Channel 7.

In another big media landscape development, Riewoldt is moving back to Melbourne after living in Texas for the past two years.

He joins Kane Cornes and Caroline Wilson, who have jumped ship from Channel 9.

Wilson is set to be challenged by legal action, forecast by Eddie McGuire, with Nine maintaining she’s under contract until December with a restraint clause.

Craig Hutchison, whose production company Rainmaker is set to be creating new shows for Seven next year, is also gone from Nine.

Crisis talks were held at Nine on Tuesday morning before Footy Classified went ahead with Cornes, Wilson, Hutchison and Matthew Lloyd – without acknowledging the turmoil.

Former AFL champion Nick Riewoldt will return to Melbourne, and the media, next year. Picture: Sarah Matray

Riewoldt’s addition further fuels the notion that Seven will boost its programming in 2025.

The footy legend left Fox Footy at the end of 2022 and moved with his wife, Catherine, to her home town in Houston, Texas with their three children.

His departure after he’d been a regular contributor since 2018, came as a shock given his rising stature as an analyst and media personality.

It is understood Channel 9 had been keen to secure to Riewoldt for Footy Classified upon his return to media, but missed out again.

Caroline Wilson, Craig Hutchison and Kane Cornes have all left Channel 9. Picture: Supplied

The 336-game forward said in October last year that he had every intention of moving back to Australia.

He had described it as being a phenomenal year abroad.

“Everyone’s integrated really well, the boys have played sport and fit in at school,” he told SEN.

“They’re a bit of a novelty with the Australian accents. It’s been great.

“(It’s been) really great personally as well to be able to live and experience a real-life MBA, being involved in the (PMY Group) business and removed from footy for the first time since I was 17.

“I missed the footy season this year; it was a bizarre experience, not being just totally immersed in it.”

Riewoldt said his sons James, Will and Teddy, had got into baseball but he was intending to win them back over to footy and the Saints.

He has appeared regularly on the Footy Talk podcast with Leigh Montagna.