‘Extraordinary money’: Footy great spreads $4m rumour about AFL legends
A footy great has let loose a staggering rumour surrounding the biggest names in the AFL media with noses already out of joint.
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Nathan Brown has done it again.
The Footy Show star has set the AFL rumour mill ablaze with his annual estimates of the highest-paid figures in footy’s TV land.
Brown had his Triple M co-hosts in stitches as he read out the list where he named two Channel 7 stars as the new kings on the top of his footy media rich list.
The former Western Bulldogs and Richmond forward said his estimates were accurate to within “two per cent”.
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According to Brown, Kane Cornes is now the highest paid ex-player with a microphone after cutting a massive deal with Seven as the network went through its off-season shake up.
Brown said he believes Cornes is now pocketing $500k per-year with Seven — since he made the jump from Channel 9 at the end of the 2024 season.
Cheekily spreading the rumour on Triple M’s popular Friday Huddle, Brown said Nick Riewoldt has suddenly become the second-highest paid former player in media-land.
Channel 7 triggered one of the biggest footy media shake-ups in recent memory last year ahead of the new AFL broadcast rights deal beginning this year.
Cornes was the big fish landed by Seven, but the network also snatched Craig Hutchison and Caroline Wilson away from Nine.
Seven’s other big move was signing up Riewoldt after the St Kilda champion returned to Australia following his earlier move to live in the United States for a brief time.
Brown, 47, suggested Riewoldt has been among the big winners from Channel 7’s aggressive footy media content expansion, estimating the former Saints captain takes home around $500,000 from his work with the free-to-air network.
After listing off Riewoldt’s other media projects, Brown said Riewoldt was on “extraordinary money”.
“This is where it gets interesting,” Brown said on Triple M alongside host Mark Howard, Hawthorn legend Jason Dunstall and journalist Damian Barrett.
“Because I’ve been told this guy at No. 2 and I can tell you his name — his name is Nick Riewoldt. Brilliant operator. Love his insights. But I was told Fox were heavy into him to come back and it was almost a done deal for AFL 360 and Nick Riewoldt.
“At the death Channel 7 came in with an offer. I’ve estimated for $500k.”
Brown said Riewoldt was also on “big numbers” at Triple M in his new Melbourne Breakfast show alongside Mick Molloy.
Brown said he believes Riewoldt will earn around $900k this year — second only to Cornes, who he believes will rake in around $950k.
Cornes is the loudest voice in the AFL media industry through his gigs on Seven, SEN radio and with the AFL’s official website.
Brown suggested Cornes would be on similar coin to Riewoldt with both pundit’s estimated to earn $500k in their TV gigs.
Cornes also has a full-on schedule with SEN’s rotating breakfast radio show.
“Everyone’s talking about him.... but if Rooey (Riewoldt) is on $500k at Channel 7 then Kane Cornes has to be on pretty much the same,” Brown said.
“He’s their marquee. Rooey is their marquee. He would be on $300k at SEN.”
Brown said Cornes would also earn a fortune through his work for a betting company — pocketing a total $950k per-year.
The top five list compiled by Brown was worth a combined $4.4 million.
Brown named Dunstall, Brian Taylor, Garry Lyon and Dale Thomas as the other top earners.
The former Richmond small forward cheekily said Dunstall had asked him to be left off the list.
Lyon came in at No. 3 on Brown’s list, with rumoured earnings of up to $850k per-year through his gigs with Fox Footy, SEN Breakfast and other side projects.
Lyon has been a huge hit for Fox Footy since he stepped into the co-host chair alongside Gerrard Whateley for the flagship AFL 360 show.
Lyon is also a member of the star-studded Fox Footy commentary team alongside Jonathan Brown and Nathan Buckley.
As estimated by Brown, Dunstall and Lyon would both be on a wicket of around $500k-per-year at the Foxtel network.
Brown estimates, Lyon pockets a total of $850k-per-year through his various roles.
Dunstall flatly denied Brown’s suggestions he earns around $600k-per-year.
“I wish I could earn what Nathan says I earn,” Dunstall said on Triple M.
“That would be awesome.”
He went on to tell Brown: “You got me horribly wrong.”
Dunstall threw it back at Brown, suggesting the Footy Show panellist has “conveniently” left himself off the list — suggesting Brown’s work with a betting agency would be enough to get him a spot on the list.
This is the first time Thomas has earned Brown’s attention for his annual project.
Brown described Thomas as the “rising star of Triple M and Channel 7”, estimating the former Collingwood premiership-winner earns a cool $550k per-year.
“He’s as good an operator I’ve seen, Daisy,” Brown said on MMM.
“Daisy earns his money in football. He works for Seven, he works for Pointsbet. He works for Triple M.”
Howard chimed in, saying: “Worth every cent.”
The big changes to Brown’s 2025 list compared to his previous compilations was the decision to eliminate footy media personalities that did not play AFL football.
This decision means Howard, James Brayshaw and Whateley were not considered, despite having previously earned a spot in Brown’s annual Top 5.
Nathan Brown’s highest-earning AFL media figures in 2025
1. Kane Cornes - $950k
2. Nick Riewoldt - $900k
3. Garry Lyon - $850k
4. Jason Dunstall - $600k
5. Brian Taylor - $550k
5. Daisy Thomas - $550k
Nathan Brown’s Top 5 Footy media earnings 2024
1. James Brayshaw
2. Garry Lyon
3. Brian Taylor
4. Jason Dunstall
5. Kane Cornes
Nathan Brown’s Top 5 Footy media earnings 2023
1. James Brayshaw
2. Garry Lyon
3. Mark Howard
4. Anthony Hudson
5. Gerard Whateley
Nathan Brown’s Top 5 Footy media earnings 2022
1. Jonathan Brown
2. Mark Howard
3. Garry Lyon
4. James Brayshaw
5. Nathan Buckley
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