‘Just unbelievable’: $1.5 million rumour rocks AFL TV industry

The footy rumour mill has gone into overdrive with an AFL great going public with sensitive details about stars of the footy media.

2 min read

May 11, 2025 - 9:57AM

AFL

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The footy media rumour mill is in overdrive again with Richmond great Nathan Brown dropping his annual rich list.

The Footy Show co-host has made a tradition of causing rumblings behind the scenes with his annual estimates of the highest-paid figures in the AFL media.

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Brown has previously said his estimates are accurate to within “two per cent”.

The former Bulldogs forward last week dropped his list of the highest paid footballers in the AFL media, naming Kane Cornes as the top dog in the industry.

Now Brown has again left his Triple M co-hosts in stitches when listing off his estimates of the highest-paid commentators in the footy media that did not play the game at the top level.

For the fifth consecutive year, Brown estimates James Brayshaw is the highest paid commentator in the industry as a result of fat contracts with Channel 7 and Triple M.

Channel 7 Friday night team Alister Nicholson, Matthew Richardson, James Brayshaw, Abbey Holmes, Dale Thomas and Tom Mitchell. Picture: Michael Klein.

Brian Taylor and James Brayshaw. Picture: SCA/SUPPLIED

Brown left Triple M Friday Huddle co-hosts Jason Dunstall, Damian Barrett and Mark Howard drawn back when estimating Brayshaw is taking in $1.5 million per-year.

The panel were even more exasperated at Brown listing Howard as the No. 2 highest-paid commentator in the game with estimated earnings of $1.3 million per-year.

“Just unbelievable. I don’t know where he hides it all,” Brown said.

Howard responded by saying Brown had “made my numbers up”.

Howard also couldn’t help saying “wow” when Brown named Fox Footy AFL 360 host Gerrard Whateley as the No. 4 highest-paid commentator with $900,000-per-year.

Nathan Brown’s 2025 AFL media commentator rich list

1. James Brayshaw $1.5m

2. Mark Howard $1.3m

3. Anthony Hudson $950k

4. Gerrard Whateley $900k

5. Damian Barrett $650k

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The money was just as crazy last week when Brown suggested Cornes’ new deal with Seven was enough for him to jump up to the top spot on the list.

Brown also estimated Nick Riewoldt has suddenly become the second-highest paid former player in media-land.

“This is where it gets interesting,” Brown said last week

“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.