Media Street: Tom Morris to be announced as the new chief football reporter at Channel 9
The comeback of footy journalist Tom Morris after his sacking by Fox Footy has gained pace with his shock defection from SEN to a rival network.
Tom Morris is Channel 9’s new chief football reporter.
The shock return to television comes 20 months after he was sacked by Fox Footy for making offensive comments about a female colleague which were leaked to social media.
After being banished from the media, Morris made his return this AFL season after Craig Hutchison’s SEN offered an olive branch.
He co-hosted the station’s Sunday Crunch Time show and was also a regular on Sportsday with Gerard Healy and Kane Cornes.
Morris put his name back in the spotlight by revealing Damien Hardwick’s shock departure from Richmond. He was later awarded the prestigious Alf Brown media award for the exclusive story.
It is a bold move by Nine and throws down the gauntlet to Channel 7 who have lost their chief football reporter Tom Browne with Mitch Cleary taking over the role.
Cleary is being joined by Adelaide sports reporter Theo Doropoulos in the Melbourne newsroom while Morris will head a revamped Nine team which also includes rising star Xander McGuire, the son of former Collingwood president Eddie McGuire.
The Morris scandal was one of the biggest in the AFL last year given the way it unfolded in the opening week of the season.
He was on the receiving end of an extraordinary personal attack by Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge after the season opener between the Dogs and Melbourne.
The following day Beveridge apologised but that was soon overshadowed by the leaking of the offensive Morris audio about his former colleague Megan Barnard.
A second clip featuring separate homophobic and racist slurs also then surfaced.
Morris immediately apologised for his remarks, calling them “disgusting and disgraceful”.
“I am deeply ashamed at my behaviour. My comments were hurtful to many and I will now take the time to listen, learn and work to improve myself, ensuring that I become a better person. I am truly sorry to everyone,” Morris said.
Fox Sports moved quickly, parting ways with Morris after seven years with the network where he also played a major role in its cricket coverage.
Morris, 32, then completed numerous education programs regarding sexism and racism, and other social issues, before his return earlier this year.
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