Kane Cornes has stepped down as an AFL All-Australian selector in order to continue his work with Sportsbet, after the wagering company altered its policy on serving sports administrators and officials.
The change was prompted by public anger over AFL umpire Nick Foot, who had been providing horse racing analysis for Sportsbet. Although there was no suggestion of compromise, Foot was forced to leave the role. A Sportsbet spokesperson said the company would no longer feature any serving sports administrators or officials in its programming.
Cornes, a former Port Adelaide player, said he was left with no other option. He hosts a weekly Sportsbet production alongside former AFLW player Kate McCarthy. McCarthy declined to comment on her roles but published an article on the Sportsbet website, appearing to indicate she would remain with the company. She was absent from the show on Wednesday, with host Jason Richardson saying she was unwell.
If McCarthy stays with Sportsbet, she cannot be involved in Norm Smith medal voting again while working for the company. However, her place on the AFLW All-Australian panel is unaffected, as Sportsbet does not offer betting on that selection.
The saga has also drawn in former Brisbane captain Luke Hodge, who works with Tabcorp and was appointed an All-Australian selector in February. Asked whether he would follow Cornes, Hodge said he had received no notice from Tabcorp. Tabcorp did not respond to requests for comment as it faces an Austrac investigation into money laundering and terrorism financing risks, which caused a quarter of its share price to be wiped out.
Eddie McGuire, the former Collingwood president, has called on the AFL to clarify its position, suggesting that anyone receiving a payment from a betting company should be disqualified from voting on awards with a betting component. Not all football analysts have chosen to align with bookmakers; Channel Seven's Abbey Holmes is cited as an example.
