Former Fox Sports sideline reporter Tiffany Salmond has candidly shared that she developed innocent crushes on several NRL coaches during her time covering the sport, while also levelling serious accusations at the television industry.
Coaches Over Players: Salmond's On-Air Confessions
Addressing fan speculation on her Instagram story, the New Zealand broadcaster joked that it was the league's coaches, not the players, who most caught her eye. Salmond dismissed assumptions that she was interested in the athletes, stating she walked away from several coach interviews feeling "slightly flustered with a new little crush."
"I'm a big fan of a silver fox," she wrote, though she did not name any of the coaches involved. Her comments came alongside a video montage featuring interviews with figures like Melbourne Storm's Craig Bellamy and Warriors coach Andrew Webster.
A Pattern of Unwanted Attention and a Shock Exit
This revelation follows Salmond's previous disclosure in September about receiving bizarre, sexually charged direct messages from NRL players on social media. She described unsolicited videos with explicit soundtracks, questioning if this was a common tactic.
These personal anecdotes are set against the backdrop of her controversial departure from Fox's NRL coverage at the start of the 2025 season. Salmond claims she was "sidelined" by broadcasting bosses for being "too bold" and "disruptive," arguing she didn't fit the industry's traditional mould for presenters.
Deepfake Attacks and a Call for Change
The broadcaster's challenges escalated in May when she became the target of a shocking deepfake photo attack, shortly after she posted a genuine bikini picture online. This incident mirrored similar abuse faced by NRLW player Jamie Chapman.
Salmond framed the attack as a backlash against women who command space, stating, "You don't make deepfakes of women you overlook. You make them of women you can't control." She has used her platform to call for systemic change in how the sports media industry treats women.
Her exit from Fox Sports was further complicated by her unwitting involvement in the personal life of colleague Jake Duke, whose relationship with Channel 7's Grace Fitzgibbon ended amid reports of late-night calls from Salmond, who said she was unaware Duke had a girlfriend.
