AFL 2025 opening round LIVE updates: Swans, Hawks open the AFL season amid footy’s fierce TV wars

It was a bold decision by Channel Seven to put Kane Cornes and Dale Thomas in the same commentary booth. Under the new $4.5 billion seven-year rights agreement, the network has lured big names as part of their expanded coverage, bringing in Cornes from Channel Nine.

Media pundit and former Age columnist Cornes took a swipe at Thomas in 2023 when he said if he employed the former Magpie and Blue, or another media identity in Tony Shaw, “I’d want my money back.”

“I’m sick of AFL figures having opinions off the back of other AFL figures,” Cornes said on Nine two years ago.

“For the likes of Daisy Thomas and Tony Shaw, who work part-time and they don’t have to do a lot of on-air time, for their big opinions this week to be something that I said 12 months ago on SEN SA is embarrassing.

“So, get up early, watch the games, work hard and stop having opinions off other people’s opinions.

“If I employed these people, I’d want my money back.”

Thomas had a whack back at Cornes last year, responding to some criticism the former Port Adelaide player made about current Power star Zak Butters.

“If [Cornes] was sitting direct to me at any stage in front of a microphone or in front of me at the pub, I’d tell him that is the dumbest thing I’ve heard for a long while,” Thomas said on Triple M.

The two former AFL players have reportedly broken bread in the time since. But bring your popcorn for the TV coverage tonight…