Updated ,first published
In today’s AFL briefing:
- Essendon great James Hird spent time in hospital after being struck down on the set of Footy Classified.
- Collingwood ruckman Darcy Cameron has been ruled out of Friday night’s clash against Sydney.
Essendon great James Hird was hospitalised after becoming sick while recording an episode of Footy Classified on Tuesday night.
Hird, a regular panelist alongside host Eddie McGuire, was heard coughing in the early stages of filming after a “bit of food was stuck in his throat”, a source with knowledge of the incident who wished to remain anonymous said.
The cast of the Jam-TV produced show aired on Nine had enjoyed Thai takeaway for dinner, with Hird having lamb.
Hird, 53, left the set to vomit during the first advertisement break, but returned and completed filming the hour-long show before heading to hospital.
The same source said Hird was in hospital for a short period, and then returned home.
He was back at work at Jam TV on Wednesday, helping to prepare for an episode of Footy Furnace.
The two-time premiership great and former coach was contacted for comment.
Meanwhile, the AFL has lost a second member of this year’s All-Australian selection panel after Luke Hodge joined Kane Cornes in stepping down to maintain his commercial arrangement with a bookmaker.
Four-time Hawthorn premiership player Hodge, added to the panel in February but yet to attend a selection meeting, said he gave up his spot to ensure the “integrity of the [All-Australian] side” was protected.
Cornes last week had no regrets about leaving the panel to protect his ties with Sportsbet – a company, he said, is “a major partner of everything I do”.
In a change of policy, Sportsbet said it would no longer feature any sporting administrators or officials on its platforms “to ensure clear separation from their official roles”. Consequently, Sportsbet also parted ways with experienced AFL field umpire Nick Foot amid scrutiny and criticism of an umpire being on their books.
Similarly, Hodge put his ties with TAB ahead of any form of employment with the AFL.
“I’ve done the same as what Kane has done – I’ve stood down from the committee,” Hodge said on Seven’s Agenda Setters on Tuesday night.
“Because you don’t want the integrity questioned of anything like that.
“I’ve had a long-standing relationship with TAB.
“I haven’t even joined a meeting yet with the All-Australian committee, so I thought it was the best thing after speaking with the AFL today that I’ll stand down and let the panel go ahead – just so the integrity of the side when it gets picked, there’s no question over it.”
The All-Australian selectors are also charged with voting for the league’s annual Rising Star award – an award which some bookmakers take bets on.
Foot, a grand final umpire who this season reported Port Adelaide star Zak Butters for abusive or insulting language towards an umpire before the case was thrown out on a legal technicality, was a Sportsbet horse racing analyst.
The AFL added former leading players Hodge, David Mundy and Joel Selwood to the All-Australian panel this year, filling vacancies created by the departures of Nathan Buckley, Matthew Pavlich and Josh Mahoney.
AFL All-Australian and Rising Star selectors: Andrew Dillon (chair), Eddie Betts, Jude Bolton, Abbey Holmes, Glen Jakovich, Laura Kane, David Mundy, Joel Selwood and Greg Swann.
Cameron added to missing Magpies
Jon Pierik
Star ruckman Darcy Cameron has been added to the list of missing Magpies for Friday night’s clash against Sydney, with Bobby Hill all but ruled out of the contest.
Cameron (ankle) will join skipper Darcy Moore (concussion), Patrick Lipinski (concussion), Harry Perryman (hamstring), Tim Membrey (hamstring) and veteran midfielder Scott Pendlebury (rested) on the sidelines, the Magpies opting to take a cautious approach with the reigning best and fairest.
“He [Cameron] has got a bit going on with his body,” McRae said, adding the athletic ruckman and his partner were also expecting their first child next week.
Cameron’s absence will mean Oscar Steene will shoulder more of the ruck load against dominant former Magpie Brodie Grundy.
“It’s one part of the game – we will try a few things,” McRae said.
Hill did not train on Wednesday, the small forward and his partner also expecting a child this weekend.
The 2023 Norm Smith medallist recently returned via the VFL after taking personal leave, but has yet to complete the work the Magpies want before he returns to senior action.
McRae initially said Hill was “unlikely” to play either VFL or AFL level this weekend, later declaring he is “not quite there” in terms of his GPS numbers.
“There’s still a level he is not quite meeting but, again, he has played one full game, so we’ll give him a bit of time and space around those things,” McRae said.
McRae said young forward Charlie West would be in selection contention, while he expected Moore and Lipinski to be back for Pendlebury’s record-breaking game against West Coast.
When Moore returns, McRae said he would chat to the key defender about his form, and how tightly he lines up on his opponent, having been exploited, at times, for his loose play by the Cats.
“I just think there’s a couple of things out of whack with the system, at times, and he hasn’t played much footy this year – the chemistry when I roll off my man to support others,” McRae said.
“Yeah, I think there’s definitely a form thing that we have to chat about.”
Moore has managed just the three senior games this season because of injury.
The 10th-placed Magpies were dealt a harsh reality check by Geelong in a 54-point thumping last weekend.
“We’re just a work in progress … we just want to get better, and opportunities present for our list,” McRae said, adding it will be “exciting” to have more younger players in the team because of the list of absences.
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Jon Pierik is a sports journalist at The Age. He covers AFL and has won awards for his cricket and basketball writing.Connect via X or email.
