Sport Confidential is your wrap of all the footy gossip and banter.<\/p>\n
Tony Jones has broken his silence on the Novak Djokovic incident, saying it went on for too long and it\u2019s \u201cancient history\u201d.<\/p>\n
The Channel 9 sport newsreader has opened up on the eve of his 40th anniversary with the network, to be celebrated on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Last year during the Australian Open, Jones caused a global outcry after an attempt at humour mocking Djokovic during a news bulletin fell flat.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not going to entertain anyone who wants to talk about it because quite frankly it went on for far too long for what it was,\u2019\u2019 Jones told Sport Confidential.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not going to reopen it because it\u2019s ancient history. I was there doing the tennis this year and it\u2019s not going to affect me.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s also 10 years since another notable incident when Jones attempted to plant a kiss on Bec Judd\u2019s cheek during her final night on the news, and she turned away.<\/p>\n
\u201cI say when my time in television comes to an end I\u2019ll be remembered for two things \u2014 stuffing up a handball (while on the Sunday Footy Show) and trying to plant one on Bec Judd. In both instances I missed the target. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe look of repulsion on Bec\u2019s face, I knew I was in for an uncomfortable couple of weeks but I didn\u2019t expect it to be an uncomfortable couple of years.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jones, who started at Nine as a 22-year-old, says he is proud of the milestone.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a long time in anyone\u2019s language and I look around the newsroom and with some people I\u2019ve actually been here longer than they\u2019ve been alive,\u2019\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love telling stories and finding stories. Presenting is five percent of your day, I\u2019ve always considered myself a reporter who presents. I\u2019ve never been one of those that just comes in and slips their toes under the desk.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jones will be honoured at two events next week, one in the newsroom and one with friends, colleagues and acquaintances. <\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone is welcome, I don\u2019t hold grudges,\u2019\u2019 Jones said.<\/p>\n
\u2018Don\u2019t get all of it\u2019: Prize claims rock Sunday Footy Show <\/p>\n
Nathan Brown has responded to allegations the Sunday Footy Show is short-changing its player guests with prize packs.<\/p>\n
Brown, a panellist on the Channel 9 show<\/a>, was quizzed about the development \u2014 that some footballers were reportedly not getting the full package \u2014 aired on the $100k Sports podcast.<\/p>\n He told the Herald Sun: \u201cWe have the best prize pack on TV on the Sunday Footy Show and I do a great live read to match it. As you can imagine I don\u2019t have time to get to the post office prior to the Sunday afternoon game on Triple M, as it\u2019s a tight squeeze to make sure Daisy (Dale Thomas) doesn\u2019t host. From my knowledge no one has missed out, there have been a few bounce backs and return to senders but I have my best people on it moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n Dale Thomas <\/a>brought it to Brown\u2019s attention and suggested it might be a big story brewing.<\/p>\n But the show\u2019s host Tony Jones <\/a>was unaware of any issues.<\/p>\n The podcasters said: \u201cThe famous Channel 9 prize package \u2026 it\u2019s a massive prize pack. Apparently you don\u2019t get all of it. I got it confirmed this week from another player who was on the Sunday Footy Show in the last two years, didn\u2019t receive it all.\u201d<\/p>\n Sounds like the footy guests won\u2019t be launching an Agatha Christie type investigation into the whereabouts of their Aquila shoes any time soon.<\/p>\n \u2018Enough\u2019s enough\u2019: Hutchy tees off over Melb\u2019s escalating pub wars<\/p>\n Craig Hutchison has teed off on Melbourne\u2019s latest crime wave targeting bars and restaurants, <\/a>saying that as citizens and a community we should \u201crise up and not stand for it\u201d.<\/p>\n The SEN boss said he\u2019s outraged by the spate of attacks on establishments, the latest of which have included South Yarra institution France-Soir<\/a> and shots fired at The Emerson.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI am absolutely outraged and so frustrated at the attacks on Melbourne bars and restaurants that\u2019s going on by crime gangs at the moment,\u2019\u2019 Hutchison said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen did we get less combative on behalf of our city? When did we not, as Melburnians, say enough\u2019s enough on this stuff?<\/p>\n \u201cAs a Melbourne community and as Melbourne citizens we need to rise up and not stand for it. And to rally against it.\u201d<\/p>\n Hutchinson continued saying: \u201cAnd how accepting or desensitised we are to it as a media and as a community. This is happening blocks from our own homes \u2026 we\u2019re getting standover tactics on bars and restaurants who are being asked to fund the dark market of liquor \u2014 buy things from a different distributor or supplier they don\u2019t want and if they don\u2019t do it they\u2019re threatened that their bar or restaurant they\u2019ve worked so hard for will be burnt down.<\/p>\n \u201cOur city is built upon entertainment, it is a sports and entertainment capital of this part of the world. Its bar culture, its restaurants are the envy of the rest of the country \u2026 and we are a place where people connect, get together, share company, share a meal, enjoy each others presence. It\u2019s the soul of who our city is. The fact that very soul is getting attacked by crime figures who largely hire young people to \u2026 is absolutely outrageous.\u201d<\/p>\n Hutchison said police do a wonderful job but need more support.<\/p>\n In a passionate 10-minute plea on the situation with his Sounding Board co-host Damian Barrett, Hutchison said the government needed to be tougher.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know the answer but I just don\u2019t want to stand for it,\u2019\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt should be absolutely smashed by the courts and the police system that if you go near one of our bars, restaurants or businesses there should be no respite on that. <\/p>\n \u201cSeeing suburban pubs and restaurants in the heart of where people live and breathe and raise their kids and walk them to school \u2026 we\u2019re not computing this has moved to the absolute streets we live in.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s hard to comprehend. I\u2019m disappointed for our city we need to go through this.\u201d<\/p>\n WAG shares tribute after \u2018wild journey\u2019<\/p>\n The woman dubbed \u2018footy\u2019s hottest WAG\u2019 says she\u2019ll forever be her partner\u2019s no.1 fan after he announced his retirement on Monday.<\/p>\n Model and influencer Chelsea Becirevic paid tribute to ruckman Ivan Soldo, the 2019 Tiger premiership player who joined Port Adelaide in 2024, who bows out with 66 games.<\/p>\n \u201cTruly end of an era,\u2019\u2019 Becirevic wrote on social media, sharing some of her favourite images of the couple.<\/p>\n \u201cForever your #1 fan.\u201d<\/p>\n She added: \u201cSooo proud of you \u2026 excited for this next chapter. It\u2019s been a wild journey, but such a privilege to watch you over the years.\u201d<\/p>\n Soldo, 30, who has struggled with a knee injury, said it wasn\u2019t how he wanted to finish but he paid tribute to the Tigers where he spent almost 10 years and thanked the Port players and staff.<\/p>\n Becirevic rose to prominence after being discovered by the Herald Sun at the Tigers Best and Fairest in 2023.<\/p>\n She made headlines after moving to Adelaide and declaring she couldn\u2019t bear to live there any longer. <\/p>\n She went to Dubai for a short time and this year moved back to Melbourne.<\/p>\n The couple last year founded a clothing label called Im Taken.<\/p>\n Roos WAGs erupt over ARC \u2018robbery\u2019<\/p>\n The North Melbourne WAGs were filthy after the ARC robbed the club in a close call on Sunday.<\/p>\n It looked like an obvious touch by Griffin Logue but there was no overturn upon review.<\/p>\n North ended up losing a close one to GWS by seven points.<\/p>\n On Dan Gorringe\u2019s post, explaining the incident, he captioned it: NORTH FANS FILTHY.<\/p>\n Chloe Pink,<\/a> wife of defender Toby Pink, commented: \u201cFillllllllthy\u201d while Maddison Xerri,<\/a> wife of Tristan Xerri, commented: \u201cI\u2019m so filthy Dan\u201d.<\/p>\n