Kane Cornes and his colleagues at SEN have dominated the 2024 Australian Football Media Association (AFMA) Awards.
The awards were held in Melbourne last night at Marvel Stadium which also saw two members of the media awarded AFMA Life Membership awards.
Those honours went to Fox Footy presenter Sarah Jones and journalist-turned-media executive Craig Hutchison.
Kane Cornes, who signed a multi-year contract with Seven earlier this month, took home the major awards. Cornes is seeing out the remainder of the 2024 AFL season with his current employers including, Nine, The Age, and AFL.com.au. He will continue to work with SEN after he starts work with Seven.
Kane Cornes AFMA Trophy Cabinet
• Alf Brown Award for best overall media performer for his work with The Age, Nine, SEN and AFL Media.
• Lou Richards Medal for former or current league footballer working in the media.
• Best opinion/analysis in radio, TV or digital.
AFMA judges said of Cornes’ win in the Alf Brown Award: “No one has had a bigger presence in football this year, via television, radio and newspapers, than Kane Cornes. No one. Now or in the past.”
SEN’s Craig Hutchison with Ricky D’Amelio, CEO of Project Diamond, Kane Cornes and Gerard Whateley
Other broadcasters working for SEN honoured last night included Gerard Whateley and Tom Morris. As mentioned above, company co-founder and chief executive Craig Hutchison was given Life Membership.
Whateley, host of SEN’s Whateley program, was awarded the Best Radio Match Caller for his live play-by-play broadcasting on SEN. His program on Fox Footy, AFL 360, won Best TV Show.
Project Diamond CEO Ricky D’Amelio accepted the award for the outstanding innovative work he and his team have undertaken in launching the zero latency product which is available to listeners live at AFL games in stadiums around the country.
3AW won the award for Best Radio Program and had a table boasting current and past broadcasting greats.
Som of the 3AW football team at the AFMA Awards including Anthony Hudson, Jimmy Bartell, Rohan Connolly, the legend Rex Hunt and audio guru Damian Tardio
Herald Sun winners included Jay Clark who won the award for Best Feature Reporting in print and online. Glenn McFarlane earned a commendation in the same category.
Judges said Clark “took readers behind the headlines – adding depth and detail to some of footy’s biggest stories”.
Jay Clark with a beer and an AFMA trophy
News Corp’s Michael Klein won two photography categories – the Best Action Shot for his picture of Jamie Elliott’s Anzac Day hanger, and Best News and Feature photo for his image of a teary Dustin Martin following a lap of honour in round 24.
Eliza Reilly won best AFLW reporter for her work on CODE Sports. Lauren Wood won the best AFLW program or feature category.
The Herald Sun received several commendations, including Michael Warner (Best News Reporting), Mark Robinson (Opinion and Analysis) and Ed Bourke in the Clinton Grybas Emerging Talent Award.
The late Sam Landsberger was commended for his news and features on Fox Footy and the Herald Sun website.
Inside the AFMA Awards last night
At The Age, chief football writer Jake Niall won the award for the best print/online opinion or analysis for his piece on Ross Lyon at St Kilda: Bet the house on Ross.
The AFMA judges said: “Niall dissects Ross Lyon’s takeover at St Kilda with a stunning turn of phrase, revealing who the protagonists really are in the seismic shift at Moorabbin. The use of the analogy of the knights at the round table – or Ross’ table – reverberates throughout the piece to great effect.”
The Age’s Marnie Vinall received a commendable mention in the Best AFLW Reporter/Reporting category.