Nicholson and McClure have heated blow-up over Tasmania AFL team

Channel 7 sports commentator Alister Nicholson and Footy Classified host Sam McClure have had a heated debate in the studios of Dylan Buckley's podcast, The Australian reports.

Nicholson was at the Richmond location as a guest on the Footy & Friends podcast, while McClure there to record his Tradies podcast with reporter Mitch Cleary.

According to The Australian, Nicholson, who is from Tasmania, took issue with McClure’s coverage of the new Devils AFL team, referring to the host's comments the previous night on the cost of the new stadium in Hobart on Footy Classified.

Witnesses to the intense exchange said it "went for up to five minutes."

‘Sam McClure reports’ https://t.co/gE4H75QoIB pic.twitter.com/DIDuhCuxi7

— Tasmania Football Club (@FC_Tasmania) June 8, 2026

"He has essentially said, in short, that this stadium deal has blown out."

A bombshell report from a leading economist has cast doubt on the Mac Point stadium build and Tasmania's future, Sam McClure reports.#9FootyClassified | Watch on 9 & 9Now 🖥️ pic.twitter.com/CwWJkIyulv

— Footy on Nine (@FootyonNine) June 8, 2026

Cleary questioned McClure about the incident on the Tradies episode.

“Everyone is flat in here … it feels like a bomb has gone off,” Cleary said of the atmosphere in the studio.

“It’s been six or seven years since I have fired up like that,” McClure agreed. “Clearly as some people saw today, it (Tasmania) gets people’s tails up and people get passionate.”

Nicholson later said he doesn't understand McClure's opposition to a Tasmanian AFL team.

“I’m going to have to confront him on it... If you have got even a skerrick of care for your integrity or credibility as a journo, you are not going to press the case for this falling over.”

Burn.

Feature image: Sam McClure and Alister Nicholson. Image: Instagram

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