Senior sources at Channel Seven and the Collingwood Football Club have confirmed that AFL reporter Mitch Cleary kissed a female Collingwood staffer during an off-season gathering. The confirmation follows a public accusation made by Cleary's wife, Kate Watts, on social media.
Watts, a horse racing commentator, posted on Instagram, identifying the staffer and accusing her of being involved with her husband. The post was subsequently deleted and Watts' caption could not be repeated for legal reasons. The incident has become a topic of discussion within the AFL and Melbourne media circles.
Sources close to Seven and Collingwood have categorically denied any affair took place between Cleary and the staffer, and the Daily Mail does not suggest otherwise. An insider from Collingwood stated that a consensual kiss occurred during personal time on an off-season trip last year. The staff member reportedly regrets the incident and apologizes for the impact it caused. Rumors circulating online that the staff member belongs to the media department were also denied.
Cleary is known to Seven viewers as the chief AFL reporter for 7News. He previously reported on the Sydney Swans hotel scandal, including details about player resentment and the events leading up to five players hiring strippers at a hotel.
Watts is from a family with AFL connections; both of her brothers have played professionally. Her older brother, Fergus Watts, played for St Kilda and Adelaide, and her younger brother, Jack, played for Adelaide and Melbourne. Watts herself is a journalist and presenter for Racing.com.