FOOTY Show panellist Sam Newman launched an extraordinary attack on The Age on Thursday, describing it as "a big, cumbersome, awkward pig of a paper".

Newman, under fire in recent weeks for comments he made about the role of women at AFL board level, claimed this newspaper

had bolstered the success of his program because it documented how many viewers watched each week in the Green Guide and because of a column in it this week, "How to go cold turkey and stay Sam-free".

"Heartfelt thanks to The Age," Newman said. "For those watching interstate, The Age is a rag that hardly anyone reads … unfortunately, but nevertheless we should acknowledge their contribution to our success, because they keep saying, every Thursday, how many people watch our show."

To laughs from the audience and groans from co-hosts Garry Lyon and James Brayshaw, Newman continued: "It's a big, cumbersome, awkward pig of a paper, staffed primarily by second-rate, recycled hacks. But other than that, we do thank them for their contribution. They do it every Thursday, hoping we'll mention them, and we have."

In reply, Lyon quipped: "That'll help us get a good rap next week" and guest panellist Nick Riewoldt added: "It would be remiss of me not to mention that The Age sponsor the Saints, so …"

Newman asked Riewoldt to repeat his comment, before replying: "Good on 'em … They're going about as well as St Kilda, The Age.

"They are really stupid, puerile people; they keep going on about what we do. Why don't they worry about what they do and they might have some readers."

Official OzTam ratings show this week's edition of The Footy Show was the lowest rating of the season in Melbourne, with 404,000 viewers. It was the second highest-rating program on Thursday night.