'Never come back': Footy icon Rex Hunt quits after on-air tirade

AFL broadcasting icon Rex Hunt has quit radio station 3AW after calling out his boss on-air in a fiery display.

Hunt, while hosting his regular Footy Nightline last Saturday, missed an ad break in the midst of a conversation with Hawthorn great Robert DiPierdomenico.

BOMBSHELL: AFL legend 'gobsmacked' by 'crazy' Hawthorn announcement

INTRIGUE: 'Personal issues' dogging Tigers amid coach's ruthless media move

GROSS: AFL presenter left mortified after disgusting sideline incident

After the break was missed, Hunt reportedly received a call from the station's head of football, Craig Moore, demanding not to be bothered on air again and accused of losing the 'feel' of the station.

“Yeah thanks Craig. I’ve got steam coming out of my ears,” Hunt said.

“My producer, who is just a magnificent producer and lovely person — I tell you now Craig, why we dropped a break, and if you’ve got a problem from down the road to sell 3AW football, I could sell 3AW football.

“Why do I steam? Because you’re losing the very feel of what 3AW was built up from.

"Norman Banks and Harry Beitzel and some other fish kissing idiot. I’ll drop it now, but don’t ring during my program. Got it.”

Hunt was evidently furious that his interview with five-time premiership winner DiPierdomenico was interrupted, saying he was one of the most decorated players in the game.

“It might be my last night,” Hunt added.

“Because I feel good and I don’t need people telling me to shut up. Because I take you where millions of people go and you will never come back from it."

Though the fiery exchange was broadcast on Saturday evening, it wasn't until Thursday that his departure from 3AW was made public.

A note was sent to staff at the station by station manager Stephen Beers, confirming Hunt's exit.

“Rex Hunt has advised us that he is sadly taking leave of his duties at 3AW to focus on his family,” the statement said.

“As much as he has loved his return to 3AW and we have loved having him on Footy Nightline, we wish him well for the future.

“Rex knows the door is always open for him.”

Rex Hunt lights up internet with epic Maccas cameo

Hunt is renowned for some of the most memorable catch phrases in Aussie sport and the 72-year-old showed recently that he hasn't lost any of his sparkle.

Put on the spot by footy fans inside a McDonalds restaurant, Hunt decided to recreate one of his legendary calls.

Harking back to the days of the mighty Geelong side that included the likes of Gary Ablett Sr, Mark Bairstow and Billy Brownless (among others), Hunt didn't have to wait for a second invitation to give fans a serving of his old magic.

Filmed on a punter's smart phone inside the packed Maccas, Hunt bellows out a brilliant recreation of one of his classic catch cries.

“Spills over to Bairstow, Bairstow onto Brownless — here comes YYYYYYYYAABBLEEETTT!” Hunt roars as he raises a hand off his walking stick and pumps a fist in the air.

A huge roar went up from the Maccas crowd, with the Geelong Cats later uploading the clip to their social media account.

The footage quickly went viral as fans tipped their hats off to the broadcast legend.

Hunt played 202 matches in the VFL between 1968 and 1978 with Richmond, Geelong and St Kilda.

The former centre half-forward won two premierships with Richmond.

Watch 'Mind Games', the new series from Yahoo Sport Australia exploring the often brutal mental toil elite athletes go through in pursuit of greatness:

Click here to sign up to our newsletter for all the latest and breaking stories from Australia and around the world.