Both men are vigorously defending the proceedings and have denied any wrongdoing. Seven won the rights in 2013,paying $195 million. Nine,the owner of this masthead,is the current owner of the rights.
Mr Mitchell's defence case struggled at times on Friday,with Justice Beach interjecting to ask questions about Mr Mitchell’s continual conversations with Seven executive Bruce McWilliam about the tennis rights after the adman had been asked by Mr Healy to stop interfering with the negotiations.
“Do you think it would be at least desirable for Mr Mitchell to stop at that point?” Justice Beach asked Dr Collins.
“I accept that Mr Mitchell was talking to everyone and that he’s very good at his career,” Justice Beach said.
“[But] when they were conversations with Mr McWilliam those conversations were about the tennis."
Dr Collins said Mr McWilliam had given evidence that his calls with Mr Mitchell were “mainly” about the tennis,but not entirely,pointing to one call where Mr McWilliam said he had called Mr Mitchell to gossip about James Warburton’s sacking as CEO of Network Ten in early 2013 during the rights negotiations.