Foxtel’s new reality show The Recruit (which follows 12 amateur footy players chasing an AFL contract) is headed to the Victorian Supreme Court after it was alleged the pay TV provider stole the concept for the show.

And in more bad news for Eddie McGuire, he’s also been embroiled in the case as it was his production company, McGuire Media, that produced the series.

News Limited press is reporting that former Victorian League Player Stephen Parsons is suing Foxtel and McGuire Media because he believes the concept of The Recruit was his and he says he pitched it to a number of networks and the AFL as far back as 2006.

Parsons alleges both Seven and Nine passed on the show a decade a go before Foxtel approved it for production, however, it never went ahead.

In court documents, Parsons says he presented the idea to McGuire Media’s CEO Cos Cardone in a meeting in 2011.

Parsons registered The Recruit trademark in 2006 but it lapsed the following year. The case will go to court on August 12.