How Andrew Johns - Erin Molan feud cost Phil Rothfield a good friend

Phil Rothfield and Daryl Brohman were once good mates, but they haven’t spoken in five years after a clash behind the scenes of the Continuous Call.

Five years on from the Joey Johns-Erin Molan feud and the fallout is still being felt. Colleague Phil ‘Buzz’ Rothfield has detailed in the ‘Off the Record’ podcast - that he hosts with Andrew Webster - how his friendship with Daryl Brohman ended over a story he wrote about the spat between Johns and Molan.

The pair had also been regulars in a Cronulla coffee club but their relationship came to an end after an off-air exchange that prompted Rothfield to throw off his headset and storm out of the 2GB studios.

All these years later, the pair are yet to speak.

“It came to my attention that there was a big problem at Channel Nine in that Erin Molan was becoming the hosting face …but there was a problem there where Joey (Johns) point blank wouldn’t work with her,” Rothfield said.

Erin Molan (left), Andrew Johns, Darryl Brohman during their working days together. Picture: Regi Varghese

“I was of the opinion that was a pretty ordinary thing to do. I thought Channel Nine was soft - their management was - for allowing this to happen.

“I have the greatest respect for Joey as a commentator but it is not up to him to do the roster for who appears on what show.

“Anyway, I wrote the story because I wanted to expose what was happening in Channel Nine.”

It didn’t go down well with Brohman.

“I go in on Saturday to do the Continuous Call - Erin is there, Brohman is there, Mark Levy is there,” Rothfield said.

“We walked into the studios and everything is sweet. Darryl Brohman talked to me as I put the headset on during the news and he said why the f..k ….. would you do that to Erin and write that story.

“I said I beg your pardon. He said it was a low act and I was really, really worried we were going to have a blue on air.

“I don’t mind being challenged on my stories but he had the opportunity when we were outside when we were having lunch to raise it.

“So anyway, I just took the headset off and stormed out. Never went back on air.”

Rothfield and Brohman remain at odds all these years later.

“What was quite sad about it was Darryl lives in the shire and he was in the coffee club I was in,” Rothfield said.

“We haven’t had a coffee since. He just doesn’t turn up any more. We have both gone our separate ways. Unfortunate but I stand by the story.”

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