‘He’s off me’: Johns snubs brother’s radio show as rift deteriorates

The rift between rugby league icons Matthew Johns and Andrew Johns has deteriorated further after a radio show snub.

Matthew Johns and Andrew Johns.

Andrew Johns has snubbed brother Matthew Johns for their regular breakfast radio show.

The rugby league icons have not been speaking to each other for some weeks since a heated argument exploded on their SEN Morning Glory show last month.

The situation has taken another turn with Joey Johns failing to show up on Friday morning.

When Matty introduced Andrew at the top of the show and there was silence, before Matty joked: “Houston, we have a problem”.

“It’s official, Andrew Johns, my brother, is completely off me,” Matty said.

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“There were rumours he may not have come in. I thought the last three weeks of not returning phone calls, I thought it was laziness. Obviously not.

“I will say this, and I’ll defend my brother here, this morning him not coming here has nothing to do with State of Origin. I thought his comments after the game were very strong and up front and honest.

Matthew Johns and Andrew Johns.

“The bottom line is he’s off me. It’s nothing new for me and Joey. We were forced to share a bedroom for 19 years. Every six months we have a blue like this, and it gives us a break from reach other.”

Former Broncos star Denan Kemp was called in to replace the Knights legend.

An SEN spokesperson said: “No doubt our audience were looking forward to Andrew and Matty catching up and clearing the air. We look forward to that taking place over the coming weeks on SEN 1170am.”

Matty Johns said the pair previously had a feud where they did not speak to each other for two years before mending their relationship.

The pair clashed on radio after Matty spoke with glowing praise for Queensland coach Billy Slater — something that incensed Joey.

Andrew Johns was still struggling to deal with the Blues’ defeat in the State of Origin series opener in Adelaide hours after the full time siren on Wednesday night.

And he clearly didn’t feel up to facing another discussion about it on Friday.

It emerged last week that Matthew was deliberately poking the bear to get a reaction from Joey — but that doesn’t mean the immortal’s emotional outburst wasn’t real.

In the days following the segment, Matthew Johns revealed he had deliberately tried to bait his brother into giving an emotional response.

Johns said on SEN Breakfast last week his brother managed to get one cheap shot in during the exchange, when he pointed out Matthew’s record in the Origin arena of four losses from four matches.

Matty and Joey Johns clash in a fiery chat about State of Origin... 👀🔥 pic.twitter.com/7A26ucsffE

— SEN 1170 (@1170sen) May 13, 2023

“That’s his one joke. That’s what he goes with every time,” Johns said.

“Well, my counter is that god doesn’t give you everything — have you heard yourself commentate.”

Matthew said after the segment he asked his brother about the hatred he has for Queensland.

“I said to him afterwards, how old are you, eight?”

Matthew said his brother was zoning out of the conversation and was looking through surfing photos on his phone when Webster was asking him a question. That’s when Matthew decided to poke the bear.

“I thought if he’s not paying attention, I’ll have a go here,” he said.

“And then half way through he sort of snapped out of it and then started to bite.”

Johns was much more reserved on Wednesday night after watching his beloved Blues lose another game they should have won — but the rage was only just below the surface.

After Queensland scored the match-winning try an exasperated Johns muttered in the back of the commentary box: “I can’t believe it”.

the rugby league Immortal gave an honest assessment of the Blues’ game-one performance.

“The attack was terrible, they had so much momentum, they had so much possession,” Johns said post-match on Channel 9.

“There was one really good try to Liam Martin when the halves got together, then Api Koroisau scores a dubious try and then Stephen Crichton scores off a kick.

“With all that field position and momentum and possession, you’ve got to score.

Joey Johns still can't believe it. Photo: Channel 9

“Queensland’s scramble was sensational and they were courageous and defensively they held up a couple in the first half.

“But you’ve just got to be better. It was really poor, I thought NSW were really poor. Really poor.”

After watching Queensland win on grit and desperate defending, fans couldn’t help but think that Matty was right all along when he pointed out Queensland’s mental advantage in the state-against-state rivalry.

It likely explains Joey’s no-show on Friday.

Johns brothers’ radio debate turned heated

Here’s the exchange that started it all.

Matt: “(Queensland coach Billy) Slater’s close to the best coach in the game. You just know how he explains, how he coaches, the intricacies, the players absolutely love him. Queensland know exactly how they’re going to play and who they need to pick to make that happen.”

Andrew: “And NSW don’t know how they’re going to play?”

Matt: “No, nope.”

Andrew: “We’ll see …”

Matt: “Yeah, like the last two.”

Andrew: “Mate I’m sick of you rapping Queensland, that’s what I’m sick of.”

Matt: “Because they’ve just been better, they’ve had lesser sides, they’ve just been better.”

Andrew: “Are you serious?”

Matt: “I’m absolutely serious, look at the scoreboard.”

Andrew: “Lesser sides? So you’re saying their spine of Ponga, Munster, DCE and Harry Grant isn’t that good?”

Matt: “You’re going from one extreme to another. It’s not the best side they’ve ever had and it’s certainly not their worst.”

Andrew: “Put your Maroon jersey on, you should have some at home.”

Matt: “I would and I do because they’re easier to admire.”

Andrew: “What? just because you played four games and lost four doesn’t mean you need to s**t bag NSW.”

Matt: “Well mate, you don’t need to be a baker to know that bread tastes good.”

The show’s co-host Andrew Webster asked the eighth Immortal about whether he believed the gap had closed between the states, but it just reignited the debate.

Andrew: “I couldn’t give a s**t. I don’t even look at Queensland, I couldn’t care who they pick. I know what we’re going to pick, I know how we’re going to play, I know the players we’re going to pick.”

Matt: “OK, good, so who are we going to pick?”

Andrew: “Oh that’s good you just said we don’t know how we’re going to play; I had a meeting during the week with the staff, we’ve worked out how we’re going to play, we’ve known for months how we’re going to play.”

Asked who was going to be the Blues’ No. 6, Andrew replied: “None of your business. Worry about Queensland you two. They’ll pick Munster.

“Keep blowing hot air up their a**.”

Andrew was questioned even further about positional decisions but again brushed Matt and Andrew Webster off.

But he had a parting shot.

“You’re blowing smoke up their backsides, I couldn’t care about Queensland, he (Matty) said they’re easy to admire — they’re the enemy,” Andrew said.

“(We) grew up hating them, we grew up watching the king (Wally Lewis) absolutely kill us.”