‘Talk after Origin’: Andrew and Matthew Johns to bury family feud

Andrew and Matthew Johns have been locked in a two-month long feud but there is an end in sight to the brotherly stand off.

The Johns brothers are set to bury the hatchet.

Andrew and Matthew Johns’ brotherly feud is almost over with the pair set to break bread now the Origin series is over.

The pair have been locked in a public feud for the past two months after a seemingly gentle jab on Matt’s Friday morning SEN radio show where he praised Queensland before the Origin series drove a wedge between the pair.

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But after two months where it seems the pair have not spoken over the comments, Andrew revealed that the pair were planning to put the feud behind them.

Speaking on 2GB’s Ben Fordham Live on Thursday morning, Joey was asked if he and Matthew could be a potential duo to replace Brad Fittler as Blues coach.

“Ah, no, that won’t be happening,” Joey said.

“We’re going to have lunch in the next couple of days. I rang him and said I’ll talk to you after Origin.”

Fordham asked: “So you and Matty are having a lunch, you smoking the peace pipe are you?”

Johns replied: “Well, not in those words but yeah.”

Andrew Johns. Photo by Matt Blyth/Getty Images

Matty Johns. Photo by Phil Hillyard

It was a seemingly innocuous moment which sparked the split, with Matthew saying: “(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.”

Matthew revealed that he had seen Andrew wasn’t looking and decided to poke the bear, with the eighth Immortal taking the bait and some.

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

He also told Matthew to “put your Maroon jersey on”, as well as saying: “What? just because you played four games and lost four doesn’t mean you need to s**t bag NSW”.

Andrew is not only seen as arguably the greatest rugby league player of all-time but also one of the greatest Origin players.

The pair were premiership winners for the Knights in 1997.

But after his outburst on Channel 9 after last years’ series decider, you may not be able to find a more passionate ex-Blue than the man known affectionately as Joey.

While many believed it could just blow over quickly, it was soon revealed the pair were not on speaking terms and SEN boss Craig Hutchison moved in to try and smooth things over.

But this backfired as Joey walked away from the Friday morning radio show.

Matthew said the next day via his The Matty Johns Podcast: “I’ve just heard through the grapevine that basically he’s said to people that next time he sees me, he’s going to take my head off”.

Joey may have forgot this picture existed — from after the Blues’ last whitewash in 2000. Credit: Adam Pretty/ALLSPORT

Before game two of the 2023 Origin series, Maroons five-eighth Cameron Munster stirred the pot, asking at the end of an interview on Channel 9’s Sunday Footy Show: “Have you made up with your brother?”

Joey replied: “What brother?”

While Andrew didn’t want to hear it at the time, Matthew was right on the money as the Maroons wrapped up a series win in the first two games, with the Blues winning the dead rubber in Sydney.

However, last week, it appeared Joey was finally accepting the Origin reality, as he praised Billy Slater.

And now the Origin series is over, it seems the family feud is finally done as well.