Cooper Johns under fire as Las Vegas red carpet stunt over inflatable bat backfires

Cooper Johns took an inflatable bat on the red carpet of the Las Vegas fan fest to poke fun at the Raiders over their hotel stoush, but the stunt was a swing and a miss with NRL officials unimpressed.

Former NRL player Cooper Johns has come under fire following a Las Vegas red carpet stunt with the Canberra Raiders that backfired.

Johns, son of NRL great Matty Johns, was filming content with media personality Hammy Goodman for Sportsbet, the NRL’s official gambling partner, at the Fan Fest on Fremont Street.

The duo took a Simpsons blow-up baseball bat to the red carpet, a reference to the Vegas hotel lift fight between Raiders duo Hudson Young and Morgan Smithies.

Young is believed to have been hit by the bat while Raiders coach Ricky Stuart was allegedly asked questions he found inappropriate.

The NRL is aware of the incident and making inquiries.

Raiders coach Ricky Stuart wasn’t impressed. Picture: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Cooper Johns with his Simpsons inflatable baseball bat in Downtown Las Vegas.

Stuart was asked about Johns’ actions at his pre-game press conference.

“It’s each to their own and the types of ways they want to do their, I don’t know if he’s a journalist, but journalism,” he said.

Johns said he believed people saw the lighthearted side of the original incident between Young and Smithies and didn’t mean to offend.

”I’d never ask someone about an incident that was actually serious,” Johns said on Saturday morning AEDT.

“I think everyone sees it for what it is now — just two blokes hitting it each with inflatable baseball bats.

“I’m great mates with Hudson and chatting with him he found the humor in it and had a laugh.

“Obviously Ricky just wasn’t in the mood to joke about it at the time. I’ll still be joining in on the Viking clap come game day.”

The Raiders quickly moved on from the Young-Smithies spat a week ago by making the players face the media after the news broke.

They have since accommodated promotional opportunities all week, and have been focusing on Sunday’s NRL season opener against the New Zealand Warriors at Allegiant Stadium.

“There’s no worries with us, we see it as a joke,” Stuart said.

“I’ve been involved in those incidents and you get over it.

“You guys saw it for what it was worth and it died the sudden death it deserved.

“It hasn’t had one ounce of disruption for us.”

The Raiders have welcomed media into their inner sanctum and completed numerous promotional activities during the Vegas week.

“I want the players to talk to you guys and do whatever appearances so they can get experienced with it,” Stuart said.

“I hope some of these players become Origin and Test players and you have to become used to that type of media exposure, appearances and bright lights.”

Originally published as Cooper Johns under fire as Las Vegas red carpet stunt over inflatable bat backfires