‘Neanderthal’: AFL great sorry for Matty Johns swipe

An AFL great has retracted a blistering attack on NRL cult figure Matty Johns after hinting at a text message from his wife.

AFL great Tim Watson has retracted the blistering attack he launched on Matty Johns.

The Bombers legend last week jokingly called the NRL cult figure a “caveman” and a “neanderthal” as barbs flew during a code war stoush.

Veteran footy commentator Mark Robinson sparked heated debate with a massive call made ahead of the Swans’ preliminary final win over Port Adelaide at a packed SCG.

The Herald Sun scribe said: “Before we’re dead, AFL will take over rugby league”.

Watch the best coverage of the 2024 NRL finals, with expert analysis and every game until the Grand Final LIVE with no ad-breaks during play, on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today >

It rubbed plenty above the Murray River the wrong way with Johns among those to hit back.

“Oh my God, what a joke,” Johns said on SEN 1170 The Run Home.

“Only people who do not understand the mindset of Sydney people would even say that.

“48,000 Swans, good on them, if you counted faces it would be 10,000, everyone is there to be seen, there’s people with their backs turned to the sport.

Garry Lyon, Tim Watson and Matty Johns.

“You go to Western Sydney, talk to Panthers fans, talk to Tigers fans (and) Dogs fans, and ask what they think about AFL, they wouldn’t even know what the sport is.”

Watson last week had a light-hearted crack at Johns over those comments.

The pair are both on the books at the SEN radio network with Johns regularly featuring on the SEN Breakfast show in Melbourne which is fronted by Watson and Demons legend Garry Lyon.

Lyon described Watson’s comments last week as “disrespectful”.

With his tongue planted in his cheek, Watson told his co-host: “I don’t know if we’re overtaking all of Sydney, but there’s a very big part of Sydney that has now embraced the idea of having their own AFL team there.

“They are loving it because of the entertainment value of AFL football and it’s hard for some of those old school neanderthal types like Matty Johns to accept that.”

Watson described Johns as a “caveman” and said “he needs to step into the 21st century”.

Watson had another thinly-veiled crack on his Tuesday breakfast show.

Lyon started the segment by saying: “You gave him the biggest clip he’s ever had. It’s got to him, I know that. I spoke to him”.

Watson cheekily poked fun of Johns again, hinting Johns’ wife Trish had texted him.

“I went too far. I reflected on my bad behaviour,” he said on Tuesday.

“I’m a great defender of the game. I’m a loyal person and when someone has a chip at our game, I feel like they’re attacking my family.

Andrew Voss, Bryan Fletcher, Matty Johns and Mal Meninga during a Fox League Launch at Darling Harbour. Photo: Fox League / Brett Costello.

“I’d go to war for you. For all the people I love. All the people I know. The game. I feel like it’s part of my family. But, on reflection, I probably went too far.

“I got a message from Trish over the weekend. She said he’s been in the foetal position ever since he heard the Wisp (Watson’s nickname) had hat a crack at him.

“I’m going to have to retract it.”

Watson’s comments had Lyon in stitches.

Johns is scheduled to return to speak to the two hosts on Thursday’s edition of the morning radio show.

Johns last week said he finds AFL “administrators” and external media commentators “naive and disrespectful”.

“I think the blokes who play are really good blokes and I do respect the sport, I just find the administrators and everything around it they just rub me the wrong way,” he said.

“I find them naive and disrespectful of our city and our culture.”

Originally published as ‘Neanderthal’: AFL great sorry for Matty Johns swipe