Aussie cricketing legend Greg Chappell says Matthew and Andrew Johns’ State of Origin feud is a sham designed to get ratings: ‘They may have sucked us all in!’
- Greg had many high-profile disagreements with brother Ian
- Believes the Johns brothers are continuing their feud
- Thinks it’s part of a ploy to generate hype for Origin
Australian cricketing legend Greg Chappell knows what it’s like to have public blues with a famous brother, but he doesn’t believe in the so-called fallout between footy’s famous Johns siblings.
The ongoing dispute between NRL’s Matty and Andrew Johns escalated when famed halfback Andrew refused to show up for a scheduled radio appearance with Matthew on Friday morning.
‘Joey’ Johns, 49, was expected to appear on SEN but failed to show up at the studio in Sydney.
The brothers’ recent feud began with Matthew praising Queensland’s performance at crucial moments and applauding coach Billy Slater ahead of the first game between NSW and Queensland last Wednesday.
This enraged Andrew, an ardent Blues supporter and member of the NSW coaching staff.
Andrew didn’t call back on his birthday and has since blocked his TV star brother.
Matthew and Andrew Johns camp out in New South Wales with Greg ‘Brandy’ Alexander. The two are not speaking at the moment because Matty dared to praise Queensland
Greg and Ian Chappell are both Australian cricketing legends and have also had many high-profile disagreements over the years
The New South Wales Blues lost the first State of Origin game in Adelaide, which is said to have contributed to Andrew John’s moodiness
Greg had many famous blowouts with his cricket star brother Ian and he thinks the Johns brothers are just trying to generate hype for the 2023 State of Origin series.
“The thing about brothers is they know how to turn each other on,” Greg shared News Corp.
“I got a call from Ian after Queensland won recently and he said, ‘What is it with the bloody Queenslanders with their resilience and tenacity.’ He loves his rugby league but hates Queensland getting up all the time.
‘She [the Johns brothers] are in the media and here we are talking about it. They might play it out, so good luck to them. I wouldn’t mind betting they have a quiet chuckle in the background. They may have sucked us all in!
“The younger brother is always on the receiving end. In the early years you don’t have the strength or life experience to get to the top, but as you get older I think sometimes the younger brother has to be more cunning to survive.’
The rivalry between Ian and Greg Chappell is well known in the sports world.
Both star cricketers in their own right, they often competed for accolades and recognition throughout their careers.
Despite their public outcry, Greg and Ian Chappell have a strong relationship, with Greg describing Ian as his hero
Matthew Johns is known for ruffling a few feathers in his long career as an NRL pundit and numerous footy shows including Sunday Night with Matty Johns
Andrew Johns is one of the best New South Wales players of all time and the eighth Immortal takes State of Origin very seriously
An exceptional batsman and captain, Ian played 75 Test matches, scoring 5345 runs at an average of 42.42 as he led Australia to numerous victories.
Also an accomplished batsman and captain, Greg played in 87 Test matches and collected 7110 runs at an average of 53.86, further cementing Chappell’s legacy in cricket history.
Their competitive nature extended beyond the cricket field, as the Chappell brothers were known to have disagreements and differing perspectives on various aspects of the game.
But Greg eventually said they were always brothers and would always defend each other.
‘Ian has always been my hero and still is’ and ‘we had our differences but if someone criticized one of us against the other then we would stand up for each other’ he said,
“Ian said to me that someone says we were always thought of as very different people, but we’re actually much closer in personality than you’d like to admit. We actually agreed on that.’
The youngest of the Chappell cricket brothers, Trevor had a relatively shorter Test career compared to Ian and Greg. He played in just three Test matches for Australia, scoring 160 runs at an average of 26.66.