NSW coach Brad Fittler takes sides in feud between Andrew and Matthew Johns that has driven a wedge between the famed footy brothers
- Famous footy brothers fell out last month
- Couple have not spoken since clash on live radio
- Andrew was furious at Matt’s pro-Queensland comment
Blues coach Brad Fittler has taken sides in the ongoing feud between brothers and former NSW Origin stars Andrew and Matthew Johns – and he’s squarely in the former’s camp.
‘Joey’ and Matthew haven’t spoken since they got into a fight on live radio on May 12 leading up to this year’s first State of Origin game, with Andrew lashing out at his sibling for going through with ‘s **tbag” the Blues side as he praised Queensland coach Billy Slater and his game plan.
Andrew currently works as one of Fittlers’ assistants with the Blues.
“Mate, I’m tired of you rapping Queensland, I’m tired of that. Put on your maroon sweater, you should have it in the house,’ Andrew snorted during their first clash.
“Only because you played four [Origin] games and four lost doesn’t mean you have to s**tbag NSW.’
Andrew Johns still hasn’t spoken to his brother after their on-air spat on live radio before the first Origin game back in May
Older Johns brother infuriated ‘Joey’ by singing the praises of Queensland coach Billy Slater and his game plans
The feud escalated when Andrew failed to appear on the show, then quit the program altogether and refused to speak to his sibling.
Matthew later said he heard his brother wanted to bash him over his comments, after which Andrew got a frosty face last week on the Sunday Footy Show when Queensland star Cameron Munster cheekily asked if the pair had patched things up.
Now Fittler has said he supports Andrew’s rock-solid commitment to the Blues.
“Normally we have people going the other way. I don’t speak to Matty because we work at different networks,” he told the The Sydney Morning Herald.
“Sometimes you have to pick a side. It’s funny to walk the streets, people have been very supportive of me.
‘But to arouse interest, sometimes [people] go for it [in] different ways.
“It’s funny, they’re very different states. But we like ours.’
Andrew Johns works as Fittler’s assistant with the Blues – and the head coach has supported him in the stoush with his brother
Fittler – who was one of the Blues’ best players during his 31-game Origin career – is under a lot of pressure heading into game two, with many pundits speculating he will be out of a job if his side loses that game to fall to their second series loss in a row.
He previously revealed his intense disappointment with the team’s performance during the first game of the series, when they let a two-point lead slip with 12 minutes left to play, despite having a one-man advantage after Tom Flegler was thrown off.
“We were in a really good position and we relaxed and I don’t know why,” he said.
“We can’t do that… It burns me.
“Normally you don’t get them out that well and to let them go like this was pretty disappointing.
‘A bit embarrassing, towards the end. Sometimes shame is a pretty good motivator.”