ManlyBacker
Winging it
I guess this falls a lot into the who cares basket, but I am surprised that Matty and Joey have got to the point where thay haven't spoken for six months.
From: Phil Rothfield The Sunday Telegraph
THEY formed one of rugby league's greatest partnerships, but it has been six long months since brothers Andrew and Matthew Johns have spoken to each other.
The saddest split in league has disintegrated to such an extent that Matthew will not be attending the christening of his nephew - Andrew's one-year-old son - on Sydney's northern beaches this morning.
The once inseparable pair, who shared a premiership triumph with the Newcastle Knights and State of Origin victories for NSW, were born and raised out of the same bedroom at Cessnock before they became league superstars.
They fell out not long after the ABC's Four Corners program last year revealed Matthew's role in a New Zealand sex scandal that left a young woman in a suicidal state.
Matthew accused Andrew of not supporting him the way he had supported Andrew in 2007 when he was caught in possession of ecstasy tablets in London, leading to his life unravelling and his public admission that he suffered from a bipolar disorder and had abused alcohol and drugs throughout his league career.
Matthew's closest friends have revealed the older brother was in a near-depressed state for months and "lay on his couch" after being stood down by the Nine Network last May following the Four Corners report.
He stopped taking phone calls from Andrew, league mates and television colleagues and even split from his long-time agent John Fordham, who continues to manage Andrew's career.
Sources have revealed Matthew was, and remains, furious that Andrew continued to work for Nine and News Limited (publisher of The Sunday Telegraph) after the scandal broke.
Matthew also worked as a personality for Nine and News at the time and felt neither had properly supported him in the immediate aftermath of the story breaking.
Both brothers have been reluctant to speak about their devastating falling-out.
The Sunday Telegraph contacted Andrew for a comment early last week, but he was at his son's birthday party and said he would talk the next day. Instead, he issued the following comment, emailed through Mr Fordham
: "Matt and I both have plenty on our hands at present in the lead-up to the season. We keep private any matters involving our families."
Matthew Johns was also reluctant to talk, saying only: "I've always believed family matters are exactly that - family matters.
"It's up to us to sort it out. We'll be all right."
The brothers' parents, Gayle and Gary Johns, are understandably devastated by the split.
Gary Johns was also reluctant to speak 'saying only: "We're trying to get the boys sorted out, and the less interference the better."
"It's too damaging. They don't need this attention.
"I don't know who's going to the christening. Everything will be fine. It'll be sorted out."
From: Phil Rothfield The Sunday Telegraph
THEY formed one of rugby league's greatest partnerships, but it has been six long months since brothers Andrew and Matthew Johns have spoken to each other.
The saddest split in league has disintegrated to such an extent that Matthew will not be attending the christening of his nephew - Andrew's one-year-old son - on Sydney's northern beaches this morning.
The once inseparable pair, who shared a premiership triumph with the Newcastle Knights and State of Origin victories for NSW, were born and raised out of the same bedroom at Cessnock before they became league superstars.
They fell out not long after the ABC's Four Corners program last year revealed Matthew's role in a New Zealand sex scandal that left a young woman in a suicidal state.
Matthew accused Andrew of not supporting him the way he had supported Andrew in 2007 when he was caught in possession of ecstasy tablets in London, leading to his life unravelling and his public admission that he suffered from a bipolar disorder and had abused alcohol and drugs throughout his league career.
Matthew's closest friends have revealed the older brother was in a near-depressed state for months and "lay on his couch" after being stood down by the Nine Network last May following the Four Corners report.
He stopped taking phone calls from Andrew, league mates and television colleagues and even split from his long-time agent John Fordham, who continues to manage Andrew's career.
Sources have revealed Matthew was, and remains, furious that Andrew continued to work for Nine and News Limited (publisher of The Sunday Telegraph) after the scandal broke.
Matthew also worked as a personality for Nine and News at the time and felt neither had properly supported him in the immediate aftermath of the story breaking.
Both brothers have been reluctant to speak about their devastating falling-out.
The Sunday Telegraph contacted Andrew for a comment early last week, but he was at his son's birthday party and said he would talk the next day. Instead, he issued the following comment, emailed through Mr Fordham
: "Matt and I both have plenty on our hands at present in the lead-up to the season. We keep private any matters involving our families."
Matthew Johns was also reluctant to talk, saying only: "I've always believed family matters are exactly that - family matters.
"It's up to us to sort it out. We'll be all right."
The brothers' parents, Gayle and Gary Johns, are understandably devastated by the split.
Gary Johns was also reluctant to speak 'saying only: "We're trying to get the boys sorted out, and the less interference the better."
"It's too damaging. They don't need this attention.
"I don't know who's going to the christening. Everything will be fine. It'll be sorted out."
