COVER STORY
A
ustralia as a nation can comfortably be described as
sports mad. From cricket to football in all its codes,
Supercars to tennis, the pursuit of glory has us glued
to our screens – when we’re not screaming our lungs
out while attending a live event.
The rivalries run deep – but there’s none of that on display in
a Melbourne studio when we team up with NRL legend Matty Johns
and AFL stalwart Jonathan Brown for our photo shoot.
While the pair has met around the traps, they’ve never spent
a lot of time together, yet their camaraderie is instant. As they talk
nonstop – mainly sport-related but also other issues, including how
much screentime is okay for children – the laughs keep coming.
We’re on a strict deadline – mainly because Browny’s racehorse
Bit of a Lad is running in the 2.30 at Warrnambool, his home town,
and he wants to watch the race live (it romps home).
He’s surprisingly perky, considering he’s been up since 4am
doing his Melbourne Nova 100 breakfast radio show.
“It’s a bit of a contrast; obviously working for Foxtel is all about
FOX FOOTY, but I get to talk about the Kardashians through the
week,” he says with a laugh.
Both our stars’ Foxtel panel shows, The Late Show with Matty Johns
and On the Couch, are huge hits with viewers. That engaging mix
of knowledge and comedy clearly hits the sweet spot, so much
so that Johns has increased his output – The Matty Johns Podcast
is now a television show of the same name on FOX LEAGUE.
As we wrap up, the guys are still talking 10 to the dozen, making
plans for lunch at a later date and even a combined Christmas
show! Now that we would love to see...
Here they talk life after playing, the people who influenced them
and advice they’d give younger players.
You’re both pretty well thought of in the sporting fraternity;
some people might even say you’re legends of the game. How
does that make you feel?
Johns: I’m a fan of low standards!
Brown: When you’re in the lowest part of the food chain in your
own household, it sort of keeps you in perspective. The dog was
and then he ran away, so now I’m the lowest.
Both of you seemed to have a plan for after you stopped playing
- TV, radio, books... Was that deliberate?
Brown: We both came through The Footy Show, but when you
start off, it’s only because you’re a player – you just do a guest spot
here, a guest spot there. I think it happens organically.
Johns: Yeah, it does, Browny. Live TV is good grounding, you’ve
got to think on your feet, fill the air a little bit. But the biggest thing
is moving into radio – it sharpens you up so much.
Did you have good role models?
Brown: I was very lucky – I was fortunate enough to play in
premierships [with the Brisbane Lions] at a young age, and so I had
great role models – none better than Michael Voss, who was our
captain. The best players are always the hardest workers. We
enjoyed ourselves off the field, but always turned up and worked
hard – an old-school work ethic.
Johns: My great grandfather, my grandfather and father were all
coalminers and, most of my childhood, my father, Gary, was^
Jonathan Brown
(left) and Matty
Johns are enjoyingthe ride with Foxtel
Foxtel AUGUST 9