joeyheaven

Andrews Achievements - Mark Hughes

You can add two hundred first grade games to Andrew Johns' long list of achievements. What a brilliant player he has been for the Knights, NSW and Australia over the years. But you don't want me to go on about his achievements, you would much rather read about the important stuff like his two Border Collie dogs named Molly and Walter. Like Robbie O, Joey has owned a few race horses which unfortunately did not achieve anywhere near the results he has on the sporting field. His most satisfying win was a few years ago when his trotter got up and won paying $25. It beat the favourite in the race that was owned by brother Matthew, Adam Muir, Steve Crowe and Tony Butterfield. Just to rub it in after the race Joey was waving $50 notes around his head to keep him cool.

If we play on a Friday night a crew of us often head to Newcastle races to try our luck. One early morning we decided to head to the stables to see our good mate Chris Lees' horses train. Tipster Jock Gollogally was doing a bit of TV work around the stables. A horse walked past us, Joey gave the animal a swift slap on the bum. The impact of the slap caused the horse to spray half a dozen nuggets like a machine gun straight on our mate Jock. After much laughter Joey then informed Jock that was payback for his poor tips.

Joey is a also great surfer, he lives straight across the road from the beach and will often rush home from training just to get amongst the surf. On the field Joey is the ultimate competitor and it's not different of it. He loves a game of tennis, often having battles with Bedsy and I in a round robin format. He will chase the ball like a mongrel dog often ending up sprawled out on the court, he makes you earn every point. His poor racket cops the blame at times. He also loves his cricket. Whilst injuries have limited his career he has snuck a few games in with the mighty Merewether 5th Grade. About 12 months ago I filled in for one game with him. Leading into it we would go to the nets regularly for some intense practice. He even brought a new ball and asked me to rip in as hard as I could. With the new ball in hand I got a little excited, dropped the ball in a little short and struck him in the forearm which was right in front of his nose. Typical of Joey, he battled on, but I must say I unsettled him a little bit. On the game day we were 4 for 15 chasing 90 to win. Joey came out swinging. Two balls later he was on his way, caught on the boundary. He had rage and his bat reached his bag 20 metres before he did.

Joey also loves soccer, rates himself just between you and me. Whenever the Newcastle United boys train at the same ground as us he has a spring in his step. We had a session with them once and he was tearing in. If he wasn't shooting at the goal he was screaming demanding the ball, even off the soccer boys. He did one good shot and then had the hide to yell at their Coach Ian Crook "Did you see that Crookie?". Whilst the soccer boys laughed I can tell you he was fair dinkum.

Joey just loves being around the boys. He loves getting together for lunch. His favourite is pasta from Little Swallows or a toasted chicken sandwich from Euro Patisserie with tomato sauce. He loves a social drink, of course I just go with him to make sure that he is okay.

With his high profile it sometimes proves a little difficult for him. It rammed home to me late last year at Matt Gidley's bucks show. It was the early hours of the morning and somehow we ended up at a rather alternate hotel. There were all walks of life there and the thing was they all knew Joey. All he wanted was a few quiet drinks but he kept getting bailed up. There were Irish backpackers, pommies and to top it off a drunken Chinese transvestite who wanted a chat. I'm not sure what the subject was, maybe she or he wanted to nut out some salary cap issues. We weren't hanging around, it was time to go!

Also, after our trial this year in Cairns we went out and Joey was spotted by two blokes from Papua New Guinea. All night they were dancing around him screaming "Andrew Jooooooooohns, Andrew Jooooooooohns". Eventually they both pulled out there wallets and made it quite clear that they didn't have a cent between them. Joey who is always charitable felt sorry for them and gave them a $50 note with the strict orders to get themselves a drink each and to bring back the change. Their eyes lit up and of they went to the bar and we never saw them again. Joey claims that is the best $50 he has ever spent.

He can tell a great story and has plenty of them. He can have a group hanging off his every word. But at times he is guilty of exaggerating minor details just to dress up the yarn a little. An early example of this was the night before the 1993 Reserve Grade major Semi-Final. The boys were in camp in Sydney and Joey went to bed extra early due to a case of diarrhoea. The next morning he dragged himself down to breakfast with his eyes hanging out of his head. He claimed to have visited the toilet at least 60 times that night and how he had just weighed himself and lost 12 kgs. No doubt a little exaggerated. For the record he went out and played and had a blinder.

Another story that springs to mind is last year where he had the privilege of meeting Kylie Minogue in Sydney. It was just a quick meet that is a great story in itself but obviously not jazzed up enough for our Joey. Since that meeting he has been over heard telling anyone willing to listen how Kylie was feeding him asparagus sticks and continuously pestering him for his phone number. Since my recent date with Kyle’s at the MTV Awards there has been a bit of sour grapes shown from Joey towards me. In summing up Andrew, he has worked extremely hard for his achievements. He has a great family around him and loves spending time with young Samuel. For a man of his stature he is such a down to earth humble larrikin who never forgets his grass roots. He has a lot of good mates in and out of football and take the tip from me he is one of the best blokes you'll meet.

A perfect ten - 10 things Johns loves about the game

TWO MINUTE BELL - Theres a buzzer in our dressing shed at Energy Australia which goes off two minutes before we head onto the field. I love it. Thats when all the nervous energy, all the feeling in the room builds up to fever pitch. You come in from the warm up and its really quiet. No one says anything. Then the two minute bell sounds and everyone springs to their feet. Everyone is talking, running up and down on the spot... you know the boys are ready to go.

MATES IN THE CROWD - I can always hear my mates, especially at home games. I hear different people depending on where I am on the field. There's this one old bloke who always sits on the hill at the northern end, and when I'm kicking for goal he yells outs "Bet you a schooner". He does it every time. "Hoyo (Matt Hoy) absolutely screams out - all the boys can hear him.

ROOMING WITH BEDSEY - When we stay in motels for away games, all the boys will go back to their room for a sleep around midday, but Danny Buderus and I always watch a movie. The flick I remember most was the one we watched before the 2001 Grand Final. It was about a female dancer - Bedsey and I only started watching p; it because she had a great body - who wanted to crack it on Broadway but she was deaf. To make matters worse, her brother manager was taking money from her to feed his drug habit. This went on for hours... no story, no ending, no nothing.

CRICKET - The other highlight of away matches is our cricket showdown on game day morning. Teams are split into odds and evens, depending on the number you wear. Kurt Gidley and Ben Kennedy are the stars. And Sean Rudder is a bit of a 'smoky' when he's awake - he usually fields wrapped in a doona. I always get out controversially.

VB - There's nothing better than that first beer after a big win. All the boys go back to Wests league Club after home games then off to the Burwood Hotel. After that its usually the young single blokes - and a couple of older blokes - who drive into town.

PERSONALITIES - You've got young ratbags and the older, more settles blokes. The loner and the life of the party. There's all these different personalities, but once you're on the field you mix into one. Every team has a pest, and Clint Newton is head and shoulders above the rest at the Knights. He's world class. He's actually quiet an immature bloke. He's also in denial about his drastic hair loss. Its falling out everywhere.

DEFENDING YOUR LINE - There are plenty of times when things go against you in big games and the team digs in, but nothings better than successfully defending your line. There are times when all the boys are screaming and you know they're not going to break you. Its especially good if you can hold out for a couple of sets. I remember playing Brisbane in 1998, we defended our line for three sets and 'Chief' put too massive shots on Shane Webcke. Those sort of efforts life everyone.

JUNK FOOD - The only time I allow myself McDonalds or KFC is after a big win. That way I can have a feed and not feel too guilty. I certainly don't dig in as much as I used to. The best thing I ever did was move out of town five years ago to Merewether. There's no Macca's between the ground and my house, so I cant stop off and grab three Quarter Pounders before bed.

MATES - One of the best things about footy is the mateship. Thats why away games are so good because all the boys are in together, travelling, playing cards, cricket, whatever. We're a tight knit group here at Newcastle most of the boys live within a couple of minutes of each other - and I think that reflects in our success on the field.

MAD MONDAY - Theres no real explanation needed for a celebration named after one day that usually goes for three. Our Mad Monday after the 2001 Grand Final was perhaps the best ever. We had players from all the grades, mates, fathers, brothers... everyone. And word travels fast up here. We walk into a pub and its empty, but 20 minutes later the joint is packed.

I won't lie I enjoy watching rugby. League and union are that close but to switch would be a massive gamble. My main concern is that those rugby shorts make my arse look too big!

I pushed it while stretching with my nude yoga partner, Mark Hughes.

I never liked it and there is this old lady who sits in the same place every time I have been there who just gives it to me when I am kicking for goal, Yelling out stuff like 'hairy legs' and 'bucket arse'.

We had oranges at half time, looks like you had pizza

Arduous King, Buenos Aires and, to be honest, I've got no idea what the third one's name is. They're all race horses, but they may as well be trotters because they're bloody hopeless.

I wanted to get nude and tap dance on the crossbar, but I thought I might get fined.

JOHNS BROTHERS

All together, everybody, to the tune of the Itchy and Scratchy theme song:

They fight, and bite,
They fight and bite and fight!
Fight fight fight, bite bite bite,
The Matty and Joey Show!

HEY, NOBODY'S SUGGESTING THAT RUGBY league's most famous brothers are at each other's throat like the murderous cat-and-dog duo from The Simpsons. Not for real, anyway.
But there's a buzz when the Johns boys walk into a room - a prodding, niggling, poking vibe that is so damn funny it deserves theme music. And when the brothers walk out two hours later, after a rat-a-tat barrage of one-liners and put-downs - and an awful lot of arse-pinching - the room feels so empty you almost expect credits to roll.

Matthew, of course, is chief tormentor.

"Watch 'Joey' over there," he warns as Andrew gets changed for the photo shoot. "He acts like he doesn't care about clothes, but the only reason he got here early is so he could have first pick."
"Stop talking s-t," Joey replies.
It's a weak comeback. Matthew usually finishes on top in the never-ending battle of lip. Usually.
"When we played footy together he used to wear screw-in studs to make him an inch taller," Matthew taunts.

"Mate, I've got an inch on him everywhere," Joey deadpans.
Yep, it's the Matty and Joey show all right. And not just in the studio where Alpha has cornered the boys, but in the sport of rugby league itself.

In the decade-and-a-half since the brothers pulled on the red and blue of the Newcastle Knights, they've become nearly as big as the game itself. And they haven't done it through arrogance or showiness or trash-talking, but by being incredibly good at what they do.

Joey, 31, is good with a footy in his hands. That's a bit like saying Pavarotti warbles all right in the shower, because Andrew Johns is into Pele territory now. His 80 minutes of devilish kicks and perfect passes in this year's State of Origin II, coming on the heels of a broken jaw and a bung knee, had "best player of all time" written all over it.

Matty, 34, and in his third full year of retirement, wasn't exactly clumsy with a footy, either, as his collection of sky blue NSW jerseys and green and gold tracksuits proves. But it's with a microphone in one hand and a can of retro KB lager in the other that he's really made his mark. Everyone wants a piece of Matty the commentator, Matty the Footy Show regular and Matty the entertainer - not to mention his piss- taking, piss-swilling, moustachioed alter ego, Reg Reagan.

Australia has had plenty of successful sporting brothers down the years - so let's play the comparison game. If they were the Chappells, which one would they be?

"I'm not really sure - they're a bit before my time," Joey answers. "But Matty would be Trevor Chappell. He's the underarmer in the family."

Matty cracks up. The seasoned funny man knows there are times you don't heckle down the heckler.

How about the Waughs?

"I'd probably be Mark. He likes a bet," says Joey.
He has no issue posing for the camera just hours before leading the last-placed Knights to victory against second-placed Parramatta Eels in a Saturday night game. "I'd only be in the TAB anyway."

Matty leans toward the other cricketing twin. "I'd be Steve. I'm more analytical. For me to score a hundred as a cricketer, I'd have to do 100 hours of preparation. Joey would just pick up a bat and go out and score it."

Joey the natural we can understand - but Matty the analyst? The man with a bagful of Reggie mo's, whose humour is so off the cuff, it's sleeveless?

"As a footballer I always used to prepare well and I've carried that work-ethic beyond football. Old habits die hard."

The boys' manager, Nick Fordham, confirms Matty is a real swotter, who does serious homework before any on-camera appearance.

"Both brothers work so hard behind the scenes to be where they are today," Fordham says. "Seeing what Andrew puts himself through to get back from injury is nothing short of frightening, and Matty is meticulous in all facets of his life."

In truth, there's probably a touch of Mark and Steve in each. Both Johns boys leave nothing to chance. Yet in a delicious irony, both love a bet.

True to character, Matty claims to be quite the form student.

"Liar!" Joey counters. "Matty rings me every
Saturday, frothin' at the mouth for my tips. It's not, ‘How ya going? How ya feeling? Good luck with the footy,' it's 'Where's your tips? What's gonna win today? Have ya got any mail?'"

Matty sticks to his guns. "I enjoy the process of betting, so on a Friday I'll go and get a Best Bets and study it on the way to the game. Sad, isn't it? I'm turning into my old man."

Gary, the old man, is a mining unionist who looked certain to play league in Sydney (with St George) until injury intervened. "He passed on a hunger to succeed to us," says Matty.

That hunger bore fruit in the early '90s, as the Knights became a rugby league powerhouse on the back of the Johns-Johns combination: Matthew at five-eighth, Joey at halfback. Talk in those days was always of "the Johns boys". But Matty knew who the real star was.

'After a year or two in grade, I thought 'Oh, Jesus
Christ, I'm getting left behind here.'

"I wouldn't have been the player I was if I hadn't played alongside Andrew."

The highlight of those years was Newcastle's 1997 ARL premiership, when Darren Albert scored on the last play to sink favourites Manly. Less well remembered is that Joey set up the try, shunning the obvious option of the infield pass and field-goal attempt, to run the blind side and pass to Albert. And that was after coming out of hospital on the Friday with a punctured lung. to a backdrop of newspaper headlines screaming, "You Will Die!"

Afterwards, the pair posed together for memorable brothers-in-arms shots, as supporters lined the F3 freeway all the way to Newcastle. Joey spent the week stage diving, dressing in drag and skateboarding shirtless. An article by Neil Jameson in the Australian Magazine summarised it beautifully. "Bart Simpson meets Don Bradman".

In 2000, Newcastle were forced to axe Matty for financial reasons. The decision caused outrage among fans - and in the Johns family.

"I was ready to go," Joey told The Australian in 2003, "until Matthew pulled me aside and gave me some great advice. He said, 'If you go, go for your own reasons, but don't go because of what happened tome.'"

The brothers have always sought each other's counsel at crucial moments, as well as working on ideas together. One of Joey's signature moves is the banana kick: an attacking cross-field manoeuvre that deliberately slews off the side of the boot. The banana's precise origins are hazy. AFL and Ricky Stuart were both influences, but it was Matty who helped Joey hone the kick. (Players of the calibre of rugby union's Carlos Spencer and Jonny Wilkinson say it's just one aspect of Joey's game they have copied.)

Matty acts as both aide and counterweight to his brother. "Blokes like Andrew get so much praise, they deserve to go down a notch," he says.

Matthew goes about his work of de-deifying his brother by constantly calling him "barge arse".

"Kids now ask me to sign my autograph as barge arse," Joey admits. "Young kids just love it. They think it's my name."
That's the genius of Matty/Reg: nothing is sacred. Who else could have got on board the NSW bus before this year's all-important Origin III decider? Who else could have lampooned Mark Gasnier's late-night phone exploits to his face? Or introduced Jason Stevens - the Cronulla prop saving himself for sex after marriage - to a TV audience as "a man who hasn't made love for 10 years".

"I've never put a bloke on the spot who doesn't want it," Matty says. "I asked Stevo if I could introduce him like that and he said, 'That's gold!'"

Sure, there have been outbreaks of brotherly biffo. In 1996, Matty was out with a few mates from the Knights. "Naturally you don't ask your brother to go everywhere [with you]," he recalls.

But Newcastle is a small town. When Joey happened to see his brother in the window of a Darby St restaurant, he took it as a snub and all hell broke loose. Or so the papers reported.

Matty denies there was any real drama. "It was like handbags at 10 paces."

You can't fake the closeness these guys have. Both are fathers, and the first thing they do when they meet is ask about each other's families. Matty discusses his kids' snowboarding exploits; he's just taken the family to Perisher Blue (NSW) to film The Footy Show's snow episode, as well as snowboarding sequences for the new Reg Reagan DVD (the last one went five times platinum: everything he touches, from books to CDs and DVDs, sells like hot cakes).

Joey says he seeks out his five-year-old son Samuel in the crowd at games. "I look for him when there's a break in play. The other day I was kicking for touch and I saw him sitting there. He was waving pompoms, which is a bit of a worry."

That Joey can take game-time out to look for his son says volumes about his control on the football field. He's also in the rare position of being able to control his destiny after footy - whenever that day comes.

"I'll decide about retirement midway through '06; see how I'm going, see if I'm still enjoying the game," he says. "Hopefully I'll play Origin next year. It's the jewel in the crown for rugby league, isn't it?"

Beyond that is anyone's guess. "I don't know what 1 want to do, " he says. "1 don'twant to be a first grade coach, but 1 would like to do some individual coaching or troubleshooting."

An obvious road is the Channel Nine commentary box. Kerry Packer certainly appeared to be wooing him at an Origin function this year.

"1 said, 'Where am 1 sitting?' and they said, 'Next to Mr. Packer,'" Joey recalls. "I was terrified, but he's very relaxed. He's a sports nut. He talked all about players he loved in cricket and footy; he's a really good fella."

For now, Joey's the king on-field, Matty the king off it. Which brings us to the most obvious question of all: which one of the Johns boys would the Johns boys choose to be?

Joey' s in no doubt. 'I'd be Matthew. He hasn't had knee problems, neck problems, back problems: he's not getting bashed into every week. Plus he earns five times as much as me. Matty's in everything but a s-t sandwich."

Would Matty step into Joey's shoes?

"Nah, have a look at that body. When he finishes, he'll explode. And what about those lines? He's a candidate for the Botox, eh? Eh?"

"He's slowly turning into Reg," Joey says, shaking his head. "He gets a KB in his hand and he turns into Reg."
"Reg's got a great life," Matty says. "Seven wives, a palace out at Lidcombe, gets pissed every day, not in the least bit PC... "

Then, in a brief flash of seriousness, Matty raps his little brother. "Look, at the moment, Joey's the world's best footballer. I honestly believe he's the best player we've ever seen."

And Matty's not motivated to outdo him in other ways? "Hand on heart, 1 can honestly say 1 never try and outdo Andrew," he says. "We just get along."

Then he pinches his brother's arse, as Joey rolls his eyes.

Laughter is the best medicine for stricken Joey and his surf mate - 2 April, 2004

Even as the impact of his season-ending knee injury was beginning to sink in last Sunday, Andrew Johns was still at his scheming best. With television crews and newspaper photographers camped on his front doorstep, Johns decided to lend his crutches to a stunt double in a bid to mislead the waiting media corps. Not long after, footage of Newcastle surfer Beau Emerton posing as Johns on his balcony and walking around his front yard was broadcast on The Footy Show, and it ran again later on Channel Nine's evening news. "We absolutely cracked up," Emerton told Sin Bin yesterday. "Joey was in a fair bit of pain and he was starting to get the shits, so we both decided that we needed a bit of a laugh. He has always liked joking around and I'm a bit of a joker myself so I put the hat on, got changed into a red shirt and went outside with the crutches. Half-an-hour later it was on telly, so there were high fives going down inside, and the cameras left after that."

Daley head to head with Joey

By LAURIE DALEY and ANDREW JOHNS - 8 Jun 2003

LAURIE DALEY: The big question all the girls want answered at the moment is what is happening with the hair?

ANDREW JOHNS: When my girlfriend first started going out with me, she said that my hair made me look like the lead singer of a gay boy band. That was a good enough reason to change it.

LD: Phil Bailey reckons you are just copying him. Any truth in that?

AJ: None. Actually, I think Bails is losing his. Not having it cut in a while is part of a cover up.

LD: As far as bonding sessions go, how did Monday night stack up with previous camps?

AJ: It was good fun. It's always a good night on that first day in camp. All the boys are excited and we have a few beers with each other. It's great.

LD: You have not uttered the "D" word - for "dominant" - anywhere this season in relation to Origin. Do you feel you put yourself under too much pressure last season after the media jumped all over it?

AJ: Mate, it was just a comment. It was something that was said and they went into a frenzy over it. I'm under enough pressure as it is without putting any more on myself, so I'm just keeping my mouth shut.

LD: Tell us about Suncorp Stadium. Have you played in a stadium with that sort of atmosphere before?

AJ: Probably Old Trafford and Wembley are right up there. But without a doubt next Wednesday will be totally different to what we experienced in the Broncos game (last Sunday). I expect it to be one of those once-in-a-lifetime moments.

LD: I've been doing a lot of one-on-one work with Shaun Timmins. How do you think I'm going (laughing)?

AJ: (laughs) What sort of one-on-one work are you talking about? No, seriously, I'm surprised at how easy Timmo has slotted in. I suppose he has played with a good player over the years in Trent (Barrett) and just watching him go about his work would have helped. I was blown away by how easy he picked it up. I'm really pleased with how we are combining.

LD: It has always been said that Queensland are the "owners" of passion when it comes to State of Origin. What do you think of that?

AJ: I think that's just crap that gets thrown up in the media. We have as much passion for our jumpers as they do.

LD: What were you thinking when you saw me make my Origin debut in 1989? Geez, I'm giving myself a wrap here!

AJ: I just loved those shoulder pads you wore in those days.

LD: The mullet?

AJ: I loved the mullet. Actually, I'd love to look at your hair then and see how it compares to Reg Reagan's.

LD: When did you first think 'I want to play Origin'?

AJ: I don't know to be honest. When I was young I wasn't the best player going around because I didn't grow till later. It was probably the year I got my opportunity, 1995, when I really wanted it. It probably came before my time, like a lot of players (because of the Super League split), but it definitely improved me out of sight and once I got the opportunity I wanted to stay there.

LD: What does captaining the Blues mean to you?

AJ: It's probably the ultimate challenge as a player and I really enjoy the responsibility of leading the guys around.

LD: Who's the Queensland danger man?

AJ: Darren Lockyer. He has no weaknesses.

LD: What's the best sledge you have heard at Origin level?

AJ: There's not too much sledging going on because obviously the players respect each other and it's just so fast. You are just too knackered to say anything. But I've heard some ones between Boxhead (Steve Walters) and Benny (Elias) were pretty good. What was the one at the scrum?

LD: There was one scrum to go before the end of the game and Box said "don't hurt me in this one Benny, I've got a Test match to play next week"!

AJ: Very good, very good.

LD: Who has been the funniest team-mate in camp?

AJ: Phil Bailey's a bit of a character. He has a one-liner for everything.

LD: Why does State of Origin capture so much of the public's attention?

AJ: I just think it means so much to people and, as a spectacle, it doesn't get any better - it has everything. Most of all it is just brutal. People love the physical contact of it. And there's just so much at stake. You walk around this week and everyone's just buzzing about it. I haven't seen a buzz like this for years. I can't wait.

LD: When you first came into Origin as a player . . . did I say anything that still stands out?

AJ: Actually, I remember we roomed together one year . . .
LD: About footy stuff (laughs)!

AJ: I think we'd lost the first game and the first night at the next camp you said 'come on mate, we'll take it easy on the bonding this time'. I said 'yeah, fair enough Lozz'. Anyway, I went down to dinner and as I looked around I saw you and next to you were six empty beers (laughing)! I took it on board and remembered it.

How Joey changes game
By Paul Kent
June 13, 2005

STATE of Origin is like the Melbourne Cup - and that is why the Andrew Johns comeback is so good for Wednesday's match.

Surprisingly, not everybody has been captivated or even pleased about Johns' comeback.

Radio talkback and pub conversations have argued the case that Brett Kimmorley deserved another chance, others saying what was ever wrong with Craig Gower or Matt Orford?
Some tried to argue that Johns had not played enough football to deserve such a quick recall,

Despite all that, selectors obviously had their reasons.
The point is, forget about tactics and skills, forget about the players who could have been brought in instead ... and think about the magic.

The moment Johns was announced as the NSW halfback this match suddenly found a little more.

It upped the amp, sent a charge through the game.
Origin is special for that very reason.

While it will always be about the teams and their crusades, about the rivalry, it is the individual who elevates Origin.
Wally Lewis, Laurie Daley, Allan Langer, Brad Fittler, Mal Meninga ... Andrew Johns.

Origin is special for the stories they provide.

Think about it.

Think about Lewis continually leading Queensland to upset victories; Langer doing it at both ends of his career; Daley leading the Blues revival in the 1990s; Fittler's fairytale, and Mal just kept on keeping on, simply unstoppable.

Each man gave something of himself to Origin and, for that reason, they gave the series something that cannot be defined, only enjoyed.

The Melbourne Cup is the same.

Just when you think the fizz might be a little flat the Cup throws up something special.

Last year it was the mighty mare Makybe Diva winning back-to-back Cups. There was Damien Oliver's emotional win on Media Puzzle and Kerrin McEvoy's where-did-he-come-from ride on Brew, Might And Power's all-the-way win in 1997 and Bart Cummings' 10th Cup, followed by his 11th.

Every year the Cup goes beyond being merely a horse race and into the realm of theatre.

Kingston Town's game second, Kiwi's charge from the clock tower ...

You can go all the way back to Phar Lap being shot at in the days before the 1930 Cup, all the way back to the very first Cup, when Archer walked from Nowra to Melbourne and won.
There is always something, like Origin ...

Trent Barrett is a wonderful player, and his injury was unfortunate.

The excitement generated by Johns' return has nothing to do with the fact it was Barrett he replaced - it could have been anybody he came in for - but there is no mistaking that Origin has once again found that magical, mystical element.
The State of Origin Ball was held in Sydney last Tuesday to celebrate 25 years, and throughout the night clips from previous Origin campaigns were played.

It played right into coach Ricky Stuart's hands.

A big part of Stuart's campaign as Origin coach has been about telling his players to own their piece of Origin.

Throughout the night the clips replayed moments from Origins before where players had done exactly that.

It raised the hair on the back of your neck.

And that's why this game is special.

The Daily Telegraph

The fight to tame my inner larrikin - 17 Mar 2002, Sun Herald

In the most revealing interview of his career, Andrew Johns talks to Danny Weidler about his Kangaroo captaincy dreams, the love of his family, his party boy image and that blue with Ben Kennedy.

SUN-HERALD: There has been a lot of speculation about who should be the next Australian captain. Is it a job you're ready for? Does your off-field record work against you?

Andrew Johns: The captaincy issue has been pumped up by the media in the pre-season, at a time when there's been very little serious football to write about. There's a lot of football before Australia play Great Britain in July, which will allow plenty of time for the obvious candidates to make an impression.
I guess I'm as ready as anyone else, having captained a premiership team and been a representative player since 1995. The appropriate group of people will judge my credentials and I'm happy to live with that.

S-H: You seem to be viewed as a gamble as a leader by some sections. What do think the problem is?

AJ:Newcastle didn't think I was a gamble and I don't believe I'm a gamble. I'm happy to stand behind my record to date.

S-H: A position like that brings extra scrutiny. Do you need all this attention on your on- and off-field behaviour and are you prepared to handle it or will it annoy you?

AJ: From where I sit, the support I have received far outweighs the negatives. One former Test captain [Max Krilich] claimed I was a ``loose cannon". I've never met the man so how could his assessment be taken seriously?
The constant scrutiny is part and parcel of being a high-profile sportsperson. I've no alternative but to put up with it and manage it the best I can. I've got to learn to deal with the scrutiny if I get the job. Steve Waugh had to adapt, so did Freddie [Brad Fittler] and John Eales. It's just a part of it.

S-H: But you appear to be more a free spirit than the likes of Eales and Waugh.
AJ: I am a free spirit. Warren Ryan told me that I can't run from responsibility all my life and I realised 18 months ago that I could be a leader. If I do get [the Australian captaincy] that's great. If I don't I'll support Locky [Darren Lockyer] or Gordie [Gorden Tallis] ... it won't be the end of the world.

S-H: You seem to have the inside running for the Blues job this season and coach Phil Gould has been very supportive. Should that make the path clearer for the national job?

AJ: I've read and heard that I am a chance for the Blues captaincy. If I get it, I will be very proud. Gus has spoken in favour of me, and that is something I really appreciate. I don't necessarily think of captaining the Blues as a path to the national job. The job captaining the Blues, should I be given the responsibility, will be simply to beat Queensland.

S-H: Are you too competitive sometimes?

AJ: It's well known I ride the boys hard. I get down on myself if I don't reach my levels and I get down of them if they don't. I do understand blokes can't be that skilful. Hages [coach Michael Hagan] always says, ``They don't see things like you do".
I know there are limits and they know their limits. They all push themselves and it showed in the grand final what levels the players can reach.

S-H: But do you take it too far?

AJ: I get down on myself and I get frustrated. I show my emotions and get the shits. It's an area I need to improve. A lot of people see that as a weakness. I've got to control my emotions. I'm no good to anyone if I'm at boiling point.

S-H: Why do you call yourself ``people's champ three". Is it a matter of pride to you to be considered highly by the fans?

AJ: This is simply a joke, a gee-up. It comes from wining the People's Choice award three times. Wendell [Sailor] calls himself International Del. I'm just having a giggle. I'm not taking the piss out of the awards. Really, I'm taking the piss out of myself. All the players talk themselves up. I'm honoured that the public has supported me in this way.

S-H: What happened the night with Ben Kennedy?

AJ: BK and I had a verbal disagreement about football. Unfortunately, other people were around. In hindsight, we should have discussed the matter in a private environment. BK and I remain the best of friends and we have mutual respect for each other both professionally and personally. Any disagreement has been forgotten. What people don't know is that Ben and I had breakfast together next morning. Straight away there were stupid, hurtful rumours going around. I knew the stuff would be around.

S-H: The reason for the interest is that clubs can self-destruct after premiership wins because of the individuals involved. Look at Penrith after they won their first comp.

AJ: I know, I know. Look, everything has been forgotten and I don't want to keep going over the stuff.

S-H: Are you a big head? Do you rub people the wrong way sometimes?

AJ: I'm not sure what you mean by big head. Sometimes, in the company of people I don't know, I tend to be shy. Maybe people misconstrue this as being arrogant. I never intentionally set out to rub people the wrong way. If I enter a room full of strangers I wouldn't say I am terrified but I'm withdrawn. Around my mates I'm not shy. I just put my shutters down. I don't trust many people and my mates are my comfort zone.

S-H: How do you handle being the most famous man in a small town, where even pub arguments become back-page news?

AJ: I don't see myself in that light. The game and the Knights attract a lot of attention in Newcastle and as a result your privacy is often invaded. Away from the game, I enjoy doing the simple things in life, with my family and friends. The media, not me, decides what goes on back pages and often what's reported, and not only concerning me, is blown out of proportion, the incident with BK being a prime example.

S-H: Do you accept that sometimes you do behave badly and perhaps you need to look at changes?

AJ: Like plenty of other people, my judgment hasn't always been perfect. I'm often described as being a bit of a larrikin. If that's the worst people can say of me I can happily live with that. I'm always trying to improve my act and I believe I'm making good progress.

S-H: What about the night Kevin Walters and Mal Meninga tried to give you some advice about off-field conduct? We know they thought you weren't in any condition to be out in public. Was their attitude disrespectful?

AJ: What is often reported is not always correct. Kevvie and Mal were having a night out on the town themselves when I bumped into them. That's not always the best time to have a deep discussion or to give advice. That Mal has been in my corner in recent times would indicate that we have respect for each other.

S-H: Do you have a problem with excessive partying?

AJ: I am a happy person and I have a good time. That's part of my character. It's got nothing to do with who you are or what you do. In the past I've stayed longer at places than I should have. I'm learning when enough is enough and I have not managed that in the past. I'm conscious of it now. There are times when I wish I didn't have to care because I like my mates and good times. I can't be like that and I have to be responsible.

S-H: Do you feel you ever go too far on the drink?

AJ: That's a question you could ask of anyone, including journalists, all sorts of people I suppose. Sometimes we all exceed the limit and we pay the price for it the next morning. When I go too far I know all about it. It's all about managing it. I love a few beers but I'm at the stage now where I'm nearly scared to go out and have fun. The way I like to live shows on the field. I play without a safety harness but I can't live like that now.

S-H: There were stories from the 2000 World Cup tour that you had a major falling-out with Gorden Tallis.

AJ: Gordie and I have never had a falling-out, during the World Cup or at any other time. Gordie strongly supported me publicly in relation to the BK incident, which is a good sign of our friendship. Another media myth knocked on the head.

S-H: Before the grand final last year your wife went public to talk about the strength of your marriage. Why was it necessary?

AJ: My wife was only doing what any wife would do, and that was to support her husband. The rumours that were flying around were all wrong and they also hurt my wife as well. That's why she spoke out.

S-H: Do your parents ever talk to you about the bad things reported about you? Do they still try to guide you and give advice in the hard times?

AJ: Most of the things written about me are positive. When some of the rough stories appear, Mum and Dad are always there. I always listen to their advice. Sometimes it gets a bit much and I feel for them. It's bad when Mum will come up to me and say, ``Andrew, is this true?" They know it's almost always wrong because they brought us up well. Still, they have to put up with things that are just ridiculous.

S-H: Would you like a child of yours to play football?

AJ: If that's his wish, he'll have Renae's and my support. If he wants to be a concert pianist, our support will be there as well. Growing up, that may be tough for him. Aaron Raper [son of legend John Raper] had some hard times.

S-H: When your contract finishes, is rugby union an option? Or what about a different league club?

AJ: It's too early to think about what's next. A body test in 2004, when I'm off contract with the Knights, will determine what I do next. Rugby union is an option but so is a continuation with the Knights, maybe another NRL club or even a stint overseas.
I've already achieved all I want to achieve. It's up to my body to keep me going because my mind will always want to go again. I won't lie I enjoy watching rugby. League and union are that close but to switch would be a massive gamble. My main concern is that those rugby shorts make my arse look too big!

S-H: There was even talk of you playing in an NSL match. Is there any chance of your teaming up with Newcastle United?

AJ: I love watching soccer and I'm a big fan of Newcastle United, whose owner Con Constantine is a good friend. I have jokingly told him I might play 20 minutes off the bench one day.

S-H: What will you do when you finish playing?

AJ: Nothing's set in concrete. Maybe switch to cricket if the Australian team is looking for an attacking No6 who can't bat, bowl or field!

S-H: Does a future without competitive footy scare you?

AJ: I'm a little bit scared. It's all I know. It's a big thing. Life after footy is another challenge. A lot of guys are doing uni courses or TAFE. If I get a bookmakers job, I'd go broke. I don't live too extravagantly. I like to have a bet and we have Renae's shopping sprees. I even get my surfboards free. It's funny, the more famous you get the less you have to spend.
I suppose I'd like to do some more travel. I've seen that blokes like Laurie Daley, Ricky Stuart and Paul Harragon have moved on to different pastures without difficulty and with great success. I hope to do the same.

Piczo