- Woods made the comments last Tuesday on his radio show
- Emotional Slater struck back at press conference
Former NSW player turned radio star Aaron Woods has slammed Billy Slater for crossing the line after the Queensland coach brought up Paul Green’s suicide in a stunning attack on Tuesday.
Slater was hitting back at Woods for branding him a ‘grub’ last week when he brought up the former Sharks star and Cowboys coach’s tragic death in 2022.
‘When you hold a position in the media or in our game, I feel that’s a privilege. And with that privilege comes a responsibility,’ Slater said.
‘When you degrade someone personally in a derogatory manner, you probably don’t deserve one of those privileged positions that we’re all in.
‘You don’t know what people are going through.
‘And although I might be able to handle it, the next person mightn’t be. Maybe our last coach didn’t.’
Former NRL star Aaron Woods has returned serve to Billy Slater, saying the Queensland coach’s reference to footy great Paul Green’s death was ‘completely unnecessary’
Slater is pictured at his press conference on Tuesday, when he brought up Green’s suicide as he launched a dark attack on Woods for calling him a ‘grub’
Slater took over from Green as Queensland boss in 2022.
Woods didn’t back down when he appeared on his Triple M radio show on Wednesday morning.
‘Those comments I made last Tuesday, I stand by them,’ he began.
‘You say something about a person, that person is owed a right to reply … He’s had seven days to reply … he has taken his time, he’s been very well thought-out, he’s been very measured in what he’s had to say.
‘A lot of the comments, I agree with.
‘But one in particular comment that he did make, I just thought Billy went a little bit over the boundary, and I just think it was really – I just think it was completely unnecessary for the situation.’
Woods’ co-host and fellow former NRL star Beau Ryan also hit out at Slater.
‘It took a different turn yesterday. It’s been blown out of proportion,’ he said.
Woods (pictured right with current radio co-host Beau Ryan, left, and Natarsha Belling) said he stood by the comments that kicked off the Origin storm
Slater said Woods doesn’t deserve to be in the ‘privileged position’ of working in the footy media
Former Cowboys and Queensland coach Paul Green (pictured) left the footy world in deep shock when he took his own life in 2022
‘It took a dark turn yesterday. From where I’m standing, Billy was waving the white flag.
‘It looked like he’s had a week to reply, you’ve called him a grub – I don’t know if grub means something different in Queensland – he was a grubby player and all that.
‘It’s festered out of proportion and it’s been the only thing people have been talking about before the game, which isn’t right.’
Woods raised the fact Slater kicked Wests Tigers prop John Skandalis in the head in a game in 2006 when he first made the ‘grub’ remark.
‘I want to see the real Billy Slater come out – the grub that we know of. This is a bloke who kicked John Skandalis in the head and got a six-week suspension. Everyone wants to go ‘oh he’s such a nice bloke,’ Woods said.
Slater also said Woods doesn’t deserve his position in the media after making the attack during his stinging return of serve.
‘I sit in that position most weeks and you amplify your voice to millions of people. You’re not talking to your mates in the pub.
‘I know Aaron Woods.
‘I actually ran into him three or four weeks ago at a footy game and he didn’t voice that opinion then. He actually brought his son over to introduce him to me.’
If you need help, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636
