- Aaron Woods remains furious over Billy Slater scandal
- War of words was a talking point during Origin series
Former NSW Blues star Aaron Woods has savaged former Origin teammate Ryan Hoffman after the backrower infamously labelled him a ‘coward’ ahead of game two of the series in Perth.
At the time, a fired-up Hoffman defended his close friend – Queensland coach Billy Slater – after Woods labelled the decorated fullback a ‘grub’ on Triple M radio.
Ex-Melbourne Storm forward Hoffman claimed Woods asked Slater to take a photo with his son Buster earlier this year in Brisbane during Magic Round – before suggesting the prop turned media identity then slammed the Origin coach on air to create an aggressive narrative.
Speaking on the Kenty podcast recently, Woods offered his version of events.
‘Ryan Hoffman came out and called me a coward, and then he backflipped and said he didn’t,’ Woods said.
‘We had a conversation. I said, “Look, you can call me whatever you want, just don’t ever mention my son’s name again with things that didn’t happen”, because Buster didn’t get a photo with Billy.’
Former NSW Blues star Aaron Woods has savaged former Origin teammate Ryan Hoffman after the backrower infamously labelled him a ‘coward’
Hoffman defended his close friend, Queensland coach Billy Slater, after Woods labelled the decorated fullback a ‘grub’ during this year’s Origin series
Hoffman and Woods played together in the 2014 series (pictured) which NSW won to end eight years of heartache against Queensland
Slater responded to Woods’ ‘grub’ slur by suggesting the media identity was unaware of the mental health concerns his words could have on people, before referencing late Maroons coach Paul Green, who suffered from CTE
Woods then recalled what actually unfolded with Slater.
‘We were up at the top boxes of Suncorp Stadium (during Magic Round), I was going to take my little fella downstairs, Buster, because he was going to be a ball boy for the three o’clock game on the Saturday arvo, which was Newcastle versus Souths,’ he added.
‘As I was going down the lift, we were right at the back, everyone jumped in, then we get down to I think level 3, that’s where the Channel 9 and Fox (Sports) boxes are.
‘Billy Slater rocks in with his producer from Channel 9. We go downstairs, everyone gets out, Billy’s there at the front, I literally walk out, I walk past, I shake his hand, ‘hey Bill’, I say to Buster to shake his hand.
‘Once he shakes his hand we walk away, Buster goes ‘who’s that Dad?’
‘I go ‘mate, he’s one of the best fullbacks to ever play the game’. My young bloke is only five. And that is all that happened.
‘So from that, there’s only three people that would’ve said something to Gordy (Tallis) about that. So someone’s dropped the lip and had a little complaint, wasn’t too happy.’
It followed NRL 360 panel member Gorden Tallis also taking aim at Woods for labelling Slater a grub ahead of game two at Optus Stadium.
An emotional Slater responded by suggesting Woods was perhaps unaware of the mental health concerns his words could have on people, before referencing late Maroons coach Paul Green, who suffered from CTE.
Slater later retracted his comments and rang Green’s wife Amanda to apologise.
Queensland rallied to win the Origin series 2-1, with Woods conceding he ‘stirred the pot’ and unwillingly helped inspire the Maroons to lift the interstate shield.
