Aaron Woods would have expected the onslaught of criticism after the Blues’ loss in State Origin Game 2, but he wouldn’t have expected being labelled a “coward” by one of his own teammates.
Former NSW back-rower Ryan Hoffman slammed Woods on the ABC’s Offsiders program on Sunday, saying the former Wests Tigers captain “crossed the line” when labelling Billy Slater a “grub” in the lead up to the match.
Hoffman, who played 14 games for NSW and alongside Woods from 2013-15 ripped into the Triple M radio host.
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“Aaron Woods crossed the line,” Hoffman said.
“If he wanted to come out and make a point about Billy Slater’s tactics, about Slater’s selections, that is fair enough.
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“But to just purposely call someone a grub, purposely degrade someone like that, someone that he knows, someone he actually made sure that his son got to meet and have a photo with … to say that for the benefit of providing spice for Origin, that is rubbish.”
Woods’ stab at the Marrons coach a fortnight ago prompted an impassioned response from Slater, who faced extreme backlash for referencing the death of former Queensland coach Paul Green in his retaliation to Woods.
“You don’t know what people are going through. Although I might be able to handle it, the next person mightn’t be. Maybe our last coach (Green) didn’t,” Slater said.
Slater moved to swiftly apologise for the comments and Green’s family accepted his gesture.
But Hoffman, who also played with Slater for much of his career with the Melbourne Storm and won a premiership with the fullback in 2012, feels the blame for Slater’s slip is far from his own.
“Media around Origin time is absolutely horrific,” Hoffman said.
“Both states are guilty of it, both states just throw things in the back of the headline because they need to create this artificial spice.
“’Build up to Origin 1 was boring.’ It wasn’t boring.
“There is enough to talk about in these games without having to throw ridiculous comments. Media around Origin needs to be better.
“Bill made a great point. People who get to talk about Origin, people who get to put their voices into people’s lounge rooms or in the car on the radio, you have a responsibility and a privilege of being up there, so you really need to watch what you’re saying because it does have an effect.
“Bill wrongly made the point about linking it to Paul Green. But the point he was trying to make was perfect.”
Hoffman questioned Woods’ integrity and warned about the effect of his words, clearly taking his club teammate’s side.
“In the end, all you’re doing is allowing other people to say those comments in the name of banter – but where do you draw the line? Is it calling someone a grub, is it worse? Is it making sexist, racist comments about people, is that allowed?
“Throwing those ridiculous comments out gives people more avenue to be able to say what they want to whoever they want without any repercussions.
“Aaron Woods was a coward for standing behind a microphone and throwing that out there. Billy Slater showed courage going out there on a microphone and talking about responsibility.”
