Former NSW coach Phil Gould has expressed discontent with the ongoing feud between Aaron Woods and Billy Slater prior to Origin II. Last week, Woods labelled Slater a “grub” during a radio interview, prompting an emotional reaction from the Maroons coach, who referenced the late Paul Green, a former Queensland player and coach.
While appearing on Nine’s Today program in Perth, Gould addressed the situation, stating he had both a lengthy and a brief response to the matter. He opted for the concise version, asserting that such conflicts do not contribute positively to the promotion of the Origin series. Gould criticized the approach, suggesting that it was unnecessary and indicative of the sometimes toxic and immature nature of rugby league media.
He further noted that this kind of antagonism could serve as additional motivation for Queensland, implying that attacking their coach could ignite further rivalry as the teams prepare for the match.