Matthew Johns apologises: “I’m extremely sorry.”
On A Current Affair Matthew Johns apologises to the woman at the centre of a group sex incident, in a tough interview by Tracy Grimshaw.
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Disgraced Channel Nine personality Matthew Johns faced Tracy Grimshaw on A Current Affair accompanied by his wife Trish.
In a lengthy 20 minute interview, Johns struggled to find the words to Grimshaw’s questions.
The Footy Show host finally apologised to the woman at the centre of the incident, now widely reported as group sex in New Zealand in 2002.
“I wasn’t aware of what she had been through. I can say now any trauma, embarrassment that she has gone through as a result of this, I’m extremely sorry for.”
“I’m extremely sorry to my wife and my family as well,” he said.
Johns said he takes full responsibility for the situation that “I find myself in.”
But he also reiterated the consensual nature by all those in the hotel room.
“I would say that on the night when she came back to the room she was a willing participant in everything that occurred,” he said.
Grimshaw was tough in interrogation: “How could she in going back to the room with two of you, have ended up being a willing participant in a queue of blokes at the foot of the bed having sex with her?”
Johns struggled with his answer.
“In the statements that were made to police it says she encouraged players to come forward… she actually said ‘someone come forward and have sex with me.’
“At no time was she under any distress.”
He said he was not initially aware of other players entering the room and went as far as to say the woman encouraged the acts.
Grimshaw asked, “You see Matthew most right thinking people would be looking at you right now saying how could you have looked at that scenario and seen anything that was ok in it?”
“Morally it’s not ok,” said Johns.
He later said he did not commit an act of abuse on the woman, and denied knowing she was 19 years old.
“The woman walked away from the situation with enormous regrets and embarrassment.”
Johns’ wife Trish said her husband told her every detail of the event seven years ago. “My inquisition went on probably for months and possibly even years,” she said.
“He had to be terribly honest with me otherwise we could never have continued with our marriage andlack of trust.”
When asked about her feelings of the woman involved, she added, “I certainly wouldn’t like it to be my daughter.”
After a compelling interview in which Grimshaw noted ‘you’ve lost your career to speak of’, she told viewers it was up to the NRL to now identify the other men in the interview, “if it is serious about addressing this culture.”
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83 Responses
yet again with some of these comments just shows how redneck and backward alot of australians are. It’s a bogan dominated, yobbo culture that exists morse so in the 1950’s than the 21st century.
if she wanted two guys, thats her choice. however when 12 more animals get in through the bathroom door, surround her, drunk out of their minds, pre-historic testosterone pumping through their pea like brains then do you really think she would have enough strength to say “No”. Doubt it, imagine the consequences, the animals would have attaked and god help her then.
I didn’t watch ACA and don’t plan to but from comments on this site apparently Tracey Grimshaw’s interview was quite good. I’ve always liked her and IMO her mere presence elevates ACA (if only slightly) over TT.
@ Dick
I get the distinct impression you’re implying I’m a prude. Perhaps I didn’t express myself clearly. I don’t think that group sex is degrading. I don’t judge people who participate in it. If it had been a bunch of girls having sex with the whole team, I honestly couldn’t care less (providing it was consenual, obviously). But in this particular situation, where it’s *one* naive 19 year old girl and a whole football team, the woman becomes an object and is totally devalued as a human being. This is what I object to.
I think the whole thing is ridiculous after all if you have been missing for seven years are you not presumed dead. I take my hat off to Trish what a wonderful person she is and to Mat I will always think your great just feel sorry for you, Trish and the boys that you dont have the privacy you deserve.
also – Tracy Grimshaw is too smart, too good an interviewer, too intuitive to be presenting ACA.
To anyone who’s suggesting this girl was telling her story for the cash. The ABC’s editorial policies clearly state no-one will be paid for an interview on the ABC. There is absolutely no way she was paid for her interview on Four Corners. None.
Well seeing the link wasn’t allowed look up “Fair Game” on the Four Corners website.
Tonight 9 are having an interview with the girls friend that supposedly supports Matthew Johns version of events.
Being stood down, doesn’t mean he has been sacked. I bet in a few months, when all this has died down, he’ll be back on air, unfortunately.
What a Brilliant interview by Tracy Grimshaw. It was brilliant. She hit the big questions and she provided the best interview I have seen in at least 2 years. Well done to her and the Nine Network.
As for Matt. I do not care what he says, the fact that any man could treat a women in the way that those men did is a complete and utter disgrace. I am only a school boy and even I can recognise this. NRL needs to take some hard action against this and as Tracy says needs to identify the rest of the players involved.
Any one have the links to where i can watch the interviews?
both aca and four corners?
i searched youtube, but i couldnt locate them…
The woman that has claimed she was assulted should be embarassed. Why reveal such a thing now? Its not as if they raped you – you offered yourself apparently. Stupid woman.. I wish everyone knew who she was. Yes what happened wasnt acceptable but the woman didnt stop the med from doing it.. he shouldnt be the one held responsible.. the others should as well as should that ‘poor’ woman.
There is no suggestion any payment was made for the Four Corners story. Suggestions of the interview being for financial gain are so far just speculation.
Excellent interview by Tracey.
Pathetic answers by ‘that man’ and his wife. Their true feelings were portrayed by their eyes whilst trying to think of suitably acceptable answers to the harder questions.
The 100’s and 100’s of comments I have read in the past couple of days have been shocking and disgusting to sya the least and prove once again how neanderthal and redneck most of this country is.
I suggest a few of you people watch the Four Corners episode before you make your ‘educated’ comments; it’s on the ABC website. She did not ask to be done by a whole football team. On 4 corners they interviewed the cop from NZ who said she was very distressed and if you watched the interview she clearly was.
Matty is a pig, as too are his former team mates. If people are into group sex, that’s fine but this naive 19 yo didn’t expect guys crawling in from the bathroom window to line up and have sex with her. I feel for his wife but Johns deserves this. It’s a shame those others players are not being brought to ‘justice’ by explaining this to their wifes/girlfriends.
I have no sympathy for Johns but what amazes me (and I’m quoting my own blog here) is that Nine stands him down, and then he fronts up for an interview!
Think about that – if you were given the sack and your employer turned around and asked you to humiliate yourself in front of the customers? Would you?
@ Mia,
You’re projecting your own morals into a situation where you, or any of us for that matter, don’t know what actually happened.
It is your viewpoint that group sex is degrading. But for a large percentage of women (and don’t just take my word for it….there are countless surveys and articles about this online), group sex is one of their preferred activities, or at least a fantasy.
It’s a big wide world out there.
I noticed Johns referred to the 19 year old as a “woman” or a “girl” in that interview. Never once did he refer to her as a “lady”. Perhaps that explains a lot.
why the hell is it people cant see she was a willing participant. Her regrets belong to her and her alone. so she didnt like group sex. well don’t do it again and get over it. This woman has made a poor choice and now she has to live with it. the only thing matt’s guilty of is cheating on his wife!!. The way she feels is Know one’s fault but her own. she’s probably just p***d off cos they never phoned her or came back for seconds. all she has tried to do is embarrass The man while she hides behind a blurry screen.
I say show your face and sto being a cowed.
As bad as this might be for Johns and his family, it’s high time someone was made an example of out of this repugnant culture that has developed in football. If it was any other kind of celebrity there would likely be more outrage, but because it’s a sports star it seems as if a section of society immediately doesn’t want to know/doesn’t believe it/doesn’t care.
What a trial by media story. I could not believe how slanted the interview was against Matt Johns. I have lost all my respect for Tracy Grimshaw as an interviewer. I reckon allow no woman near any footy players at all in the public arena this will take away the temptation from both sides.
As to Mat Johns he has said enough sorry’s to all concerncerned i hope the media gets off the guys back & let him get on with his life.
Fair dinkum. Why are these comments about League players allowed?
People need to read this on AFL players on 4 Corners website.
Regina, this is not just an NRL issue. AFL have the tendency for this kind of culture too. There was a big story a few years ago re some Saints players if you recall. That was in the papers for a few days too. Not a group situation like this but it was a couples swaping incident. Footy players are just that. We need to stop thinking of them as heroes or role models as some of them are far from that
I believe rest group of mans that was not given a consent should be charge harshly and i don’t feel sorry for Mathew Johns and he should be a shame of himself as senior player/ role model.
I agreed with JED what he said, Mr. Johns had the chance to put a stop but his still keep going with the situation.
This is just a suggestion and maybe not true but I think the hotel where been paid a lot of money to keep there mouth shut.
I think it’s horrible how people make assumptions about the consentual aspect of this event. She wanted it/ she didn’t want it…it’s not anything any of us can prove. That’s what the courts are for.
all of them, all league players need to be castrated. if you combined the entire IQ of all players combined in the NRL i doubt you would get over 100 points.
just saw channel 9 say there was a turnaround and people are calling in and supporting Johns. What people, lol, brain dead morons, he lied through the entire interview, pretended to show emotion, displayed some pathetic and false crocodile tears. Everyone is destroying him and channel 9 say he is being supported, lol, yer right.
it was a BS act that only yobbo bogans would buy into, now if we can only get rid of the rest of the NRL.