NSW legend Andrew Johns has been roundly criticised on social media for a monosyllabic performance on Channel Nine's State of Origin coverage.
Forty minutes after the Blues' shock 22-12 loss to Queensland in the decider at Lang Park, Johns joined the panel to wrap up the thrilling game.
Host James Bracey welcomed him to the conversation, and Johns started as he intended to go on.
"Yeah. Great effort. Great game," he said.
When asked about the biff returning to State of Origin — which he was clearly eager to see while commentating, calling on the referees to let the players fight — he still struggled for words.
"Everything's at stake. No tomorrows," he said.
And when Bracey addressed Johns's apparent struggle to get words out…
"It just means so much to me," Johns said.
After Queensland superstar and assistant coach Cameron Smith spoke about the ferocity of the game and how tight it was, Paul Vautin again asked Johns for his take on where he thought the game was won and lost.
"It's just those big moments, just the big moments," he said.
But it did not have the jovial tone that is often peppered into Origin discussions, with an awkward silence following, before Smith pivoted back to talking about the exciting clash they had just witnessed.
Viewers were surprised and not overly impressed with Johns's effort.
