Matthew James Johns (born 27 July 1971) is an Australian rugby league media personality, commentator and former professional player.
An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative five-eighth, Johns played his club football primarily with the Newcastle Knights, alongside his younger brother, Andrew.
Johns was part of the Australian squad that won the 1995 Rugby League World Cup, and went on to play eight matches for his country.
Another highlight of his career with the Knights was the 1997 Australian Rugby League grand final victory over the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.
[5] Johns played for the Wigan Warriors at five-eighth in their 2001 Super League Grand Final loss to the Bradford Bulls.
[13] The alleged victim (known by the pseudonym "Clare") stated that she had returned to room 21 of the Racecourse Hotel with Johns and another player, and that when one of them began to kiss her without her consent, she felt socially awkward objecting to the unwanted advance; which eventually led to sex.
[16] Subsequent to the Four Corners program, Johns was stood down by Channel Nine from his role as rugby league commentator and co-host of The Footy Show.
[17][18][19] Johns's first foray into entertainment began in 1999 when he adopted the persona of Reg Reagan in a low-budget film, In Search of the Holy Grail, which was made for The Shoot Out 24 Hour Filmmaking Festival in Newcastle.
[20] The film also starred fellow Knights players Andrew Johns as Bruno, Matthew Gidley, Trent Watson, Danny Buderus and Robbie O'Davis.
Fans of Johns's new side Cronulla started wearing copies of the T-shirt worn by Reagan, with the slogan "Bring Back the Biff", to games.
[27] In March 2011 Johns joined Triple M Sydney's breakfast show The Grill Team[28] introducing a number of character impersonations including "Bruce", the effeminate producer for Triple M's sister station 2DayFM's breakfast team Kyle and Jackie O; the crude coal-mining magnate (and owner of the Newcastle Knights) Nathan Tinkler; and the rugby league greats Andrew Johns, Brad Fittler and Darren Lockyer as the "Future Immortals Gone Nuts".