Manly five-eighth Cooper Johns squaring off against older brother and Newcastle back-rower, Jack, in Mudgee on Saturday was one of the more heart-warming scenes of the NRL’s opening five rounds.
With dad and Knights legend Matthew and mum Trish watching from the grandstand, the sibling tyros – who had never previously faced one another at any level – finished with an even share of the spoils following a thrilling 32-all draw.
Jack may claim bragging rights after bagging a try for the Knights, though Cooper had a solid game as a late inclusion for first-choice No.6 Josh Schuster. The pair swapped jerseys post-match.
It was merely the latest in a long line of brothers lining up on opposite teams at the top level. Here’s some of the more memorable bro versus bro moments from rugby league’s annals.
Matthew and Andrew Johns
The encounter of his two sons was certainly more enjoyable for Matthew Johns than the only time he faced his own brother – and long-time Newcastle halves partner – Andrew.
The elder Johns sibling returned to the NRL with Cronulla in 2002 after a one-season stay at Wigan and the build-up to the Round 6 clash with ‘Joey’s’ Knights reached fever pitch.
It was all one-way traffic at the Newcastle ground Matthew called home for a decade, though, as Andrew racked up 20 points in a 52-8 rout. Matthew was injured when the Sharks turned the tables 54-14 later that season and retired at the end of the year.
Norm and Peter Provan
Peter Provan spent much of his career in the shadow of older brother, 10-time premiership-winning giant Norm. Peter played alongside Norm in the 1958-59 grand finals as St George set about winning 11 straight, before deciding to cut his own path at Balmain from 1961.
The pair faced one another in just Peter’s second game for the Tigers, while they were opposing second-rowers as Norm skippered the Saints to another grand final triumph over the black-and-golds in 1964.
Norm retired a year later, but Peter carved his own niche in rugby league folklore by captaining Balmain to its last premiership – and one of the all-time grand final upsets, 11-2 over Souths – in 1969.
Brett and Josh Morris
The twin sons of former Australian Test halfback and later fleet-footed winger Steve ‘Slippery’ Morris, rangy outside-backs Brett and Josh were teammates at St George Illawarra until the latter took up a deal with the Bulldogs in 2009.
With champion winger Brett (176 tries in 276 games) and centre specialist Josh (158 tries in 325 games) among the most enduring players of their era, the regular NSW teammates faced each other many times before reuniting at the Bulldogs in 2015 (and later again at the Roosters in 2020).
Perhaps their most memorable encounter was one of the NRL’s lighter moments, though, staging a fake stoush amid a melee in a 2011 clash between the Dragons and Bulldogs.
John and Ron Raper
St George icon John Raper is universally regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, named one of the four original Immortals in 1980 and at lock in the ARL Team of the Century in 2008.
‘Chook’ won eight straight grand finals with the Dragons from 1959-66 – but two of his brothers helped inspire historic upsets over his side in 1967.
Maurie Raper was a Penrith Panthers original and scored a try in their incredible 24-12 defeat of competition monoliths St George in just the club’s fourth game. John also scored a try for the beaten Saints.
Then at the business end of that season, Ron Raper – directly opposing John at lock – was part of the Canterbury side that ended Saints’ 11-year premiership reign with a 12-11 preliminary final boilover.
Ironically, Maurie and Ron faced each other in Penrith’s maiden match, which Canterbury won 15-11.
Steve, Kerrod and Kevin Walters
Steve Walters joined Canberra in 1986, but younger brother and fellow hooker Kerrod made his Queensland and Australian debuts first in 1989 after usurping Test rake Greg Conescu during the Broncos’ foundation season.
Kerrod’s twin, Kevin, was at the Raiders from 1987-89 before heading home to join the Broncos.
Steve made his Origin debut in the absence of his injured brother in 1990, but Kerrod and Kevin toured with the Kangaroos at the end of the year while dual premiership-winner Steve was left behind.
Kerrod was suspended during 1991 to open the door for Steve: the older sibling became the first-choice hooker in both rep teams for the next four years and became regarded as one of the greatest of all time. In 1994, it was Steve and Kevin who made the Kangaroo Tour with Kerrord left out.
Raiders-Broncos matches in which they opposed each other were shared six apiece (Steve had the edge 2-1 at finals time), while they tangled another four times when Steve was at North Queenland and Kerrod at Adelaide.
Kerrod was named Dally M Hooker of the Year in 1989-90; Steve claimed the gong in 1991, ’93 and ’96.
Lin and Dick Johnson
In a unique occurrence, trailblazing Indigenous brothers Lin and Dick Johnson were opposing fullbacks in the annual City Firsts v Country Firsts fixture in 1941. Canterbury custodian Lin was in the City side which beat Newcastle-based Dick’s Country outfit 44-21.
Lin played 90 first grade games for the Berries and represented NSW in one match in 1940; Dick played 91 first-grade games for Newtown, Souths, Wests and Canterbury, and made 11 appearances for his state from 1938-45.
Geoff and Mark Bugden
Rugged forwards Geoff and Mark Bugden were born just 15 months apart and both debuted for Newtown, in 1979 and ’81 respectively.
Hulking prop Geoff moved to Parramatta in 1982 – winning a grand final that year – while fiery hooker Mark also one a comp in his first season after moving, scoring Canterbury’s only try in a 6-4 grand final win over the Eels, which Geoff missed through long-term injury.
With both enforcers back on deck in 1986 from injury and, in Mark’s case, an infamous long suspension for breaking Steve Rogers’ jaw, the pair were in opposing front-row three times – with Geoff earning family bragging rights via the Eels’ 28-6 major semi win and a gripping 4-2 grand final triumph.
They were later teammates again at Parramatta in 1989, Geoff retiring at the end of that year and Mark 12 months later.
Ken and Ces Mountford
Regularly mentioned among the best players never to represent New Zealand, Blackball (West Coast) wunderkind Ces Mountford joined English club Wigan in 1946 – just as the six-year moratorium on international football due to WWII was coming to an end.
While Ces became a legend at Wigan, younger brother (by five years) Ken – who, along with another brother and Test rep, Bill, helped West Coast to a famous win over Great Britain in 1946 – earned national selection for the Kiwis’ 1947-48 tour of Britain and France.
In a match steeped in New Zealand rugby league folklore, lock Ken was shifted to five-eighth to cover an injury crisis in the tourists’ halves ranks for the clash with Wigan – pitting him directly opposite superstar pivot Ces.
But it was the younger, out-of-position brother who celebrated at fulltime: Ken backed up to score the decisive try in a stirring 10-8 Kiwis victory over the powerful English outfit.
Nathan and Ian Hindmarsh
Ian Hindmarsh debuted at Parramatta a season after brother Nathan, despite being two and a half years younger. They were Eels teammates until the end of 2002, pairing up in the second-row in the Eels’ gut-wrenching ’01 grand final defeat to Newcastle.
The less-decorated Ian linked with Canberra in 2003 opposed Nathan three times, getting the wood on the Kangaroos and Blues regular with two wins to one and two tries to none. After a season at Catalans, Ian finished his career alongside Nathan in the Eels’ 2007 prelim loss to the Storm.
Nathan and Jason Cayless
Another pair of Parramatta engine-room brothers, Nathan and Jason Cayless were teammates in 2000-01 – though Jason was out of the Nathan-captained Eels charge to the grand final in the latter season.
Jason moved to Sydney Roosters and won a premiership in 2002 and debuted for New Zealand that year – the only one of his 10 Tests regular Kiwis skipper Nathan wasn’t alongside him for.
The younger (by two years), less-heralded Jason ultimately racked up a 5-1 advantage in head-to-head – literally, as the pair locked horns in the scrums – meetings with Nathan.
Jason scored his first NRL try in the Roosters’ season-opening win over Parramatta in 2003, while he played his last NRL game against the Eels in 2010 for Wests Tigers following four seasons at St Helens. Nathan was the Eels’ captain in both matches, finally getting a win over his brother in the latter.
Robert and Mark Laurie
Gifted five-eighth/lock Robert Laurie won the inaugural Dally M Medal in 1980 while at South Sydney before returning to Eastern Suburbs for the last two seasons of his premiership career.
There was a familiar face in the opposition as ‘Rocky’s’ tenure in Sydney came to an end with a 15-7 loss to Parramatta in the 1982 preliminary final: rookie and younger brother Mark ‘Pebbles’ Laurie came off the bench for the Eels.
The similarly versatile ‘Pebbles’ went on to win three grand finals and play more than 200 games for Parramatta. Sadly, ‘Rocky’ Laurie passed away in June 2022, aged just 66.
Adam, Ben and Luke MacDougall
Powerhouse NSW and Australian three-quarter Adam MacDougall was an NRL teammate of brothers Ben (at Newcastle in 2000) and Luke (at Souths from 2004-06 and with the Knights in 2007). He also opposed both siblings in first grade.
Knights star Adam and younger sibling Ben were opposing centres as Northern Eagles upset Newcastle midway through 2000, while both were among the tryscorers in the Knights’ 36-28 win over Manly in 2003.
Prior to Luke’s mid-season switch to the Knights in 2007, he finally opposed Adam during a brief stint with the Dragons. They were opposing wingers in a 16-12 Newcastle win. Three years later, both scored tries as Luke’s Storm side outlasted Adam’s Knights 2010.
Meanwhile, Luke was part of the Adam-less Souths side that famously stunned Ben’s Melbourne outfit 28-26 midway through 2004 in Arthur Kitinas’ first game as Rabbitohs caretaker coach.
Tim and Jon Mannah
Robust front-rowers Tim and Jon Mannah both came through the Parramatta junior ranks. Tim, 19 months older, made his NRL debut in the opening round of 2009 to the Eels, while Jon’s first-grade introduction came via the Sharks just four weeks later.
They met in Round 13 that year, Jon earning the spoils in a 13-10 Sharks win – but Tim played every game as the Eels reached the ’09 grand final.
It would be their only meeting before Jon returned to Parramatta in 2012. Tragically, he would not get to line up alongside Tim in the NRL – Jon was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma and died in January 2013, aged just 23. Parramatta and Cronulla play for the Jon Mannah Cup.
Peter and Graeme Wynn
Thirroul’s Wynn brothers and fellow back-rowers both came to Sydney in 1979 – Peter, the elder by 18 months, with Parramatta and Graeme with St George.
The pair met just four matches into the respective premiership careers, Peter scoring a try but Graeme finishing on the winning side. They clashed again in the ’79 playoffs, the Dragons going on to win the title after beating the Eels 15-11 in the major semi-final.
Peter would get his time in the grand final spotlight, winning three with the Eels in the 1980s, while both Wynns went on to represent NSW and Australia.
They met once more as opposing second-rowers in the finals: Graeme scored a try but it was enough to prevent the Dragons’ 22-16 defeat to Peter’s Eels in week one of the 1983 post-season. Peter retired in 1990, while Graeme hung up the boots two years later after two seasons at Wests.
Peter, Sione and Chanel Mata’utia
Peter Mata’utia made his NRL debut at Newcastle in 2011 but had moved on to St George Illawarra by the time younger brothers Sione and Chanel burst onto the scene with the Knights in 2014.
Sione, who scored two tries and was a Kangaroos bolter a few weeks later, and Chanel were on the Newcastle wings in 40-10 drubbing of centre Peter’s Dragons in the final round of 2014. Peter and Sione were opposing centres in 2015, the older sibling getting the win this time, 46-24.
Peter joined Sione, Chanel and another brother, Pat, at the Knights in 2016-17. But the rivalry hasn’t ended there: Peter, with Castleford and Warrington, locked horns with St Helens’ Sione during the 2021 and ’22 Super League seasons.
Anthony and Mark Minichiello
Sydney Roosters teammates for one NRL match in 2002, Anthony and Mark Minichiello met 13 times in first grade following the latter’s move to Souths and then Gold Coast.
Champion fullback Anthony ended up ahead in the count 9-4 – largely thanks to the Roosters’ dominance over the struggling Rabbitohs – and helped subject hardworking back-rower Mark and the Titans to a 32-6 preliminary final defeat in 2010.
The brothers broke club appearances records at the Roosters and Titans, respectively, before both left the NRL at the end of 2014 (Anthony retired and Mark played with Hull FC until 2019).
Bill and Russell Mullins
Bulldozing flankman Bill Mullins was the first player to score a century of tries for Eastern Suburbs, playing for the club from 1968-79. Russell Mullins, four years his junior, was also a winger and scored 54 tries for Western Suburbs from 1971-77, before seeing out his career at Penrith.
Bill unquestionably enjoyed more success in the sibling rivalry, finishing on the winning side in six of eight games they faced each other and scoring six tries to Russell’s two.
Bill, the father of future Canberra greyhound Brett, scored a hat-trick against Russell’s Magpies late in the 1974 regular season and crossed twice more as the Roosters swamped Wests 25-2 in the preliminary final on their way to the premiership.
Raecene and Page McGregor
Sisters this time, with Kiwi Ferns teammates Raecene and Page McGregor locking horns three teams in 2022 alone at NRL level.
St George Illawarra centre Page claimed initial bragging rights in a 16-10 defeat of Sydney Roosters during the delayed 2021 NRLW premiership, but brilliant halfback Raecene steered the Tricolours to a 16-4 victory over the Dragons in the grand final.
Dally M Medal winner Raecene, the older of the pair by a year and a half, helped engineer a 34-6 rout of the Saints in the 2022 comp held later in the year.
They teamed up at the World Cup at the end of the year, while they are potential 2023 clubmates after Raecene signed with the Dragons, the team she played for in the inaugural NRLW in 2018.