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"Spiteful": Parker's counter attack on Woods after "grub" slur
Emily Benammar • June 12th, 2025 11:06 am
Corey Parker has launched a stinging counterattack on Aaron Woods after the former NSW player called Billy Slater a grub for dropping Daly Cherry-Evans from his Origin squad.
Earlier this week Slater named Tom Dearden as a replacement No 7 for Cherry-Evans after days of speculation the veteran would be dropped for Game II in Perth with the Maroons 0-1 in the series.
The decision sparked a scathing spray from Woods who said Slater’s decision was “piss poor”.
“After game one in your press conference you said it wasn't about the personnel, you said you didn't play too well,” Woods said.
“You've come out and axed your captain Daly Cherry-Evans. You've said it wasn't a scapegoat, but mate it's a scapegoat.
“I want to see the real Billy Slater come out - the grub that we know of.”
The attack on the Queensland coach did not sit well with Parker who returned serve with stats on Woods’ NRL career and the level of hypocrisy his comments carried from a NSW point of view.
“The voice you hear there is from Sharon Woods, I mean Aaron Woods,” Parker said on SEN Breakfast after playing audio of Woods. “He’s given his view, he says Billy is a grub etc.
“He makes mention there about DCE getting dropped but didn’t Tedesco get dropped after game I last year? He’s a former captain.
“They haven't picked their winning series captain, that being Jake Trbojevic and the New South Wales team.
“But Aaron Woods, he's just clinging and clutching at straws at the moment.
“Here's a guy that played 14 Origin and won one series. He's got a win rate of just a bit over 30%. So he's used to losing.
“So he's a little bit spiteful in that regard, and he wants to have a shot at the Queenslanders because all of a sudden, New South Wales have won last year’s series and they’re one up thus far.
“Here's a guy that had his whole career, he spent a lot of it losing. He’s certainly very, very much poised to say, what it feels like to lose.
“And now he's just coming back on the front foot, big Sharon Woods, and had his thoughts.
“So, it'd be remiss me of a Queenslander at this time of year, if I didn't have a little dig back at Aaron Woods and his comments and what he's trying to .
“Whatever he's trying to get going at the moment in regard to Billy Slater and the Origin and Queensland and New South Wales.”
Origin Game II will be played at Optus Stadium in Perth on June 8.
Breakfast with Corey Parker & Ian Healy – Monday to Friday from 6am-9am – LIVE on Brisbane’s SENQ 693am and the SEN app
