'Hold his head under': NRL journo's ugly swipe at Jeff Kennett

Prominent NRL journalist Paul Kent has taken a shot at AFL club president Jeff Kennett, after the Hawthorn boss said he’d rather ‘do some underwater knitting’ than watch Thursday night’s NRL restart.

Kennett made the comments in an exclusive interview with The Australian earlier this week, stating he rarely watches NRL and that it doesn’t interest him.

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A couple of other prominent AFL voices took potshots at the NRL during the week, with Essendon great Tim Watson labelling league boss Peter V’landys ‘push-ahead Pete’ during a radio spot with Melbourne legend Garry Lyon.

Kent showed he was paying attention to what his Melbourne-based AFL counterparts with a fiery comeback on NRL 360, labelling critics of rugby league ‘half-wits’.

“You had two halfwits in Melbourne yesterday sh*tpotting rugby league, Tim Watson and Garry Lyon carrying on,” said Kent.

“Pull your heads in, rugby league’s done a great thing getting up and running when they have.”

Kent wasn’t done there though.

NRL journalist Paul Kent savages AFL counterparts

After his initial tirade, Watson and Lyon invited the veteran league writer onto their SEN Radio show, where he once again set about defending the NRL.

Kent took particular umbrage at comments about the size of NRL crowds.

““There were a couple of cheap shots in there about the crowds,” Kent said.

“Tim you said it’s more complex for the AFL because there’s five states - New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia but you said in the NRL it was only New South Wales, Queensland and the New Zealand Government. You also have the Victorian Government you left out as well as the ACT Government.

“Jeff Kennett said he’d rather knit under water than watch rugby league.

“Well I’ve got a pool up here, he can come up and I’ll hold his head under.”