Liam Martin might be happy to accept the “grub” title, but his mother, Maxine, certainly isn’t a fan of the sledge.
Martin was called out by Queensland media last week, with reports highlighting a number of incidents during Origin I that supposedly showed the Blues backrower engaging in dirty play.
It didn’t faze him much at all, and his coach – Brad Fittler – told 9News he wanted other New South Wales players to follow Martin’s lead.
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But the player’s mother was none too impressed by the accusation from north of the Tweed.
“When it happened, it’s like the mumma bear came out in me,” Maxine told 2Day FM’s Hughesy, Ed and Erin.
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“When I watched the game I saw more face massages then a beauty salon, they’re all rough out there.
“I rang my children straight away when I read it, and they’ve banned me from reading the internet, banned from their social media.
“It’s not a pretty label — public enemy No.1 … or the grub — it’s not a pretty label and I’m thinking, ‘woah, what’s going on here?’.
“When it first came out I had a sleepless night over it.”
Martin will line up for the Blues at Optus Stadium in Perth on Sunday night, where NSW is hoping to tie the series against Queensland.
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