Greatness beckons for Blues: Fittler
NSW have a chance to become just the eighth team in State of Origin history to claim a series clean sweep on Wednesday night.
www.espn.comBrad Fittler apologized publicly after describing Tom Chester with a controversial on-air remark during a Channel 9 NRL broadcast in May 2026. He reached out to the Cowboys and later appeared on a morning show to reiterate the apology.
Latest context
- The incident occurred during a Cowboys vs Rabbitohs match in Townsville, with Brad Fittler offering an on-air apology that was conveyed to Tom Chester.[1][3]
- Coverage described the comment as generating backlash on social media and from fans and colleagues.[3][7]
What this means going forward
- Fittler has a history of high-profile on-air comments; responses often focus on contriteness and clarifying intent, followed by broadcast or network statements.[7][3]
- Tom Chester’s team, the North Queensland Cowboys, secured a 30-18 win that helped them strengthen their top-eight position, with the incident drawing attention away from on-field outcomes.[3]
If you’d like, I can pull the full article texts or assemble a quick timeline of the incident and responses with direct quotes. Also, I can search for any official statements from Channel 9 or Brad Fittler’s camp once you confirm you want the latest updates.