Real story of how Barnaby Joyce had his teeth knocked out

Barnaby Joyce likes talking about his days working as a bouncer while he attended university and played rugby near his home town in northern New South Wales.

But one story the former deputy prime minister has told about those wild days seems to have confused many: how he had his front teeth knocked out.

Craig ‘Morgs’ Morgan, who the recently re-elected member for New England has named as the man responsible for him needing major dental work, has finally – reluctantly – set the record straight.

Mr Joyce, who will be returned as deputy prime minister after his re-election to federal parliament, gave an interview earlier this year in which he seemed to say he had his teeth punched out by a pub patron.

Barnaby Joyce had his front teeth knocked out playing football at Armidale in the 1980s

Craig Morgan has reluctantly described knocking out deputy PM Barnaby Joyce’s teeth

Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce worked as a bouncer at Armidale’s Wicklow Hotel in the 1980s

As recently as last weekend, Sky News presenter David Speers wrote in his Daily Telegraph column about a rowdy pub gathering where Mr Joyce was heckled before the New England by-election.

‘Joyce worked as a bouncer in his younger days,’ Speers wrote. ‘He lost his front teeth and copped 28 stitches in his head along the way. He can handle himself, but on Monday night he resisted the urge to take a swing.’

In July Mr Joyce told GQ magazine about his time working the door of Armidale’s Wicklow Hotel in northern New South Wales while he was at university in the mid 1980s.

‘I have 28 stitches in my head from those days,’ he said. ‘And yes, I got my front teeth removed by a bloke called Craig Morgan.’

Interviewer: ‘You remember his name?’

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (right) campaigining with Barnaby Joyce in Tamworth 

My Joyce: ‘When someone removes your front teeth, you remember their name.’

Craig Morgan certainly remembers Mr Joyce and how he knocked out his front teeth. But he says it was not at the Wicklow or any other hotel.

‘I read it and thought “what a load of s***”,’ Mr Morgan told Daily Mail Australia.

‘The way it sounded was that it happened at the Wicklow.  

‘That’s the way it read to me. But that’s not the way it happened.’

Mr Morgan would prefer the matter was left alone and feels no animosity towards Mr Joyce but believes the Nationals leader’s words made it sound like he belted him outside a pub.

‘The story’s wrong because it happened on the football field,’ he said. ‘But I did belt him and knock his teeth out.’

Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce had his teeth knocked out while playing football in the 1980s

Mr Morgan was playing prop for Armidale City when he came up against Mr Joyce, playing breakaway or second row for St Albert’s College at the University of New England (UNE).

The game took place on UNE’s Consett Davis playing fields, about 1985 or 1986, according to Mr Morgan.

‘What had happened, I’d been sent off in first grade and I was coming back in second grade,’ he said. ‘I was trying to get back in first grade.’

Mr Morgan could not remember why he had been sent off in a first grade game but said: ‘I wasn’t backward coming forward back then.’

Whatever happened, Mr Morgan came to the attention of Mr Joyce and his teammates that day.

‘I think they were all looking for me because I went into a ruck early and broke a bloke’s ribs,’ he said.

Armidale’s Wicklow Hotel where deputy PM Barnaby Joyce worked as a bouncer in the 1980s

Mr Morgan said there had been no malice in his play but Mr Joyce might have seen it differently.  

‘I had a run down the sideline and he punched me in the back of the head,’ Mr Morgan said. ‘I said, “If that’s the way you want to keep playing Barney, I can play that way”.

‘Something happened, then I saw an opportunity to belt him and he got clobbered.’

‘When I got hit, he got hit back.’

Mr Morgan knocked out Mr Joyce’s front teeth.

‘That’s the truth of the matter. Absolutely.’

The 56-year-old Armidale mechanic has seen Mr Joyce around the New England district and talked to him over the years.

‘When someone removes your front teeth, you remember their name,’ Barnaby Joyce says 

Barnaby Joyce playing touch football in 2013 in a match for politicians at Parliament House 

‘He always says g’day to me,’ Mr Morgan said. 

When the story in GQ was published Mr Morgan was asked if he had really belted Mr Joyce outside the Wicklow. ‘I said no, I belted him at the football.’

He would prefer to leave things in the past.  

‘When I first read it I was half expecting a reporter to ring me up,’ he said when contacted by Daily Mail Australia. ‘I was almost waiting for this.’

‘I’d just prefer to leave it alone. It’s a long time ago.

‘I’m not a person who likes a lot of publicity. I never have been. 

‘I want to let sleeping dogs lie.’

Mr Joyce had to leave parliament after it was discovered he had New Zealand citizenship through his father. He was re-elected as the member for New England in a by-election last Saturday. 

Mr Joyce’s office has been contacted for comment. 

The Consett Davis playing fields in Armidale where Barnaby Joyce had his teeth knocked out

 

 

 

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