MATTY Johns has unloaded on Burgess brothers Tom and George over an NRL “feud” started by a harsh reality check the twins needed to hear.

This month former Australian front-rower Mark “Spud” Carroll said the two Burgess boys — who have performed well under par in 2017 — need to shed some weight from their oversized frames. The pair weigh 120kg each and Carroll, who was a guest at Sam Burgess’s wedding and runs a Sydney gym the twins train at, believes they need to trim down to adjust to the speed of the modern game.

“Personally, I wish they’d get down in size a bit. I reckon they should get down to about 115kg,” Carroll told AAP. “The game these days is about pace, mobility, working on the inside.”

The hulking props carried the Rabbitohs to a premiership in 2014. George in particular was devastating, scoring a memorable try in the decider against the Bulldogs after steamrolling a handful of defenders from 20m out.

But suspensions and poor form have plagued the Englishmen, adding another black mark to a dreadful season that has Souths 11th on the ladder with seven wins from 20 games.

Speaking on the Triple M Grill Team on Thursday Johns said Tom and George are reportedly “filthy” with Carroll’s comments, but told them to toughen up and cop the criticism on the chin because it’s 100 per cent correct.

“They (the Burgess brothers) are apparently filthy about it,” Johns said. “Well boys, it’s true. What he’s telling you is true.

“He’s trying to do you a favour. Don’t get the s***s, don’t carry on, don’t sook about it. Go down to Spud’s gym and let him peel a bit of that (weight off). It might be muscle, but it doesn’t matter if it’s muscle or fat or whatever it is, it’s weight you carry around.

“Boys, he’s trying to do you a favour, he’s been very good to you in the past. If you’re worried about that, if that’s what it’s got to, if you’re blowing up about that and you’re not talking to Spud because he tried to do you a favour and said that you’re too big for the modern game with eight interchanges, you’re thin-skinned and you’re carrying on.

“He’s 100 per cent right and the proof’s in the pudding with your football. Spud’s saying he wants to end it (the tension). Spud, don’t worry about it. Boys — George, Tom — get down to Spud’s gym, peel three or four kilos off you and I guarantee in 2018 it’ll make the world of difference.”

Sam Burgess — who has been one of the few shining lights at Souths this season — added some spice to the situation when he fired back at Carroll on Wednesday.

“I think Spud forgets what he was like when he used to play,” Burgess said. “He used to eat 20 potatoes before a game.

“I think he said we’re like ocean liners, but he might need to go and watch some footage of when he played.

“They’ve been the same weight their whole careers. People just want to jump on the bandwagon. When we won the grand final he was there saying how good they are and they train in his gym. It’s funny how opinions change in the space of two years.”

Carroll knows what it’s like to carry around excess weight. Ex-Panthers star Mark Geyer told a story on the Grill Team where “Spud” joined Manly in 1994 weighing 118kg and was told by coach Bob Fulton to drop at least 10kg. He did that and in 1995 Manly won the minor premiership.

Carroll’s argument is the pace of the game is only getting quicker and interchanges will continue to be reduced (once allowed 12 interchanges a match, teams can now only make eight and Johns predicts that will drop to six by 2020). This means fatigue will come into play a lot more and big boppers who lumber around the field will become more of a hindrance than a help.

Johns says despite whatever resentment the Burgess boys may be feeling, they need to shelve their pride and take Carroll’s advice on board.

“The more the interchanges come down, it’ll make a massive difference to the big blokes — a huge difference,” Johns said.

“He’s a champion guy Spud and he is 100 per cent right here, he is 100 per cent on the money.”