SIMON Katich has rubbished suggestions that he and Michael Clarke are on good terms, implying that the former Australia captain was a ‘tumour.’

In 2009 in the SCG dressing rooms, Katich famously grabbed his younger teammate by the collar over a disagreement over when the team song would be sung, with Clarke desperate to leave for a prearranged function at a Sydney bar with several teammates.

In his autobiography Clarke revealed that he called Katich a “weak c---” leading to the opener grabbing him, but maintains that they now get along.

Katich has a different view of the relationship.

WE’RE NOT MATES

“I think that’s a bit of a stretch to say that we’re mates,” Katich said on ABC Grandstand during Sunday’s Matador Cup final. “It’s (our relationship has) been non-existent, so to suggest that we’re mates now after everything that has happened is a bit (of) a stretch of the imagination.”

Simon Katich (left) and Michael Clarke in happier times. Source: Getty Images

WATSON WASN’T THE TUMOUR

Katich also implied that Clarke’s description of Watson as a ‘tumour’ on the team was a more apt description of Clarke himself.

Clarke has often been quoted as describing Watson’s influence on the Australian Test team as like a “cancer”, a reference that came up in leaked documents from former coach Mickey Arthur’s court case with Cricket Australia after he was sacked in 2013. He clarified what he actually said in an interview with 60 Minutes last Sunday.

“I said that there is a number of players, a group in this team at the moment, that are like a tumour and if we don’t fix it, it’s going to turn into a cancer,” Clarke said. “Shane was one of those players, yes.”

Watson addressed the issue on stage at the CPA Congress in Melbourne on Tuesday.

“For me I think it was more a reflection of the person he is more than what it was directed towards me,” Watson said.

“In the end it is really disappointing that things like that start to come out two or three years later on when we are all very content in retirement.”

Those sentiments were echoed by Katich, who took things one step further.

“I saw Shane Watson’s comments in the week and I thought he hit the nail on the head with it,” Katich said. “I thought it was rather ironic that he was called the tumour.”

“Pot calling the kettle black, that’s what I’m reading from what you’re saying. Just correct me when I’m wrong,” ABC Grandstand commentator Andrew Moore replied.

“Need I say anymore?” Katich responded.

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CLARKE ENDED MY CAREER

Katich played the last of his 56 Tests in December, 2010 against England at Adelaide Oval, missing the final two matches of the series with an Achilles injury. That series proved to Ponting’s last as captain. Katich revealed in 2011 that he did not believe it was a coincidence that the start of Clarke’s tenure as captain coincided with the end of his own international career.

He maintains that belief.

“Given the time with Ricky moving on from the captaincy to him and that coincided with me not being contracted, I put two in two together and felt that probably played a part.

“I haven’t changed my point of view on the matter. I said what I said a few years ago.”