A testy Matthews met with the local media during his weekly briefing on Monday and became involved in a frank exchange with a local journalist from Brisbane's Courier Mail who happens to ghost-write Akermanis's weekly column in the newspaper.
During the exchange, Matthews accused the journalist of speaking to Akermanis on a daily basis and claimed he would know more than the coach about the player's future.
"If it was untenable it would have been finished by now," replied Matthews when asked if the $5,000 fine (with $15,000 suspended) issued by the club's board last week had made the player's future at the club untenable.
"He is still here and part of our group and still part of our team."
"Half my press conferences are about Aker and do I enjoy my press conferences being about one player? - no I don't - therefore let us move on," said the coach before by twice repeating in a quiet but measured voice to the assembled media 'that is enough'.
The Courier Mail journalist then began to ask Matthews a question when the coach intervened and the exchange took place.
"Let us clear the decks here," Matthews told him directly. "I am senior coach and you are Aker's media adviser - you know what is going on with Aker so you tell the people.
"As long as we all know our biases and positions - the wrong person is up the front (speaking to the media) - you should be up the front."
The journalist admitted he spoke to Akermanis on a regular basis but denied it was 'every day' and tried to point out Matthews had not claimed any hint of bias or had disapproved when the journalist had written positive comment on other Lions players.
Earlier, Matthews conceded the saga has been 'ongoing all year' and 'will continue' but was adamant it has not affected the football operation at the club and then tried to move on from the subject.
Matthews was also asked if he wanted Akermanis to see out his contract and stay at the club next year.
"If I didn't want him here I would tell you so," Matthews said, repeating his mantra from earlier in the year.
"These decisions are not made half way through a season whether Aker wants to stay or we want him to go," before he muttered "not from my point of view anyway."
Ironically, while Matthews was battling it out with the media inside the Gabba media room, Akermanis, together with several senior players, were taking part in a Lions junior supporters' clinic outside.
The fans were split when asked whether the saga was now over, while most expressed a desire for Akermanis to tone down his comments and just concentrate on football.
