Player Shaun Johnson

[afakasi247]

May as well get this question out there now:
Where to for SJ The Second?

He’s probably going into sports media, but through his own platform (podcast) as opposed to mainstream.

 

[UpTheWahs]

Have never been to an NRL game but would have gone to SJs last at Mt Smart in a heart beat.

Gutted to see it's sold out.

I hope the club will look to release a few more for a section from the stand that's been closed for a while.

 

[tajhay]

 

[Beastmode]

He’s probably going into sports media, but through his own platform (podcast) as opposed to mainstream.

Noooooooo………
Mainstream needs him MORE!!!

And he can do both!

 

[run_it_str8_again]

Why do coaches play injured players? I just don’t get it. Surely a fully fit player who is slightly green is still better than bloke who is completely broken. It’s a pysically sport for fuck sake.

It's a good question and I have been critical of Webby but I kind of think that it's a pros and cons thing. Say early in the season, rest your gun injured half. End of season, do or die territory......play your gun injured half. That's not what's happened this season though. I think there's still value in SJ but I would spend heaps of next season getting him fit. Actually fit. Say right up to round 12 getting him fit, strong, fast as he can be and confident in himself to take the line on again. That's the only circumstance under which I'd play him.

 

[Jaffa J]

Was hoping he would stick around for one more season as a passing of the torch to JFH had a love/hate relationship with SJ but respected him heaps and thought we didn't do enough for him

All the best

 

[CWC]

Thank you Shaun, loved the joy you brought to us over the last decade

 

[Makasene]

My old man was never one to go and watch the curtain raisers before the NRL game at Mt Smart. That changed in 2008 with the introduction of the Under 20s. We didn't have a membership at that stage but if we were going to a game we would always go early and watch the 20s.

I remember this kid in headgear carving up the Toyota Cup Under 20s comp in 2009 and 2010 and by 2011 he was already a household name with many of us just itching at the thought of him making his NRL debut.

Who could imagine what came after, some of the most scintillating play by a young star:

• That try against Brisbane at Suncorp? Still one of the best individual efforts ever!
• That speed against Penrith to race the distance from a Locke offload
• Step and flair against the Tigers at Mt Smart - still don't know how we lost that one!
• Capped all off with what will live on as one of the great plays in the modern era channeling his inner Benji to put Lewis Brown over and into the Grand Final.

There is a major question of "what might have been" with SJ

• 4 head coaches in his first 100 games - what a basket case we were
• Would love to have seen SJ come through the Storm or Brisbane under Wayne.

What can't be questioned though is his Kiwis legacy

• Golden boot winner
• Kangaroos were his bitch for a couple of years there around 2014
• That try to beat England in the 2013 WC semifinal (French Kiss).

The major injuries were such a shame for him, he had us humming at times before some very cruel injuries. 2015 was looking like an all time season for him, breaking his leg while scoring another amazing individual try.

Farewell Princess - I don't think his commitment could ever be questioned. Certainly could not say the same about some of those around him.

 

[afakasi247]

Shaun on retirement, in his own words:


View: https://youtu.be/D4hmtXc8l50?si=xMLalKNU-jLGdDV_

 

[Canonball]

just sad about this - favourite player. Always worth watching, even in an underperforming team

 

[run_it_str8_again]

I missed the announcement and ok. Good on you SJ. Enjoy your body not needing ice baths. Thank you for that try vs Broncos when Simon passed it to you and said do something. That was something.

Thank you for that try you set up for Lewis. Even though it was Benji's move. You are the only other human who could also do it. And you did it with your flavour.

Thank you for chasing and running down Greg Inglis. For smashing Sam Burgess (I still can't figure that one out)

Thank you. You are maligned but my favourite Warriors halfback. More than Stacey. Isaac John. John Simon. Cliff Beverly or was he a 6? Brandy.

Enjoy life. Go get what youse want.

 

[run_it_str8_again]

Gutted. All those that have been wanting him gone will be missing him when our halves line up next season without him.

I didn't want him gone. I wanted him to take the line on instead of kick lots of times but he had accumulated injuries and head space to deal with. Maybe it's smoke and mirrors and he'll pull an Alfie and come win the GF for us in 2027

 

[run_it_str8_again]

Do you think that Kevin Proctor has worked out yet which way SJ went??

He almost tackled Cronk

 

[juju]

It's the thought we have to wait for the next once in a generation (or more) player to come around that I'm finding daunting right now...

 

[Mr. Brownstone]

Always so sad when your favourite player has to call curtains on his career, and SJ has been my fav since the moment he scored that scintillating individual try against the Broncos at Suncorp in 2011.

I’ll repeat things I’ve said before, however I was at the prelim final against the Storm when SJ put Brown over, and as a fan, and outside of a premiership, that was as good a moment that you could hope to experience. And there were a heap more to follow.

Was he the greatest halfback of all time? No definitely not. Was he the greatest Warriors halfback of all time? Line ball however I’d probably still side with Stacey. However in terms of ceiling, peak SJ was just about as good as it has ever got. At his very best his running game was without peer, he was a magician.

 

[MXRecord]

There is a major question of "what might have been" with SJ

• 4 head coaches in his first 100 games - what a basket case we were
• Would love to have seen SJ come through the Storm or Brisbane under Wayne.

This is the point that will always bother me. Had he been developed properly, what could he have been?

 

[juju]

This is the point that will always bother me. Had he been developed properly, what could he have been?

Ivan Cleary said leaving the Warriors it was the thought of not coaching SJ was his biggest regret.

 

[kos]

Thank you Shaun
You brought me tears of laughter and joy in the early years with that amazing step and speed
And in later years guile and cunning ie repeat grubers to the try line exhausting other teams.

Lot s of joy.
Thank you Shaun.

 

[Dantheman]

That lap of honour during the Knights game last year is a core memory for me and mates who were at the game, still get tingles thinking about it haha.

 

[Beastmode]

Ivan Cleary said leaving the Warriors it was the thought of not coaching SJ was his biggest regret.

Dam, this comment hit hard.