Player Shaun Johnson

[John Nick]

It was DCE

You are correct. Wasn't SJ runner up or something

 

[KPWarrior]

The DCE comparison probably resonates more with me, maybe due to the GF in their debuts.

If only we had our shit together as a club back then......

DCE and Reynolds both have a prem, it's such a cruel blow for Shaun.

 

[Noitall]

You are correct. Wasn't SJ runner up or something

Plenty of good halves coming through at that time obviously. Will be interesting to see where some of these young guns that look promising now are down the line?

 

[run_it_str8_again]

The DCE comparison probably resonates more with me, maybe due to the GF in their debuts.

If only we had our shit together as a club back then......

DCE and Reynolds both have a prem, it's such a cruel blow for Shaun.

Yes it is cruel but only if that's the measure of a successful career. He's got more money than my entire lifetime just from league. He's got a happy life and those are a couple of other measures. Okay maybe not comparing my hollow wallet with his but to say he's earned what he has by his early mid thirties is cool and I respect that

 

[KPWarrior]

Yes it is cruel but only if that's the measure of a successful career. He's got more money than my entire lifetime just from league. He's got a happy life and those are a couple of other measures. Okay maybe not comparing my hollow wallet with his but to say he's earned what he has by his early mid thirties is cool and I respect that

He's fully earned and deserved every cent he's ever made from the game.

His life and lifestyle away from the game is a credit to himself, and quite frankly none of our business.

He's a professional Rugby League player playing in the code's pinnacle competition and his individual talents have reaped his rewards.

Unfortunately in our little NRL world the measure of success is a Premiership!

Ask him how many highlight reels he'd gladly give up for a Premiership.

 

[run_it_str8_again]

He's fully earned and deserved every cent he's ever made from the game.

His life and lifestyle away from the game is a credit to himself, and quite frankly none of our business.

He's a professional Rugby League player playing in the code's pinnacle competition and his individual talents have reaped his rewards.

Unfortunately in our little NRL world the measure of success is a Premiership!

Ask him how many highlight reels he'd gladly give up for a Premiership.

Agreed. I'm sure he'd have wanted that premiership but when it finally comes we will remember his awesome contributions

 

[MrFrankWhite]

He's fully earned and deserved every cent he's ever made from the game.

His life and lifestyle away from the game is a credit to himself, and quite frankly none of our business.

He's a professional Rugby League player playing in the code's pinnacle competition and his individual talents have reaped his rewards.

Unfortunately in our little NRL world the measure of success is a Premiership!

Ask him how many highlight reels he'd gladly give up for a Premiership.

His lack of a prem is on us as a club rather than him

 

[Noitall]

His lack of a prem is on us as a club rather than him

Feel like some earlier years it was just a bit of the same old story of Warriors needing to pay top dollar to hold onto him. His consistency didn’t always warrant his salary but there was never any doubt of what was his potential and his brilliance. Feel like last year was the most consistent and injury free of his career and a real shame we couldn’t take advantage of that form

 

[snake77]

The club not winning a premiership during Jones' career was tough. He arrived in the initial years so you could look at it as the early years when the club was getting started. Still a shame though as we had a home grown halfback in our first year in the competition.

The club not winning one during Johnson's career is a bit tougher to take. Yes it does show how tough the competition is. But also the base the club should have had build being around for 10-15 years still wasn't there.

The club has been through a lot and a lot of it has been of their own making with ownership changes, regime changes. Let's hope the next halfback we develop or can build the club around we finally get that elusive first premiership.

Keeping the development systems going and finding consistency so they make the top 8 more years that they miss out would be a start.

 

[Defence]

I went back and watched both our grand finals in the off season.
Despite losing I reckon Sj was the best player on the field 2011.
We were so unlucky in that game- everything went manlys way- the calls, the bounce of the ball… u could make a case that the better team lost that day.
It didn’t hurt that much at the time though because it felt like a premiership was just around the corner, unfortunately they took the keys off Ivan, handed them to bluey and the bus wound up in a ditch.

 

[Lets Eat (YeahNah)]

Club management, business and footy IQ and forward planning shows we have been amateurs in our field for a long time.

We should have built a team around SJ and his style and made that our identity as we had SJ for so long.

Too many egos and retirement packages, and not enough professionalism.

Egos, pay checks, lack of training, video and players who didn’t even watch other games or opposition.

We are only now starting to get it right.

We let SJ down regardless of his eccentric personality.

Hope he becomes halves coach and commentator based in NZ.

Thanks for the memories bro.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Club management, business and footy IQ and forward planning shows we have been amateurs in our field for a long time.

We should have built a team around SJ and his style and made that our identity as we had SJ for so long.

Too many egos and retirement packages, and not enough professionalism.

Egos, pay checks, lack of training, video and players who didn’t even watch other games or opposition.

We are only now starting to get it right.

We let SJ down regardless of his eccentric personality.

Hope he becomes halves coach and commentator based in NZ.

Thanks for the memories bro.

2011 GF Team

1 Kevin Locke, 2 Bill Tupou, 3 Lewis Brown, 4 Krisnan Inu, 5 Manu Vatuvei, 6 James Maloney, 7 Shaun Johnson, 15 Russell Packer, 14 Lance Hohaia, 10 Jacob Lillyman, 17 Elijah Taylor, 12 Simon Mannering (c), 13 Micheal Luck, interchange: 8 Sam Rapira, 9 Aaron Heremaia 11 Feleti Mateo, 16 Ben Matulino.

A whole lot of players that could have dominated the game if we'd had the right systems in place. The ceiling for some one these guys was stratospheric. A young Locke and Benny Mutts was a sight to see.

 

[kos]

2011 GF Team

1 Kevin Locke, 2 Bill Tupou, 3 Lewis Brown, 4 Krisnan Inu, 5 Manu Vatuvei, 6 James Maloney, 7 Shaun Johnson, 15 Russell Packer, 14 Lance Hohaia, 10 Jacob Lillyman, 17 Elijah Taylor, 12 Simon Mannering (c), 13 Micheal Luck, interchange: 8 Sam Rapira, 9 Aaron Heremaia 11 Feleti Mateo, 16 Ben Matulino.

A whole lot of players that could have dominated the game if we'd had the right systems in place. The ceiling for some one these guys was stratospheric. A young Locke and Benny Mutts was a sight to see.

Amazing that of all these players only SJ is playing - 13 years later
Did I hear Kris Inu is working in Eels coaching team all be it the Baz coaching team not the new Rylsie - Brownie team for 25.

See how u add an ie on the end there- that’s what living in Australia does to you.

 

[The Warrior Waka]

Did I hear Kris Inu is working in Eels coaching

I think Krisnan just had his coaching gig extended over in Superleague recently.

 

[Noitall]

Top ten highlights of Shaun Johnson's career

We look at ten of the Kiwi legend's career highlights.

www.zerotackle.com

Absolutely amazing the skills he possessed throughout his career

 

[Possum11]

You can't hang up your boots just yet you still got a premiership to win this year SJ

 

[KPWarrior]

Top ten highlights of Shaun Johnson's career

We look at ten of the Kiwi legend's career highlights.

www.zerotackle.com

Absolutely amazing the skills he possessed throughout his career

That's been the best hour of my week!

 

[KPWarrior]

Boggles the mind looking back how a player so young, with so much obvious talent, could be so mis-mananged.

Ivan had his flaws back then but letting him go has gotta be up there with the worst things we've done as a club.

FFS lets not repeat it!

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

I don’t buy into the club letting SJ down or him being mismanaged.

He had a great career and reached his potential and should be proud of what he achieved. His highlights are world leading at playing the SJ way.

In letting him down are we saying he should have been made to be more structured through coaching? His strength has been his unpredictability and coaching would have changed that. Would training what was special out of him (unpredictability) really work?

His recent transition to on organising half was only due to injury, slowing down and experience - would anyone have preferred a boring SJ without the individual highlights reel? I’m not sure he would have been an elite half when younger playing under strict structure? Just another good journeyman.

I’m happy with what we saw. The highlights, the scintillating tries. The unpredictability and the raw emotion.

 

[Mr. Brownstone]

I don’t buy into the club letting SJ down or him being mismanaged.

He had a great career and reached his potential and should be proud of what he achieved. His highlights are world leading at playing the SJ way.

In letting him down are we saying he should have been made to be more structured through coaching? His strength has been his unpredictability and coaching would have changed that. Would training what was special out of him (unpredictability) really work?

His recent transition to on organising half was only due to injury, slowing down and experience - would anyone have preferred a boring SJ without the individual highlights reel? I’m not sure he would have been an elite half when younger playing under strict structure? Just another good journeyman.

I’m happy with what we saw. The highlights, the scintillating tries. The unpredictability and the raw emotion.

His ceiling created unrealistic expectations from some fans and a lot of media. People wanted him to pull that crazy running game out of a hat every time we were losing or in a tight game. And when he didn’t he received criticism, much of which was in my opinion very unfair.

However at the same time, a player with that much talent should have been part of more finals campaigns and pushing for more premierships. It’s undeniable that, starting with the decision to let Cleary walk & replace him with Bluey, the Warriors failed SJ.