NRL great fires shot at Johnson
Rugby league great Cooper Cronk reckons Kiwi playmaker Shaun Johnson isn’t justifying his salary at the Cronulla Sharks, saying he has been ‘‘firing blanks’’ since his arrival at the NRL club last year.
Johnson left the Warriors to join the Sharks on a three-year deal reported to be worth $3 million, but despite producing a polished display during the 26-16 win over the Cowboys on Saturday night, he failed to convince multiple premiershipwinning halfback Cronk he is providing value for money.
Johnson claimed three try assists as the Sharks recorded their first win of the season, but Cronk feels he needs to be more consistent and improve on his decision-making if the Sharks are going to be title contenders.
‘‘Johnson’s the key,’’ Cronk said. ‘‘Johnson won the Golden Boot in 2014, signed with the Sharks on a three-year deal – this is his second – and to be honest
‘‘He can be the best player in the world but he just doesn’t deliver enough for me.’’
Cooper Cronk
he’s fired blanks since arriving.
‘‘What sums it up for me is he puts in this kick where he makes the ball torp basically for [Ronaldo] Mulitalo to score the first try. You sit there on the reverse angle and it bends away from the fullback.
‘‘He made the ball torp for Mulitalo’s first try, but then when the game’s in the balance he goes for a kick for touch from halfway, shanks it, and five minutes later has another kick with the game in the balance and kicks [it dead for] a seven-tackle set.
‘‘He can be the best player in the world but he just doesn’t deliver enough for me. Johnson needs to be the star.’’
Cronk suggested Johnson should be running the ball more to weaponise the Sharks’ attack, noting it can be hard for players at the end of their careers to carry the football.
‘‘For Shaun to be a threat with short ball or over the top you need to run, otherwise people don’t think you’re a threat.’’ on Shaun Johnson
Johnson ran the ball just four times against the Cowboys, the second lowest in the entire Sharks team for just 45 metres.
‘‘Shaun should of been licking his lips when they made the rule changes,’’ said former Sharks player Michael Ennis, who won the NRL title with the club in 2016.
‘‘When you think of dynamic ball runners, there are none better than Shaun Johnson, but until he’s willing to get physical, down and dirty, they’re not going to get what they want out of him.
‘‘They’ve got big decisions to make, the Sharks. They’ve got a number of high-profile players coming off contract next year, they’ve had some trouble with the salary cap situation.’’
Sharks captain Wade Graham defended the playmaker, saying the team is at its best when Johnson is partnering Chad Townsend (injured.’’