Record haul a ‘crazy’ feat for Johnson
Warriors playmaker places emphasis on team, rather than personal, achievement, reports Marvin France.
SHAUN Johnson may have etched himself into Warriors history but the star halfback has much bigger goals in mind.
Friday night’s clash against the Storm was bitter-sweet for Johnson.
His 15th-minute try at Mt Smart saw him eclipse Stacey Jones’ Warriors points-scoring record of 674. And provided he resigns with the club beyond this year, it’s an honour he will hold for some time.
But personal achievements are not what drives the 26-year-old.
Johnson desperately wants to win a title with his hometown team and the 26-10 defeat to Melbourne showed just how much work they have to do to get there.
‘‘I used to watch Stacey run around for so long and to think that I’m standing here talking about breaking his record of scoring the most points for the club is crazy,’’ Johnson said.
‘‘But for me, it’s not why you play. You play to win games of footy, you play to try and win a comp and that record is nice to have but certainly there’s something a lot bigger that I’m going after.’’
If last week’s late win over the Knights was a wake-up call then Friday night’s result was a reality check for the Warriors.
There were a number positives to take from the performance – a completion rate of 86 percent in such horrid conditions was nothing short of outstanding and the determination to hold out multiple sets on their own line in the first half kept them in the contest.
But they let themselves down with several lapses on defence and that is the difference between a middle of the road team and a regular top-four contender such as the Storm.
‘‘Going head-to-head with a team like Melbourne is what we needed at this time,’’ Johnson said. ‘‘It shows you that’s the sort of football you’re going to get if you’re playing at the end of the year and it’s good to get a taste of it this early.
‘‘It’s hard because at the end they scored 26 points and 26 points in any conditions is too much.
‘‘It’s a collective thing. A couple of soft tries off kicks when the middles are working so hard, it’s just so disappointing that we let them down in that way.’’
‘‘That’s the journey we’re on,’’ coach Stephen Kearney added. ‘‘That’s the improvement in us and it ain’t going to be a magicwand fix.
‘‘But the important part is the lesson that we take from it as a group and us saying to ourselves and saying this is how we do get better and keep walking towards that.’’
Evaluating his performances over the first two games, Johnson deserves a pass mark.
He has shown a willingness to take the ball to the line more often and when he does the Warriors look dangerous, while his general kicking game against Newcastle was mostly superb.
Yet, by his own admission, his radar with the boot was off target on Friday, preventing the Warriors from building pressure, and he was taught a lesson in that
I just wasn’t able to put the ball in the right spots and it puts you under pressure a little more.’ SHAUN JOHNSON
respect by Storm opposite Cooper Cronk.
‘‘If there’s maybe one thing that set it all up was their kicking game. Especially that first half, I just wasn’t able to put the ball in the right spots and it puts you under pressure a little more.’’
The Warriors take on the Bulldogs in Dunedin this Friday which was originally meant to coincide with Kieran Foran’s debut for the club, although that is now unlikely.
The chance to team up with his Kiwis halves partner could give Johnson a new lease of life but concerns over Foran’s shoulder means he will probably return in round four or five.
For now, though, Johnson is focused on developing his partnership with rookie fiveeighth Ata Hingano.
‘‘At the moment we’ve got me Ata, Rog [Tuivasa-Sheck] and Issac [Luke] there and we’re doing our best to gel and get this team around the park,’’ Johnson said.