Halves combo yielding impressive results at Warriors
Warriors halves Shaun Johnson and Chad Townsend are developing into a strong pairing on and off the field with the side owing much of their recent success to their improving combination.
The duo were key figures in Sunday’s 38-18 victory over the Newcastle Knights with Townsend helping to create two tries and scoring his first four-pointer for the club, while Johnson played a role in two more and booted five goals to help the Warriors secure their fourth win in five games.
Throughout that period the pair have improved their kicking in general play, working in tandem to keep defences guessing and producing strong fifth-tackle plays to earn repeat sets or keep the opposition pinned deep inside their half.
“Week to week it’s getting better, I feel,” Townsend said after Sunday’s match at Mt Smart Stadium.
“We train pretty hard together and we hang out together off the field as well, which helps. It’s just good to get some results.
“We played against each other in the under-20s for a couple of years back in 2009 and 2010. Shaun’s a year older than me but I always knew he was a bit of an x-factor-type player and I’m just happy he’s in my team now.”
Against the Knights, Townsend’s skip-pass gave skipper Simon Mannering room out wide to kick through and regather to score the Warriors’ first try, before he and John- son began tormenting Knights winger Josh Mantellato, in just his second first grade game, with a variety of kicks along the ground and through the air.
A well judged kick from Townsend saw the rookie caught in-goal, and on the next set, Johnson’s cross-field bomb saw Manu Vatuvei get above his opposite and bat the ball back for Sam Tomkins to accept and cross for their second score.
Soon after it was Townsend mimicking the same ploy, with Vatuvei again climbing high to take the ball to score their third fourpointer. “We’ve got a pretty good catcher out there in Manu and he can get upstairs and contest,” Townsend explained.
“We’ve been working pretty hard on that and Sam’s been doing a bit of kicking as well, which helps. That takes a bit of pressure off us too, when we can chime in and get two passes wide for a kick.
“Our coaches are pretty hard on us because those last plays can make or break a set and it’s something we have to get on the mark all the time.”
After playing 10 games together, Johnson says the pair communicate well on-field and he is pleased to see Townsend receive recognition for his efforts. “Chad and I got in touch at the end of most sets and we had a clear idea of who was going to kick the ball so that was really good,” Johnson said.
“Everyone’s been talking about mine and Sam’s combination and Chad’s been sort of the forgotten one but he’s put in just as much work as any of us and we’re really starting to see that.”