Young fan helps to stir Johnson

‘‘Why doesn’t Shaun Johnson run more?’’

It is a question that has hounded the Warriors halfback over the last two years but one he is hearing less and less of after a blistering start to the season.

That Johnson, one of the NRL’s most elusive ballrunners, has regularly tested the defensive line during the first two games has been widely credited to the brilliant organisational skills of five-eighth Blake Green.

Johnson is relishing working with his new halves partner and no one is underestimating the impact of Green’s arrival. But the Warriors also have a young Perth-based fan to thank for giving Johnson the ‘‘little wake-up call’’ he needed.

‘‘We had this promo [before the Rabbitohs game] and this little kid asked me a question. He said ‘Shaun Johnson, how come you don’t step any more?’’’ the former Golden Boot winner told Stuff.

‘‘A little kid who doesn’t know anything about social media, anything about what people say, was asking me a genuine question from what he watches week-to-week.

‘‘It hit home and made me feel like I’ve stopped inspiring or making kids want to get out there and start stepping and running around.’’

Johnson went as far as to note down the encounter in his notebook and it has clearly had an impact.

In the round-one win over Souths, the 27-year-old playmaker ran for almost 100m as he torched the Rabbitohs defence in a vintage display.

He wasn’t afforded as much space during last week’s win over the Titans. But it wasn’t without trying as he finished with 14 runs, while his total of 13 tackle busts are the secondmost in the NRL.

Injuries have played a part in restricting the Kiwis international - namely, a nasty broken ankle in 2015 before a knee issue left him on the sidelines during the back-end of last year.

A rotating cast of halves partners haven’t helped, either.

However, Johnson admits he was guilty of not playing to his strengths and is determined not to fall back into that habit.

‘‘I don’t think I completely stopped. I just think it wasn’t my first thought and that’s what I went away from,’’ he said.

‘‘In round one I was able to run the ball a bit more on the back of what Blake was doing. I tried to do it again last week and I’ll try to do it this week.’’

Johnson’s running game could play a key role on Saturday against the massive Canberra forwards as the Warriors look to continue their winning start to 2018.

With Green calling the shots in the middle of the park, Johnson controlling the right side and fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck operating on the left, the Warriors’ attack has been humming along nicely.

But it is easy to forget that a disrupted pre-season for Johnson meant he and Green have, until recently, spent limited time on the training field together.

Johnson feels there is still plenty of room for improvement. ‘‘It’s going to take a bit more time to really get things going but certainly heading in the right direction.’’

"A little kid who doesn't know anything about social media, anything about what people say, was asking me a genuine question from what he watches weekto-week."

Shaun Johnson, above