Johnson fit to start Storm trial game

The halfback is aiming to play at least half tonight’s game against Melbourne after recovering from a groin strain

Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson has declared himself a certain starter in tonight’s NRL trial against Melbourne Storm at Sunshine Coast Stadium.

Johnson has fully recovered from the groin strain that prevented him from playing at last week’s NRL Auckland Nines and capped a strong week of training at the team’s captain’s run — the sides first under new skipper Roger Tuivasa- Sheck.

The 26- year- old is frustrated the niggling problem prevented him from appearing at the Eden Park tournament but is eager to get some valuable game time in the first of t wo trials ahead of the upcoming NRL season.

“To be honest, it’s like I never had a flipping groin complaint,” said Johnson. “The frustrating thing i s I’ve trained this week exactly how I did leading into the Nines, and it took literally one session last week for it to tighten up, and when I went to warm up, it was tight again.

“After a couple of days off with a lot of treatment on it, I came back in on Tuesday and got through that session and since then, it’s been fine.

“So it’s a positive but it’s just so frustrating that in that four or five days where it tightened up, the Nines was on, and that was something I really wanted to be a part of.

“I’m starting [ today] so I’ll get out there and hopefully have a solid hitout. I’m aiming for around half a game, maybe a little more, but we’ll see how we go.”

Johnson’s fortune was not shared by young forward Jazz Tevaga, who exited the session early after suffering an ankle strain.

Tevaga will be given until today to take his place in the extended 23- man squad but if not fit, Kearney indicated either Erin Clark or James Bell could fill in.

Both teams are also preparing for the prospect of playing in searing conditions, with a heatwave due to strike Queensland over the weekend and temperatures expected to climb into the high 30s.

Tuivasa- Sheck said the side had readied themselves as best they could for the heat and humidity but said nothing could replicate game day conditions.

“The coach has brought some thermal heaters into the gym and he’s been getting us to train in skins and track suits during the day,” he said.

“We tried our best to prepare ourselves but it might be a different story [ today].”

Kearney downplayed the measures taken and wants his players to produce the goods regardless of the weather.

“I don’t have any control over that and the players don’t, so whatever tomorrow dishes up, we’ve just got to deal with it,” he said.

The i ssue i s of little concern to stand- in Melbourne captain Kenny Bromwich, with the Storm accustomed to training in extreme heat and humidity.

“It’s been really hot in Melbourne too,” said Bromwich.