Get me to Vegas: Johnson determined to be on plane with Warriors
Even with his own future still to be confirmed beyond 2024, Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson has his sights set on kick-starting next season in Las Vegas.
Earlier this week, Australia’s Sydney Morning Herald reported the Warriors were on a shortlist of teams to head to Vegasto open the 2025 NRL season.
This year, the Brisbane Broncos, South Sydney Rabbitohs, Sydney Roosters and Manly Sea Eagles launched the year in Sin City to great success in both Australia and abroad.
While the Warriors are yet to be confirmed as a team to head abroad next year, Johnson makes no bones of his desire to be on that plane.
At present, the 33-year-old is only contracted through until the end of this year, but has indicated he wants to play on.
But regardless of what capacity it would be in, Johnson wants in.
“Let’s just say, if we’re in Vegas, I’m going to be there either way,” he said. “Run a blue shirt [as a trainer], play, whatever it is, I’ve got to be there for that.
“That’s pretty cool if we’re in the mixer for that and you can get over there. I’m sure they [the NRL] could reward us with something like that.”
Despite 2023 being the best season of his career, Johnson concedes he has to produce even better results if the Warriors are going to have a chance of repeating that success.
As nearly every player on the club’s books hit new heights under coach Andrew Webster last year, Johnson shone the brightest as rugby league recaptured a sporting public accustomed to disappointment at Mt Smart.
In 25 games, Johnson scored eight tries and assisted on 29 more as the key playmaker in the Warriors’ spine and he recorded the most kicking metres in the NRL with 11,856, more than a kilometre clear of second-placed Chad Townsend of the North Queensland Cowboys.
Coming into 2024, the Warriors haven’t enjoyed as successful a start to the new season in the opening three rounds.
A first-up loss to the Sharks was followed by a heart-breaking lastgasp defeat by the Melbourne Storm, before finally getting on the board with victory over the Canberra Raiders last week.
If the Warriors are to replicate their success, Johnson will be a vital cog in the machine.
While fans may look back at his incredible 2023 fondly, the man himself says it wasn’t all smooth sailing.
“There were patches throughout last year that were pretty quickly forgotten about in this ‘resurgence’ talk,” said Johnson.
“But I’m not keen to have those patches. I’m still pretty hungry. I feel like I’ve got a point to prove — I haven’t really achieved anything. That’s how we feel as a squad.
“We got so close to tasting the ultimate goal last year. When you know you have a squad and what you’re capable of as a side and you’ve got that confidence, it’s up to us how it plays out now.
“That belief, that trust is there that the coaches will put us in [with] the best chance to succeed.
“It’s completely up to us as a team, us as individuals with how we apply that every week.
“That’s where I’m at with that on a personal level as well.”
As a contender for the Dally M Medal — given to the best player in the NRL over the course of a season — Johnson missed out by a single vote and had to watch as the Knights’ Kalyn Ponga instead took home the honour.
Tomorrow, Johnson and Ponga will square off as Newcastle visit Go Media Stadium Mt Smart.
“The Dally M has never been a goal of mine,” he said. “Winning a comp [is].
“Just playing at a high level every week, being able to walk off the field with my head high regardless of the outcome is something I’m striving for.”