Keighran stays out of icon’s shadow
Young half insists he can’t compare with Johnson and will work on his own game
Adam Keighran admits he can’t be compared with Shaun Johnson but hopes to make his own name at Mt Smart. The 21-year-old started on that path impressively on Saturday, with an assured debut in the Warriors’ 40-6 victory over the Bulldogs.
Considering he was taking over from a club icon and given the focus on the inexperience in the Warriors halves, Keighran coped well.
He defended solidly on the left edge, kicked well in general play, landed six of seven conversions and showed neat footwork to grab a try.
“I’m happy,” said Keighran. “There are always things to improve and I’d like to get more involved. But [after the] first game now, [I’ve] got the nerves out and I can work on it for next week and improve.”
Johnson’s exit has been one of the NRL’s main off-season storylines, as Warriors fans wondered how the team would cope without the popular half. Keighran has tried to avoid the outside noise and speculation but admits it hasn’t been easy.
“There is a lot of media I get tagged in — social media and all that,” said Keighran. “I try to block it out but I do see it. [But] Shaun Johnson is a step above . . . there’s a highlights reel you probably would have seen, so I can’t really compare myself to him at all. I can work on my own game, improve from this game.”
Keighran had a quiet start to the match, as Blake Green took control of the Warriors attack early on.
“That wasn’t the plan but it sort of worked out that way,” said Keighran. “He’s a good leader, knows how to direct play. That made it easy for me and I just played off the back of him.”
But the former Australian Schoolboys representative gained confidence as the match developed, best illustrated by his goal kicking.
After missing his first attempt, Keighran then managed six from six, with the majority tough shots from near the sideline.
“I shanked my first, so I knew I had to correct the second one,” said Keighran. “Once that one went over, I felt pretty comfortable with the strike. It was good to get that first goal over, and made it easy for the rest of them.”
Keighran, who played centre for Penrith’s ISP team last year, also exhibited a handy running game. He beat three defenders with a step, swerve and dummy to cross in the 29th minute, and made another break in the second half but failed to spot Roger Tuivasa-Sheck on his inside shoulder.
Keighran also showed good awareness to set up Peta Hiku’s 69th-minute try, as he sprung from dummy half after a quick play-the-ball from Tohu Harris to ice a memorable debut.
“I was just happy to get out there and play,” said Keighran. “But to score and kick a few goals made it that much better, so I’m stoked as.”
Warriors coach Stephen Kearney was satisfied without getting carried away, conscious that Keighran enjoyed an armchair ride behind a completely dominant forward pack.
“He was okay,” said Kearney. “He did a pretty good job. I’ve been saying all along that all I expect from him [is] to fulfil his role in the team. He’s got some improvement in him but It was a positive start.”
Like the rest of his teammates, Keighran also had to contend with a match staged in difficult circumstances, barely 24 hours after the horrific events in Christchurch, where 50 people lost their lives.
“It was quite quiet [in the dressing room], even warm-up was a little bit different,” said forward Adam Blair. “Everyone realised we have a job to do, but over the top of that, in the back of our minds, there is obviously a bigger picture that has happened.”