Dallas Johnson from the Storm is spear tackled in the NRL by Gold Coast Titans players AAP Image/Action Photographics/Jeff Crow
The Melbourne Storm have just lost their second most important player. Dallas Johnson has left the Storm to join fellow Australians, Clint Greenshieds and Steven Bell, in Perpignan for what is generally described as a truck load of cash.
Now, let me be clear. I said second most important player, not second best player.
On sheer talent and ability, it is clear that phenoms such as Billy Slater and Greg Inglis are operating on a different level to the rest of the Storm team, if not the NRL in general.
However, aside from Cameron Smith, there is no player more important to the Storm than Dallas Johnson. Long undersold as simply a ‘tackle machine’ or ‘hard man’, Johnson is, in fact, pivotal to not only the defence of the Storm, but also their offence.
Sure, Johnson makes a zillion tackles a game and would no doubt play on after losing a limb or two. However, it is the organisation that the Storm will miss most.
Along with Cameron Smith, Johnson helps direct the other Storm big men around the field in defence and ensures that their sliding defensive line stays as impassable as the Redhorn Gate on Caradhras.
For all that, though, it is in attack that the Storm will miss Johnson the most.
Not all that surprisingly, in a team with such weapons as Slater and Inglis, the crucial link role played by Johnson is often overlooked.
However, if you watch closely, you will notice that Johnson handles the ball an awful lot for guy who is not one of the halves. And, indeed, when the Storm run one of their patented ‘overload then wrap-around’ plays with Billy the Kid joining the line at speed, it is often Johnson that starts the move by becoming an extra passer on that side of the field.
This year Johnson even started attacking the line with ball in hand or running decoys.
So whether it is that marauding beast known only as ‘salary cap’ that is to blame, or whether the Storm simply have Johnson’s best wishes at heart, it’s hard not to predict that sometime next year, Craig Bellamy will lose sleep over allowing Dallas to leave.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Mr. Sports you have made some rash statements. Allow me to challenge some of them. 1. "Dallas Johnson is the Storm's second most important player" MEANING WHO IS THE HARDEST TO REPLACE. YOU ARE CORRECT THAT CAM SMITH TOPS THE LIST BUT COOPER CRONK IS A CLEAR SECOND, THAT IS NOT ONLY MY OPINION BUT THE COACHING PANELS. VIEW. 2. "it is in attack that the Storm will miss Johnson the most." DALLAS IS LIKELY TO BE REPLACED BY SIKA MANU, WHO NOT ONLY MAKES BREAKS BUT UNLIKE DJ IS HAS A NATURAL OFFLOAD. DJ is an excellent defender and did a g8 job on Moi Moi in the GF, but he is one dimensional and does not scare opposition when he has the ball. Having said that, I would love to go to war with him.
Firestarter Bob
Guest
Really? Where can I find the rules for this sport called "league"? I tried the "league" website but it was no help. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/league
Tom
Guest
'Rugby' refers to rugby union. 'League' refers to rugby league. He is either a rugby league player or a league player; rugby union players can either be rugby or rugby union players. Its really not that hard to understand.
Firestarter Bob
Guest
Yes. I said yes. The salary cap is a sham. It is a restriction on the money a club can pay to players. Meanwhile each club is free to spend whatever $ amount it wants on anything else it wants. So the cap doesn't stop clubs from going broke at all. It stops them from going broke from spending on players. Sooner or later the NRL players will wake up.
Mushi
Guest
One of Melbourne’s best assets was that it got the scraps from the broncos junior catchment giving them better quality cheap talent – which in a salary cap environment gives them a decided advantage - than almsot every other club .
Mushi
Guest
Yes? You answered yes to “so you think we should pay the players more than the game itself makes” pure. Genius. Why is the first priority to keep the games stars? As Mick points out where are the detrimental e of the star drain Should the first priority be ensuring the longevity of the league and that every year the NRL can put out a quality entertaining product for the fans? The salary cap has little to do with parity, without a draft and a real PPP cap it is parity placebo. What it is there for is to ensure that the madness of a few individuals with thought processes like your own don’t sodomise the future of the entire sport With men like you in charge of one or two clubs the NRL would be a park competition within 10 years
sledgeross
Guest
Best backrower for 4 seasons? Are you taking the piss? Look, hes a good tackler, and tenacious, hes like the Axe Gillmeister. Hes the glue to the Storm and Qld. But best backrower? Youre telling me that if a coach could pick one backrower, they would pick Dallas????
Mick from Giralang
Guest
MG: Gallen is a hard player to like. Very frustrating, particularly when he such a talented footballer ( though prone to the occasional handling error). I put in him the same category as Justin Hodges, Micahel Ennis and Wade McKinnon --- grat players but prone ot the niggle.
Mick from Giralang
Guest
Oikee: I feel NSW firming for the SOS as we speak...go the Blues!
Mick from Giralang
Guest
Not a bad idea FB for players to be able to source third party income (it happens to a limited extent) but it should not be a free for all as the clubs with rich backers will buy competitions, a return to the bad old days. Since 1998 the salary cap has certainly levelled the competition with seven different premiers since. I don't think star retention has been nearly as big an issue as the row caused by a few high profile defections to rugby. Has anyone really missed SBW or Gasnier? Certainly not The Doggies or the Saints, going by their recent results. Their places have been filled by an exciting crop of new faces --- the ability of rugby league to keep producing amazing young talent is unrivalled.
MyGeneration
Roar Guru
Johnson and Hoffman complement each other and work well together. Gallen is a good footballer and can be a hard worker, but he undoes it all with his penchant for cheap shots and indiscipline. Sometimes he just plays with the red mist in his eyes. Would love to see the back of him.
Chop
Roar Guru
Johnson and Hoffman are the reasons the Storm didn't leak points, they were on either side of the ruck and did all the dirty defensive work. I agree with you Mr Sports, he's one of the most important players in the storm a massive loss. The Storm have done well dealing with losing people and bringing in replacements and continuing to operate without missing a beat over the last 4 years, this will be a big test....I'm not sure they'll go as far as Oikee is suggesting but they won't be the same without him.
GaryGnu
Guest
The Storm don't have Peter O'Sullivan providing them with a production line of ridiculous talent any more so it will be interesting to see how they handle this departure. O'Sullivan's absence was felt earlier this year when they had trouble finding a suitable No. 6 until Daniel Anderson did them a favour and Brett FInch came on the market. However, they do have the U/20 Champions so they might find a ready replacement right there. Of course there is the other important string to Melbourne's bow. Craig Bellamy has an uncanny ability to bring players to his club that others thought not up to the grade or were unwanted and turn them into crucial parts of a highly competitive team (Matt King, Michael Crocker, Ryan Tandy!). Somehow I think the Storm will be just fine.
MattRusty
Roar Pro
A massive loss...hopefully Dallas will be inducted into the Melbourne Storm Hall of Fame at some point in the future (I don't think he's already there is he...?).
Luke Weno
Guest
Well if the idiot national selectors actually picked him in the Australian side he may have stayed... I think he's played one game for Oz when in reality he has been the best back rower in the land for the past 4 seasons. Has to start getting a bloke down after a while. But as usual they keep picking Hoffman and Gallen, and they get smashed, and give away ridiculous penalties respectively.
Firestarter Bob
Guest
He is a RUGBY LEAGUE player, he is a RUGBY player, he is not a RUGBY UNION player, get it right josh.
josh
Guest
He is a LEAGUE player, not rugby, get it right Victorians.
Firestarter Bob
Guest
Yes. The top stars should be free to source income from sponsors and others without any restrictions. The NRL itself would be worth more money if the NRL stars now in Super League or rugby union were still in the NRL. The cap is making teams level but at the same time it is reducing the star power of the competition. Is the dominace of Tiger Woods good or bad for golf? Should golf handicap Woods to make tournaments more competitive? All I see is one helluva star and fans rushing to see him play and kids wanting to take up the sport. The first priority of the NRL should be to keep the game's stars. That is far more important that having a level competition or Cronulla going broke.
Mushi
Guest
So you think we should be paying the players more than the league actually makes is better for the game…
alan nicolea
Guest
Mr Sports Johnson is a huge loss for Melbourne but the club has shown enough to suggest it will fill the void. It will be a difficult task though to find a player that constantly makes 70 odd tackles a game, among them the odd trysaver. A terrific character of the NRL that will be missed no doubt.