The New Zealand Warriors organisation shocked many when they decided not to offer Shaun Johnson a new contract.
In response, a scorned Johnson sought an early release to join the Cronulla Sharks. Here’s five reasons why the Warriors perhaps should have reconsidered.
1. Right-edge combinations
Warriors winger David Fusitu’a led the NRL in tries last season with 22. No prizes for guessing who orchestrated most of them – it was the right-sided playmaker. Johnson had a hand in 17 of those 22 tries, and directly assisted ten with either a kick or the final pass.
With all members healthy, the right edge combination of Johnson, Tohu Harris, Peta Hiku and Fusitu’a was deadly. The Warriors might have a hard time finding another halfback who can initiate sweep plays or throw long balls to the winger like Johnson can.
The Warriors’ Shaun Johnson, when he was the Warriors’ Shaun Johnson. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
2. A lack of new signings
Johnson might have caught the Warriors off guard by refusing to play out the final year of his contract. Despite rumoured interest in Dylan Brown, the Warriors have not yet signed a direct replacement. The next halfback will therefore have to come from within.
Coach Stephen Kearney has recently nominated rookies Chanel Harris-Tavita and Hayze Perham as the frontrunners for this position. Harris-Tavita played in the halves last season for the Warriors’ NSW Cup side, and hence looms as the likely starter in Round 1. Perham played for the same side, but spent the year at fullback.
While both youngsters may have bright futures ahead of them, Johnson’s experience will be sorely missed. The Cronulla Sharks on the other hand have gained a veteran of 162 NRL games and 29 Test matches.
3. Mason Lino is a Newcastle Knight
The Warriors played six games without Johnson in 2018, winning three of them. Not bad, right? Mason Lino, Johnson’s previous understudy, played a major role in those wins.
However, Lino signed a two-year deal with Newcastle in September. With Kalyn Ponga and Mitchell Pearce set to be the Knights’ halves pairing in 2018, Lino is expected to start the season in NSW Cup.
Perhaps if the Warriors knew that Johnson would demand an early release, Lino would still be in Auckland.
4. Goal kicking
Johnson has never been a renowned sharpshooter, but he kicked at a respectable 76 per cent in 2018. Prior to that, he kicked a career-best 79 per cent in 2017. Johnson also kicks goals for the New Zealand Kiwis.
While these numbers are pedestrian compared to the likes of Nathan Cleary or Adam Reynolds, replacing Johnson won’t be easy. The Warriors do not have any standout goal kickers on their roster, meaning the duties will most likely fall to Issac Luke.
Luke has kicked at 78 per cent since joining the Warriors, albeit with a small sample size. Including his Souths days, Luke’s career goal kicking percentage is only 71 per cent with a larger sample.
Furthermore, Luke is no guarantee to play 80 minutes each week and only has a one-year deal with the Warriors. He hasn’t been a full time goal kicker since he played for Souths.
Rookie Chanel Harris-Tavita kicked goals in NSW Cup, but only at a paltry 65% conversion rate. Tohu Harris may be the better backup option to Issac Luke, having previously been a part-time goal kicker for the Melbourne Storm.
5. Blake Green may not be a dominant playmaker
Over the past four seasons, Blake Green has quietly been one of the more consistent halves in the NRL. He’s also played in big games, having started at five-eighth for the Melbourne Storm side that narrowly lost the 2016 grand final to Cronulla.
However, Green has largely been a complementary playmaker. He played alongside Cronk at Melbourne, Cherry-Evans at Manly and then Johnson at the Warriors. Green is therefore largely untested as a dominant half in the NRL.
Given that he is likely to partner a rookie halfback, the Warriors will most likely lean on Blake Green in fifth tackle situations this season. Only time will tell whether the veteran is up to the challenge.
Watcher
Guest
Not quite like that. I think the Warriors wantd him for the last year of his Contract but due to poor communication both ways he sought the release.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
The world has changed . The Warriors could easily pick up a half back in the next 6 months or so. Manly grabbed DCE when Hodgkinson was taken by the Dogs and was playing for Australia soon after. Lachlan Lewis was lurking about in the lower grades this time last year I seem to recall waiting for someone to give him a chance.
John
Guest
Perhaps they are copying the 2018 Storm.
Duncan Smith
Roar Guru
I can't understand why they dumped Johnson when there's no obvious replacement. What are they thinking?
BA Sports
Roar Guru
Lino might be sitting at Newcastle this Christmas and wondering 'what might have been'. If the Johnson decision comes earlier, he surely gets offered another deal at the Warriors which would have had more $$ - even if only for one year - attached to it than what he is taking at Newcastle. For the Warriors to have made the inital decison not to renew Johnson, they must (well let's say 'should') have a plan in place. One assumes that is for Tavita Harris who has a greater up side than Lino, but has a young half still has a tonne of quesiton marks over him.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
Munster got bagged about his GF performance but he was more threat to his opponents in that one game than Green has been in his whole career. Calls to select him for SOO last year were laughable.
Greg
Guest
The Warriors are in trouble if Green is the main half. He's 32 years old and has played for eight different clubs, with not a single one of those clubs ever re-signing him to a second contract. He's never won a premiership and has never played rep footy, he's the definition of an average half.
Jacko
Guest
So SJ is at a club with no head coach and no money yet its the Warriors who are supposed to miss him? He has not delivered anything but total frustration to the Warriors and its about time he was moved on. Hopefully he will become what he has promised to over so many years and never delivered.
Shane
Guest
6. They might win some games more often......something totally alien to the club's whole culture.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
Blake Green has had the happy knack of being given a lot of the credit for his teams wins over the last couple of years but seems to escape punishment by the critics when his teams loses. That's a good thing about playing outside SJ or DCE. Unfortunately for him the spotlight will be on him next season and I'm afraid it's not going to be that much fun. He's apparently a great influence around the place but he is pedestrian as a five eight.