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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.
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