League: Shaun Johnson comes of age as halfback

Shaun Johnson. Photo / Richard Robinson.

Rising Warriors star combines consistency with his natural flair to become one of the NRL’s top playmakers

Shaun Johnson says he's finally coming to grips with what it means to be a first-grade halfback as he enters his fifth NRL season.

Like plenty of talented No 7s before him, it has taken time for the 24-year-old to combine his natural flair and brilliance with the composure and consistency required of a top-line playmaker.

Only now, he admits, does he begin to comprehend and appreciate some of the wisdom offered to him by one of the game's greatest halfbacks following his stunning debut season in 2011.

"I've always been told that you don't start to hit your straps as a halfback until your mid-twenties," Johnson explained. "I remember talking to Andrew Johns and that was one of the first things that he said to me. At the time I found it hard to believe.

"Being young, I sort of thought, 'what else have I got to do?' But I [now] know exactly what he was saying."

Johnson feels comfortable in the knowledge his progression mirrors the gradual rise of North Queensland captain Johnathan Thurston, who spent three seasons as a Bulldogs bench prodigy before making his mark in the Cowboys' No 7 jersey and growing into a three-time Dally M Award-winning superstar.

"There is so much more to the game than you could possibly imagine and you've always got to be learning and I think JT is a perfect example of that," said Johnson, who will captain the Warriors at this weekend's Auckland NRL Nines.

"I certainly know I haven't arrived and I'm nowhere near being the complete player so there's still a lot of hard work to be done."

Playing a leading role in the Kiwis' Four Nations success has done wonders for his self-belief, and Warriors coach Andrew McFadden says Johnson returned to pre-season a more rounded player.

"The Four Nations was a big confidence boost for him," McFadden said. "He's certainly been working very hard on his game and being able to deliver in those big moments has been a big goal of his, so that was a good step in the right direction. But Shaun knows he's got to do the job for the Warriors as well. He's well and truly driven at the moment and wants to improve."

Appointing him captain of the nines squad was logical, not only because his game is suited to the open spaces but also because of his improved leadership and communication skills.

"He's really developed that part of his game. He has to be an on-field leader because he does do a lot of directing the team around so his communication has really improved.

"It's a great opportunity. He has a touch background so he's got good flair and a good feel for this type of competition so that's why he's skippering it."

Johnson is well aware most fans and critics have the Warriors pegged as favourites to win and says the challenge for them is to live up to the hype.

"We've heard all the talk but we've spoken as a group about how we can't control any of that. We have a belief that we can do well this weekend so hopefully we can back up all that talk that's coming our way."