Kayla Cullen and Shaun Johnson from five years ago. Photo / Instagram
Kayla Cullen and Shaun Johnson from five years ago. Photo / Instagram
NRL star Shaun Johnson and fiancé Kayla Cullen have opened up on their relationship and furthering their sporting careers together across the ditch.
In the interview released by NRL.com, the couple reflected on how they first met before making things official in 2016.
"So we're out in a club, both young, both you know 18,19 or whatever it was," Johnson said. "I'm there and then I get a tap on the shoulder saying 'hey, can I please have a photo with you?'"
"I turn around and boom, I have a photo with this chick and they're like that's Kayla Cullen, that my friend is the start of how we blossomed and we met."
Former Silver Fern Cullen was quick to chime in, revealing a message of support from Johnson a few years later ahead of the 2015 Netball World Cup final was what proved most instrumental for the couple.
"I asked for a good luck message for my team (the Silver Ferns)," Cullen said. "He sends me a message saying good luck and at the end, he says, 'I love you Kayla' and at the end sends me some kisses."
Laughing along at the story, Johnson said: "Again, I knew, I just knew, I had a feeling".
Shaun Johnson and Kayla Cullen opened up on how they first met. Photo / Photosport
Following the couple's engagement last year, Cullen has since moved to Australia to join Johnson who now plays for the Cronulla Sharks.
Missing out on Silver Ferns selection prior to July's Netball World Cup, Cullen was called into Australia's New South Wales Swifts squad as a temporary replacement with plans to continue playing in the Super Netball league.
Johnson, who is set to play the Warriors tonight for the second time since leaving the club, also opened up on the heartbreak of departing New Zealand and said he didn't hold any resentment towards his former team.
Shaun Johnson of the Sharks. Photo / Getty
"I had a discussion with the Warriors, they were honest with me too," Johnson said. "There was no malice in it. There was honest conversation and yeah we disagreed on some things, but that was it and we moved on, so no, no resentment."
"It's so easy for people just to see me moving teams and talk about stuff like I no loyalty and all the negative stuff around 'why'd you leave?' and 'you don't care about the club,' but that's not even the biggest part of leaving. Having to leave family and having to leave Kayla, that was the gut-wrencher."
Johnson and the Sharks sit in the eighth and final playoff spot with three rounds left in round play.
