League: Warriors set for season calendar redesign after Shaun Johnson departs club

It's not proving an easy task for the Warriors to remove every trace of their former poster boy Shaun Johnson.

The NRL club will have to redesign their 2019 season calendars in the wake of Johnson's departure after their eight-year love affair with the halfback came to a sudden end yesterday.

Johnson's exit came after reports that the Warriors were in no rush to re-sign their million-dollar man beyond next season.

Johnson requested an early release from his contract on Tuesday, which was promptly granted by Warriors CEO Cameron George.

Warriors 2019 Offical NRL Calendar.

The news outraged many Warriors fans, including one who posted a video to social media setting Johnson merchandise on fire.

But furious fans might instead find a stack of 2019 Warriors season calendars handy for the fire pit, with the cover featuring the former Golden Boot winner.

It appears though that the calendars have been removed from official merchandise wholesaler League and Legends.

Not everyone has taken the news of Shaun Johnson's departure from the Warriors well.

Breaking his silence for the first time yesterday, George said that although Johnson's departure was disappointing, it was a decision made based on what was best for the future of the club.

"Yesterday [head coach] Stephen Kearney, [recruitment manager] Peter O'Sullivan and I met with Shaun and his manager Peter Brown," George said.

"During the meeting, Shaun clearly demonstrated to us that he didn't want to be at the club in 2019.

"While it's disappointing it has come to this, we must acknowledge the contribution Shaun has made to the Warriors. We're proud of what he has achieved at the club and wish him all the best for the future."

It is believed that the club are now targeting Parramatta young gun Dylan Brown as a potential long-term replacement.