NRL: Coach ready to blood youngsters

Ivan Cleary says Shaun Johnson has "a gift" but that he doesn't think the teenager is ready for the NRL - yet.

With the Warriors drinking at the Last Chance Saloon, and likely to be asked to "move along" soon by NRL heavies, the Warriors coach has the option of blooding a few youngsters in coming weeks with the playoffs likely to be off the agenda.

Cleary has plumped for Isaac John, 20, to partner Stacey Jones in the halves against the Roosters today and admits that, with eight games remaining he could be tempted to play others.

Johnson has been talked about as a player of great potential, especially after two-time world player of the year Andrew Johns sang his praises after an under-20s game.

When to blood the 18-year-old former New Zealand touch and Aussie Rules representative, though, is the conundrum facing Cleary.

"Shaun is someone who I think has amazing talent," Cleary says. "He's got a gift. I don't think he's ready for the NRL this year. I actually don't think that would help his development. Looking at him at the moment, I think he needs a good, hard off-season. Having said that, there are still eight weeks to go...

"He's got instinct for the game, good speed, he passes well, kicks well. He ticks most of the boxes. But physically I don't think he's ready yet. Defensively he's not. He hasn't been playing league for very long.

"What's important is that he's a very good talent. What you don't want to do is knock that confidence or development out of him.

"Because once you get him in the NRL, he will have a fairly big target on his head. It's a completely different ball game in the 20s. When will he be ready? That's hard to tell, but he's certainly got a lot going for him."

Playing a combination of five-eighth and halfback for Tony Iro's under-20s, Johnson has scored eight tries in 15 games as well as laying on an incredible 28 try assists - equal top in the Toyota Cup.

He has also made 165 kicks (1st in Toyota Cup) eight line breaks, 17 line breaks assists (4th) and 57 tackles breaks. Countering that is 45 missed tackles or the equivalent of three a game.

It's in attack, though, that the Warriors have been struggling the most in 2009 and you could hardly say defence is the strength of Stacey Jones or others like Benji Marshall and Jamie Soward.

The Warriors consider themselves a development club and there comes a time when they need to back the young colts they have in their stable.

"It's a case-by-case thing. What I'm pretty conscious of is that when they come in they don't fall out the other side."

Shaun Johnson

PROS
* Creative and instinctive half with an impressive array of try assists in 2009 (28 in 15 Toyota Cup games).
* Not afraid to try the unconventional, a legacy of his background as a top touch player.
* Not scarred by the Warriors failing in 2009.
* Time to learn, with the NRL side's season fading fast.
* Good kicking game (his 165 points is the highest number by 42 in the Toyota Cup).

CONS
* At 18, he's still very young.
* Still struggling with his weight. He's bulked up to 85kg from 68kg when he first arrived at the club but he hasn't yet learned how to use it.
* Only in his first real season of playing rugby league so still learning the game.
* Defensively weak and would be targeted by opponents.
* Danger of his confidence being knocked if he steps up too soon.

Other young contenders

ELIJAH TAYLOR
Age: 19. Position: Second row/lock. Last season's Toyota Cup Player of the Year has continued his form of 2008, when he was the only player to appear in all 27 Junior Warriors games. Taylor has played the last nine games at five-eighth but it's in the back row where the club sees his future. He played in a couple of NRL trial games at the start of the year, proving he is not far off consideration. Cleary says: "Elijah Taylor is very close [to playing NRL]. He's developing his game all the time and could play this year."

BILL TUPOU
Age: 19. Position: Wing/centre. Tupou is a classy finisher who scored 14 tries in 19 games last year and has backed that up with 10 in 13 in 2009. He's presently on the injured list, which puts back his chances. Cleary says: "He's another one we are looking at pretty closely."

MATAUPU POCHING
Age: 21. Position: Prop. Poching was an integral member of last year's Toyota Cup side which fell one game short of the grand final. Has had a couple of niggling injuries in 2009 but has played the last five games for the Auckland Vulcans. Cleary says: "As he plays more footy, he will be someone we look at. We have some depth [at prop] but we have high hopes for him."