Warriors star Shaun Johnson’s participation in Saturday’s match against Parramatta is up in the air – but for good reason.
The halfback is due to play his 200th NRL match for the club against the Eels, and would become just the fifth Warrior to reach that milestone. But that landmarkmay be put on hold, as Johnson and his wife Kayla await the birth of their second child, with the baby due on July 13.
The situation will be monitored on a daily basis, but Johnson looks unlikely to travel to Sydney, depending how things progress at home.
“We have got a bit to juggle at this stage,” Johnson told the Herald on Sunday. “Kayla is due a few days after that game, it is all up in the air whether I go. We need to play it by ear and see how Kayla goes to start the week. We have a midwife appointment later in the week.
“It’s our second one, apparently they can come early and Kayla is certainly ready for the baby to come. So I’ll speak to Webby [coach Andrew Webster] and we will come up with a plan.”
Webster said there is no debate about priorities, saying household developments have to take precedence over any club obligations.
“It’s simple - if they haven’t had the baby he is going to be here for the birth,” Webster told the Herald on Sunday. “It’s not tricky - if they have the baby before we travel then he will come, if not then someone else will play.”
“[Shaun] can’t miss the birth of his child. Mother Nature will work it out. It could come early and if it comes early, he is coming. If it doesn’t, he is not coming.”
Shaun Johnson's daughter Millah is set to have a sibling in the family. Photo / Photosport
Since 1995, more than 280 men have worn the Warriors jersey, but only Simon Mannering (301), Stacey Jones (261), Manu Vatuvei (226) and Ben Matulino (212) has passed a double century of appearances. Jones was the first – in the 2004 season – followed by Mannering (2014), Vatuvei (2015) and Matulino (2017).
Mannering and Vatuvei enjoyed the perfect scenario, scoring tries in winning performances while also getting to mark the occasion in Auckland, while Jones (Townsville) and Matulino (Hamilton) were away from home and endured defeats.
But Webster said there was no thought from Johnson about delaying his milestone for the round 20 clash with the Sharks at Mt Smart Stadium on July 16.
“He doesn’t want to save 200 games for back home, he wants to go and play,” said Webster. “There are a lot of milestones that week and he wants to do it with his mates,” added Webster, referring to Dylan Walker’s impending 200th NRL game and Addin Fonua-Blake being one away from 150 first grade appearances.
“But he needs to be there for the birth and he told me about this ages ago, before the season even started,” said Webster.
Johnson will train as normal in the early part of this week but will be ready to depart at a moment’s notice. “Just like everyone, we give the phone to manager Dan Floyd and if there is something they ring and they leave,” said Webster. “If they are uncomfortable or worried about something I’ll always be on the player’s side when it comes to that.
“I’ve just been through it, so I can sympathise. I wasn’t going to miss the birth of my child for the game in Napier [against the Broncos] but he came on the Friday and the game was on the Saturday so I left Saturday morning.”
The potential absence of Johnson would be an issue, given his form this season. He has been at the centre of the Warriors’ best performances, as well as contributing six tries and 17 try assists.
Ronald Volkman is the obvious replacement, though Webster could also shift Luke Metcalf to halfback and use Walker at five-eighth, with Te Maire Martin’s return still a few weeks away.
The Warriors will have to recalibrate, after the ugly 28-6 defeat to the Rabbitohs on Friday night. The atrocious conditions changed the complexion of the contest – with torrential rain – but the Warriors were also below par, for their worst collective performance of the season.
“It was one of those nights, we couldn’t get anything going,” said Johnson. “They played really well, we competed hard but with the footy didn’t execute how we should have and how we planned to all week.
“It quickly snowballed when you are trying to chase the game, maybe trying a bit too hard and then handing over possession cheaply.”
After Marcelo Montoya’s early try, the visitors held a 12-6 halftime lead, before Alex Johnston’s 48th minute touchdown extended the lead. The Warriors were cruelled by constant errors while Souths were almost perfect, with a 92 percent completion rate, plenty of post-contact metres and resilient defence.
“We put them under extreme pressure multiple times and they showed composure,” said Johnson. “They played the weather and executed the game plan much better.”
