Dallas Johnson

[Charlie124]

http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/league-central/id372716840?mt=8






Dallas Johnson set to return to NRL with Cowboys


http://del.icio.us/post?url=http://...896289137&title=Dallas+returning+to+his+roots

Yearning for home...Dallas Johnson could make an early return to the NRL with the Cowboys. Picture: Colleen Petch Source: The Daily Telegraph




DALLAS Johnson is heading home. Not just home to Australia, or the NRL, but home to north Queensland, where it all began.

The Cowboys' recruiting spree is set to add the former Australia and Queensland lock to a stable that will next year include Brent Tate and State of Origin stars Johnathan Thurston, Willie Tonga and Matt Scott.
Johnson, who left the NRL last year for Super League, wants to return to Australia and is convinced the Townsville club offers the right environment to extend his career and raise a family with his heavily pregnant wife Mel.
The only sticking point could be a release from his contract with Catalans, where he remains contracted for another two seasons.
However, it is believed incoming Catalans coach Trent Robinson would not stand in the way of a homecoming for the ex-Storm forward, who is willing to accept a pay cut to play for the Cowboys until the end of 2013.
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The deal is not finalised and Cowboys boss Peter Parr would not even confirm he had spoken to Johnson, who was born in Atherton, west of Cairns, and played junior league for the Herberton Magpies.
But coach Neil Henry is in awe of the 27-year-old tackling machine after working with him as the Maroons' assistant for four campaigns.
Johnson would be a logical replacement for Luke O'Donnell, who will leave the NRL to play for Huddersfield at the end of this year.
Yet he could be all that and more for the struggling Cowboys, who have not always got great value from their high-profile recruits.
Thurston, O'Donnell and Tonga have given outstanding service to the club.
Off-contract forward Carl Webb played his best football for North Queensland but is two years past his best.
Antonio Kaufusi and Manase Manuokafoa were internationals when they arrived in the north and left without firing a shot.
Johnson is the type of player, and leader, around which premiership campaigns are built. He was rarely front and centre at the star-studded Storm but Henry wants to build a reputation for starch and sacrifice, not poach a rock star. Johnson would not comment on the Cowboys' bid and said he would not ditch last-placed Catalans.
Speaking from his home in Perpignan, he did predict he would eventually return to Australia to end his career in the NRL.
"I'm still only 27 so I'd like to think another chance in the NRL wouldn't be out of the question," he said.
Johnson left Melbourne last year hoping to be more of a link man and less of a workhorse in France.
With Catalans in last place, he has reverted to type.
Johnson tops the Super League in tackles, averaging 44 hits a game.
"After being at Melbourne, where we'd had so much success, coming here was a shock to the system," Johnson said.



http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...nrl-with-cowboys/story-e6frexnr-1225896289137

please please please please please please please please let this happen.

 

[andrew057]

WOW this guy would be the perfect fit for the Cowboys.

Cutting the likes of Manuolafoa and Kaufusi was a huge step in the right direction, now to get rid of some dead wiehgt like Webb. Ty Williams, Bani and the Cows will be heading towards a premiership.

 

[RHCP]

Cutting the likes of Manuolafoa and Kaufusi was a huge step in the right direction, now to get rid of some dead wiehgt like Webb. Ty Williams, Bani and the Cows will be heading towards a premiership.

Just like they were at the beginning of this year...

 

[andrew057]

Just like they were at the beginning of this year...

Owards and upwards

 

[Charlie124]

Just like they were at the beginning of this year...

At the beginning of this year and the last few years we werent in the process of a huge cleanout like we are now. In previous years we were mostly trying to fix the problem with the players we had.

At the end of this season we will have lost/offloaded a ton of players and we've so far recruited nothing but quality. (not all of these are confirmed leaving, but wont be offered new contracts)

Manukafoa (dead weight)
Kaufusi (dead weight)
Rapira (good tallent)
O'Donnell (good tallent, but we've seen his best)
Watts (good tallent)
Southern (dead weight)
Webb (dead weight)
T Williams (past it)
J Williams (not needed)
Bani (not needed)

 

[Desert Qlder]

Add Ash Graham and that is a complete list.

Getting Dallas Johnson would be mammoth for North Queensland, love to see it happen.

 

[Titanic]

When the Cows first started, all the talk was about bringing back NQ players to NQ... bloody oath, pay him what he's worth and get him in.

 

[Charlie124]

Add Ash Graham and that is a complete list.

Getting Dallas Johnson would be mammoth for North Queensland, love to see it happen.

I had him on the list but took him back off because id like to keep him for depth. Lets face it, youve got to have some depth and Graham has been playing some solid footy of late. At full strength he wont make our top 17 next year, thats a given.
He is a solid player when the team is playing well but he seems to fall away badly when we're playing sh*t.

 

[The Pain Game]

Perfect buy for us and would be good in helping to develop Dane Hogan. And I never realised he was still fairly young...

 

[Charlie124]

I really hope we hear some news about this soon, its definately the most exciting prospective signing so far. The best part about it is that he wants to come to us, we havent had to go throwing money at him to try to coax him our way, he has actually identified our club as the place he wants to come and play footy. Thats the attitude i hope our players run out there with next season and restore some pride and passion into our jersey.

Make it happen, Peter.

 

[natheel]

this would be a good signing for u guys...if johnson can infact get a release from his catalans contract

 

[Talanexor]

Great signing if we can pull it off. Johnson is perfect - he's exactly the sort of player we need, he's a local boy and WANTS to play for our club. He's not going to use us as a paid holiday like Kaufusi and Manuokafoa did. And he could mentor Hogan to boot.

We're still very short on forwards though. We desperately need another prop, and probably another backrower for depth. I wonder how much cash we've got to play with, and who we're looking at.

I got the impression from the Bulletin today that we're now turning our attention to rebuilding the forward pack.

One thing I will say though - we need to sign a hooker. Maybe even a backrower who can play a bit of hooker like Dean Young. Payne's form has been pretty lousy lately and Segeyaro isn't quite ready yet.

 

[icewind]

you guys should keep watts. johnson would do wonders for your defence around the ruck, help out jt.

Plus, to see him pull on the maroon jersey again.... mmmmmm...

 

[Charlie124]

Watts is gone, i would have liked him to stay but i cant begrudge a guy for wanting to try to nail down a starting spot with another club, so i wish him all the best, he's got the tallent and now he's got an opportunity. As far as i know we still have Clint Amos on our books, we need to either re-sign him or pickup a cheap benchie who can give Payne a spell when he needs it. I know we were going really hard after Ben Barba before he re-signed with the Dogs so i get the feeling we're still in the market for a utility.

 

[elyod138]

I think Taumata will most likely be the bench utility (with Thompson in the halves with JT).

 

[footynut1]

Great signing if we can pull it off. Johnson is perfect - he's exactly the sort of player we need, he's a local boy and WANTS to play for our club. He's not going to use us as a paid holiday like Kaufusi and Manuokafoa did. And he could mentor Hogan to boot.

We're still very short on forwards though. We desperately need another prop, and probably another backrower for depth. I wonder how much cash we've got to play with, and who we're looking at.

I got the impression from the Bulletin today that we're now turning our attention to rebuilding the forward pack.

One thing I will say though - we need to sign a hooker. Maybe even a backrower who can play a bit of hooker like Dean Young. Payne's form has been pretty lousy lately and Segeyaro isn't quite ready yet.

would like to know why you think segeyaro not ready yet? he will prob get a game or two soon then we will see.

 

[Talanexor]

Amos won't re-sign with us. He's too old and too good to be playing park footy every week waiting for a chance off the bench. He deserves a starting spot somewhere.

Taumata will be the utility, but I have no idea if he can play as a bench hooker, let alone a starting hooker. Morgan and Thompson have both played a bit of hooker in the lower grades, but have a total of 20 mins off the bench experience between them at NRL level.

Segeyaro might be ready to play a few games off the bench, but it's not like we could have him AND Taumata on the bench. Also, if Payne is injured, would you throw Segeyaro straight into the starting lineup?

 

[AB129*]

Amos won't re-sign with us. He's too old and too good to be playing park footy every week waiting for a chance off the bench. He deserves a starting spot somewhere.

Taumata will be the utility, but I have no idea if he can play as a bench hooker, let alone a starting hooker. Morgan and Thompson have both played a bit of hooker in the lower grades, but have a total of 20 mins off the bench experience between them at NRL level.

Segeyaro might be ready to play a few games off the bench, but it's not like we could have him AND Taumata on the bench. Also, if Payne is injured, would you throw Segeyaro straight into the starting lineup?

Don't get me wrong, I don't have any inside knowledge, but I wouldn't be surprised if you guys signed Stuart Flanagan from Cronulla. He's stuck behind Morris and Aiton there and he's way too good to not be playing NRL each week. Before he left Canberra Neil Henry brought him down to the Raiders on a three year deal from the Tigers with him in mind as his long term hooker and is obviously a big fan- Dave Furner not so much. He's a perfect impact hooker too- really quick. And I mean real quick, I'm not sure there's a hooker in the comp with the same sort of pace... he would be cheap and would suit you guys down to the ground.

ftr, the way the Cowboys have recruited for next year, I think you'll make the top 4. If you get Johnson and keep Mason, you would have 7 origin or former Origin players (plus a future origin player in Bolton), all evenly spread over key positions.

 

[Talanexor]

Yeah, Flanagan gets the thumbs up from me. We really need a stop-gap hooker until Segeyaro is ready; someone who is cheap and wouldn't mind spending some time in QLD Cup.

I'm not sure which NYC/QLD Cup forwards are capable of stepping up in 2011, but I think we'll need to sign a few more experienced forwards for next season anyway.

Pretty happy with the halves and backline depth now.

 

[Charlie124]

The way Taumata has been playing for us and how quickly he's fit into the team dynamic im leaning more towards letting him nail down the number 6 jersey and have Thompson on the bench as utility. He can cover the halves and hooker positions while getting some more experience (lets face it, he only got a run because Rovelli was playing horrible, even Graham got a run at 5/8).

1. Matt Bowen
2. Antonio Winterstein
3. Brent Tate
4. Willie Tonga
5. Will Tupou
6. Arana Taumata
7. Jonathon Thurston
8. Matt Scott
9. Aaron Payne
10. James Tamou
11. Scott Bolton
12. Willie Mason
13. Dallas Johnson

14. Ray Thompson
15. Dane Hogan
16. Isaac Ah Mau
17. Tariq Sims

18. Kalifa Fai-Fai Loa
19. Ashley Graham
20. Shannon Gallant
21. Ryan Williamson
22. Ben Harris
23. Michael Morgan
24. ????
25. ????