Johns

[Baron Vo Mandor]

You dont think that the knights deserve to have more than a few months notice?

 

[B-dos]

He is entitled to choose his time but if he has signed a contract he should stick to it. If the contract contains a 'get out' clause of some kind, the least he could do is give the club plenty of notice to allow us to plan ahead.

 

[miladi]

You dont think that the knights deserve to have more than a few months notice?

I would doubt that they are not aware of how he is thinking. However, how much notice would Johns get if because of recurring injury etc, the club decided to cut him loose?

This is all speculation anyway, and no one but Andrew Johns and his family etc know what is going to happen.

 

[northey]

hopefully he doesn't play state of origin 3. someone is always being called up to 'save' the blues. it is about time they learn to work with what they have got. it is going to have to happen when johns retires fully from footy.
lol what happened to johns not playing rep footy again? he played the test and said that was it, fair enough he wanted a send off. but the knights suffered from not having him in his best form.
hopefully he stays true to his word and stays with the knights until his contract ends.

 

[B-dos]

However, how much notice would Johns get if because of recurring injury etc, the club decided to cut him loose?

The difference is, if the Knights wanted to cut him loose, we would still have to pay out his contract. If Johns decides to bail out we obviously dont pay him, but we lose our best player and, potentially, the ability to snare a top line replacement.

 

[The Devil]

lol what happened to johns not playing rep footy again? he played the test and said that was it, fair enough he wanted a send off. but the knights suffered from not having him in his best form.

Well a fair indication would be he seems tow be still interested in playing for the Kiwis in honour of Dally Messenger, and he won't do that being not match fit. Also people who say the marriage will be a factor, heaps of couples have gotten married during the off-season, including Simmo and he's playing aws good as i've seen him.

 

[PrideKnight]

Also people who say the marriage will be a factor, heaps of
couples have gotten married during the off-season, including Simmo and he's playing aws good as i've seen him.

Except that he has specifically said they will wait until he's finished playing

 

[Johns Magic]

Wasnt the lesson of the test enough?

Deadset his appalling form reached its peak after he head to back up after playing that... Why do it again after his just had a break.

Knights are paramount.

On the other hand, Joey was average last year until he killed it in Origin. From then on the Knights were close to the best side in the comp.

 

[Alex28]

On the other hand if he plays, gets injured in Origin and is out for the rest of the season we are totally f*cked.

 

[cram]

I am going to go out on a limb here and give Andrew Johns a bit of, what I hope, is a constructive bagging.

In my opinion AJ is one of the greatest footballers of the modern era. I know that in years to come I will be telling my grandchildren that I saw him play when he becomes and immortal.

Now thats out of the way I believe AJ does what suites AJ. He has been loyal to the club in terms of remaining here for what now appears will be the end of playing career.

In other ways he has also made sure that he has caused the club and fans plenty of angst during contract negotiations.

After his brother was sacked Andrew Johns strung the club out, he made sure that he milked every last cent out of the club to get the deal he wanted. He seriously considered leaving the club, however, the intervention of his brother appeared to avoid this happening.

The club and supporters have stuck with him through thick and thin. He has played rep footy, he has been injured and he has at times displayed poor behaviour both on and off the field but he has been excused because of who he is and what he means to this town and this team.

During his last contract negotiation he again strung the club along. He waited till the death to resign. He again allowed his own ambitions to dominate any decision he was about to make about his future. If the speculation is true he only stayed with the Knights because of his son and because rugby union in the end dropped him.

So along comes 2005. He dominates Origin and says its time to give up rep footy to give back to the team and club and fans. Injury again ruins his plans and he misses the Ashes tour. He allows Stewart to talk him into playing one last test...he does so and fittingly gets the send off he deserved.

Since that day he has found it hard to find energy. He knocked back playing SOO1 and may play number 3....who knows?

In summary I would say again AJ does what he wants. Whilst I dont question his loyalty to the club and more importantly the fans I do question his ability to say no and do whats best for the club when his own personal goals take priority.

 

[antonius]

Top post Cram, sums Johns up perfectly. I suspect RABK is spot on with his thoughts, and yes Johns will do what's best for Johns, he's always done that.

 

[Jobdog]

Cram, what a sensational post. Could not agree any more with what your saying. If Joey does play Origin personally I will be pretty disappointed that he's gone back on his word of putting the Knights before rep duties. He played the test and got the send off he deserves, so why go around one more time when he knows Qld will be out to injure him? If he gets injured, yes we are gone.

On the other hand, if this year is going to be his last then FFS Mr Hagan, Jarrod Mullen NEEDS to be in first grade for the remainder of the year instead of Kidley. They surely can't expect him to take over the reins at the drop of a hat (next year perhaps) and expect everything to fall into place. From a Knights perspective, I hope to god that Joey doesn't play in Origin three and that Mullen, when he returns from injury gets his chance to finish the year alongside Joey.

 

[princess plj]

at the end of the day - as most of u have said he is going to do what he wants to do. as much as i would like him to play origin 3 - i would prefer him being there for the knights at the end of this season and be playing again next season. i dont think he will be there in 2008 but i am hoping he will be there for 2007.

 

[ArturiusX]

He won't play Origin. He wants to win the grand final.

 

[antonius]

It's all over the Newcastle radio stations this morning that he WONT play in origin 3. He said he was caught in the emotion of the game on Wed night, but in the light of day he has retired from rep footy and wont be playing.
Rabs was on later and said "don't be surprised if he does play", he also said if Johns doesn't then the word is Kimmorley will get the 7 shirt and Scotty Hill the number 6 shirt. So I guess the jury is out weather he will or wont.

 

[Frederick]

There was an article in the SMH saying that even if he does decide he wants to play, the ARL could decide that, because he's officially retired, he won't play.

 

[B-dos]

There was an article in the SMH saying that even if he does decide he wants to play, the ARL could decide that, because he's officially retired, he won't play.

And so they should. I'm sick of all this "will he" or "wont he" and players retiring from rep footy, then coming back etc. In my opinion things have got out of control in this regard. Back in the good old days players played until they retired and thats it. They loved to play origin no matter what. Money and other 'business' like aspects (contracts, sponsorship etc) have ruined parts of the game.

 

[The Dodger]

We all know he seems to be lacking heart, motivation and passion ATM.

no heart?
no motivation?
no passion?

you have to be kidding me. if anything, he is the only one on the team (buderus no included) that does have heart.

i watched the game between the knights and the bulldogs, in the last 25mins, he turned it up, but no one else on the team followed. how many chances he gave the team to score and they just fugged it by knocking on and so on. giddley had a shocker that game. so did that winger you guys had on the left that night.

 

[manoa thompsons knees]

I posted on the rumour signings thread about a month ago that Warrington was going all out to get Morley and Joey for next season. now that Morley has signed it doesn't appear out of the question that Joey will follow him to Warrington. The rumour that Joey will be coming back to Warrington are very strong over here. Don't want to appear big headed here...but Warrington owner Simon Moran is a very wealthy man and would not flinch at paying up the remainder of Joeys contract to Newcastle.

 

[RABK]

no heart?
no motivation?
no passion?

you have to be kidding me. if anything, he is the only one on the team (buderus no included) that does have heart.

i watched the game between the knights and the bulldogs, in the last 25mins, he turned it up, but no one else on the team followed. how many chances he gave the team to score and they just fugged it by knocking on and so on. giddley had a shocker that game. so did that winger you guys had on the left that night.

He is far from his best in the three things i mentioned. Only an idiot would deny that, Johns himself as said it.