Shaun Johnson's just a one trick pony, says former Olympic coach
Warriors coach Stephen Kearney has decided star halfback Shaun Johnson is surplus to needs – and it seems the majority of New Zealand fans agree.
A poll conducted by Kiwi website Stuff.co.nz has found a resounding 68 per cent of supporters back Kearney’s decision to allow the erratic No.7 to explore his options beyond 2019.
That stunning result comes off the back of a former top Olympic coach accusing Johnson of lacking toughness and heart.
Media commentator Mark Watson, an ex-professional sportsman who has trained Olympic-class athletes, was scathing in his assessment.
“Unfortunately for Shaun Johnson he does not fall into the category of a great but more into the category of a flawed genius,”
Watson wrote on Stuff.
“While he is a brilliant stepper off both feet, he is regrettably a one trick pony. He is not a natural tactician and he is no more than a speed bump in defence.
“But the real missing ingredient in his game is he appears to lack heart and is not tough enough.”
It appears Kearney has tired of Johnson’s hot and cold performances and does not believe the 28-year-old can take the Warriors to the next level.
He has just one season to prove the coach wrong – that’s unless the Warriors are willing to offload him ahead of the 2019 campaign.
https://www.nospam47.com/au/league/...iors-2019-contract/1sjavuhrjsres1knwnfcmahc4s
I've listened a lot to this guy over the years....as an avid League fan, I spend a lot of time listening to radio sport to cherry pick League content...as such im well versed in the styles and pet hates of their show hosts.
Marks a ranter. Always has been. Its his trademark. I dont disagree with everything he says about League, but a lot of it is ill informed.
As has been noted by others his criticism of Johnsons defence is very off. Tackling is Johnsons best asset imo. Teams target him, we all know this, between him and Luke you saw a very hard hitting pairing this year, especially on the Try line. Johnson was off during the 1st two tests in England....but thats an anomally for him....in the third test you saw the usual Johnson...great reads...great one on one hitting.
One area I agree with Watson is that when it comes to training, Olympic athletes leave footballers for dead.
One of my kids was a Rep swimmer, pretty much from age eight or so they are training professionally.
Up at four thirty AM some days to eat protien and carbs, train two hours non stop...go to School, train two hours in the evening.
Train six days a week. Have camps on technical skills.
Can you imagine the type of League player you would develop if kids were training before and after school and on Olympic diets?
Watsons right about the mental toughness of Olympians, its as scientifically advanced as sport gets....you are talking one hundredth of a second between making it or not qualifying and literally millimeters.
Where Watson goes wrong is comparing toughness in competition proper. You cannot compare the pain of non contact sports like the endurance stuff he knows and collision sport and draw any firm conclusions, it is apples and Oranges. A bad hit in a game is worse than burning lungs and muscles....you cannot tap out of a concussion nor ease off the throttle.
One thing I dont mind about Watson is that he rarks you up...never killed anyone....he just gets too samey and flogs dead horses.
