Warriors play hardball with Shaun Johnson

[spear tackle]

This looks to have been handled pretty badly since the beginning waiting until hes abroad and making the initial announcement etc. Looks like management tried their luck and without any further information they got burnt. I hope its not all coming from the new board and they think they can throw a guy in from the local comp and he'll tear it up.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

I back Cameron George 100%.

Johnson's ego can go somewhere else. I used to be his biggest fan but honestly if he thinks he's a dyed in the wool Warrior and yet walks out without starting the last year of his contract because they haven't extended him, with $1m reasons why they wouldn't rush to, then he needs to think again.

Yes we are worse off without him in the short-term. But if fans want to get their tits in a tangle about the fact we might not be as good this year, they have no idea about how to run a successful sporting organisation in the long-term. George has sent a clear message that you need to perform at this club, and you need to be value for money otherwise you'll be let go. Lord knows we have had too many prima donnas on way too much coin under-delivering at our club. Our CEO played the long game and won on Issac Luke, and he's given Shaun an ultimatum that I believe was absolutely deserved.

We'll reorganise the cap, make plays for the right guys (there's no way in the wide world Cameron George is signing Moses, so don't stress) and we'll be much better off for what happened today.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

The warriors have pissed me off here. SJ is not the best half of the competition but he is far from the worst and he has now got a lot of experience. He struggles when his forwards don't get parity but he would not be the first half to have that problem.

This is just bullshit really. The Warriors chances of a finals finish have plumetted now. Experienced halves do not grow on trees. At this point we have to start again.

SJ will tear it up at the Sharks with a good forward pack and we will say, what the hell.

And now we can buy more forwards.

I don't buy that we have to start again. Where was Shaun in the big games this year? Remember any he excelled in? Not many of them. That's your $1m man. Mason Lino + a marquee forward (think Taupau, Bromwich etc) is a much better combo than Johnson on his money.

 

[Leber]

Welcome Gareth Widdop.

 

[ozenzud]

And now we can buy more forwards.

I don't buy that we have to start again. Where was Shaun in the big games this year? Remember any he excelled in? Not many of them. That's your $1m man. Mason Lino + a marquee forward (think Taupau, Bromwich etc) is a much better combo than Johnson on his money.

When? When are we going to sign these forwards? Not next year. They are all locked up. You also need a decent half to work the ball once the forwards have won parity. Its easy for people to say SJ was the glory boy and have the green eyed monster, but you cannot say that this outcome was planned for. They would never have let Mason Lino go if it was. People are saying "good on Cameron George". What crap, this is keystone cops stuff with some sort of Kiwi staunch bravado which when you peer behind the outer facade is a sham.

 

[Burns]

What a waste 2019 will be. Just sad all round.

 

[Benek]

And now we can buy more forwards.

I don't buy that we have to start again. Where was Shaun in the big games this year? Remember any he excelled in? Not many of them. That's your $1m man. Mason Lino + a marquee forward (think Taupau, Bromwich etc) is a much better combo than Johnson on his money.

You must have forgot we already let Lino go. We have no backup of any kind for 2019. If spend all the cash on forwards, how do we sign a replacement for SJ?

 

[Penrose_11]

I’d be making a big play for Taupau. Supposedly wants to stay at Manly to see our the final year, but that can change in a heartbeat. If there isn’t a quality half going this year, then it’s gotta be all in on strengthening our forward pack.

Surely Ata Tui and Mason must be thinking what if....

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Looks like a screw up all round to me. Shaun’s chucking his toys like a spoiled brat but the club should never have let Lino go without securing him. That’s the bit that really irks me, we actually had a solid pairing without him but they pissed that away before this happened.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

When? When are we going to sign these forwards? Not next year. They are all locked up. You also need a decent half to work the ball once the forwards have won parity. Its easy for people to say SJ was the glory boy and have the green eyed monster, but you cannot say that this outcome was planned for. They would never have let Mason Lino go if it was. People are saying "good on Cameron George". What crap, this is keystone cops stuff with some sort of Kiwi staunch bravado which when you peer behind the outer facade is a sham.

For 2020.

Would you prefer we finish 8th in 2019 with Shaun at the helm again, producing the same stuff he's produced for the last seven years? Who gives a monkey's arse if we make the finals and bow out again like last year, having not moved forward at all. Wouldn't you rather reload for 2020 with the chance of actually building a premiership-quality side?

No, this wasn't planned for. You're right. No one planned that Shaun Johnson would drop his bundle instantaneously when told he wasn't getting an automatic upgrade on his inflated contract. Hingano left because he was behind Green, and that was understandable. Lino left because Newcastle presumably offered a massive amount we couldn't match - and at that stage, Shaun probably just thought we'd re-sign him blindly like we always have.

Nup, good on Cameron George. Playing the long game. f**k me, we've waited what, 25 years, what's one more to actually clear the overrated chaff and buy/develop some proper wheat. Shaun's been in our system eight years and yes, a lot of that was held up by poor coaching/structures etc but he's not helping himself either.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

You must have forgot we already let Lino go. We have no backup of any kind for 2019. If spend all the cash on forwards, how do we sign a replacement for SJ?

I didn't, that was unfortunate. We can't force people to play here when they get much bigger offers, however, and at that time Lino was still #3. I'm prepared to give Keighran a go.

 

[Rich102]

I think a lot of you are discounting our football department.
These won't be George's decisions solely, he will be taking advice.
And I don't underestimate him.
This could be the start of an era of success for the Warriors.

I am optimistic.

 

[Fufu Andronez]

Well. Ain't that some shit.

Come on Peter O'Sullivan, this is where you earn your money

 

[Penrose Warrior]

I think a lot of you are discounting our football department.
These won't be George's decisions solely, he will be taking advice.
And I don't underestimate him.
This could be the start of an era of success for the Warriors.

I am optimistic.

Me too mate. I agree. There are good people at our club making big decisions, not short-term fixes.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

I think a lot of you are discounting our football department.
These won't be George's decisions solely, he will be taking advice.
And I don't underestimate him.
This could be the start of an era of success for the Warriors.

I am optimistic.

Hope you’re right, but I have a feeling of another “best sporting organisation in the Southern Hemisphere” debacle coming

Obviously still moves to be made, but at this point heading into next season one of the weakest packs in the NRL, and playing behind it a good solid journeyman 5/8 and a rookie. Open the season 2-6 and the pressure will get really turned up, and at that point potentially all goodwill built this season is gone

Add to that, aside from RTS, Mannering and Johnson were the faces of Warriors marketing, big holes to replace

Luke got hardballed and now sees his mate going, what sort of season will we see from him on the back of that ? SJ popular within the squad, what impact will it have on the squad as a whole

Johnson, Mannering gone, Luke downgraded, lots of money there, and management need to pull something out of their arse with it I think to show good signs ahead

What we do have coming is a very interesting season ahead with a lot of questions to be answered, one thing would be certain for me, I wouldn’t be rushing to get Kearneys signature on an extension until I have seen it unfold

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

The timing isn't great, but was there ever a way to move Johnson on without something like this happening? Obviously he was never going to take it well.

I am a huge fan of Shaun but I can't disagree with the logic that he hasn't delivered in 8 years here and we should look at doing things a bit differently.

Maybe it was his fault, maybe it was the squad assembled around him. Either way, even if it takes a couple of years, it makes sense to me to try and restructure the squad, hopefully in a way where we have better forwards and perhaps a less mercurial 7.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Also- I have said this a million times, but Johnson has been significantly slower and his footwork is less effective since the injury he suffered in 2015 (not helped by another injury in 2017 and niggling issues ever since).

It baffles me a bit actually that no-one ever seems to comment on this. Shaun is still a good ball-runner with decent speed and footwork, but he is simply not the athletic threat that he once was.

The guy is actually past his prime but people keep looking at him as if he still has improvement in him. Very few players who rely on their athletic gifts improve (a) beyond age 28 and (b) after injuries.

I actually wish him well, and it's possible he will find success if he's in a good team- but he simply is not going to be that "freak" player, wherever he goes. I reckon we actually failed to recognise and appreciate his prime while it was happening.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

The timing isn't great, but was there ever a way to move Johnson on without something like this happening? Obviously he was never going to take it well.

I am a huge fan of Shaun but I can't disagree with the logic that he hasn't delivered in 8 years here and we should look at doing things a bit differently.

Maybe it was his fault, maybe it was the squad assembled around him. Either way, even if it takes a couple of years, it makes sense to me to try and restructure the squad, hopefully in a way where we have better forwards and perhaps a less mercurial 7.

Yeah I'm 100% on this way of thinking.

Yes, you can write off 2019 as a premiership year, although I'd argue we were next to no hope with Shaun in the halves anyway. He was completely absent in the Penrith final, and with a decent platform too. So what do we lose by losing him? We might go from a 8th placed team to 10th, on the fact that we might lose a couple of games to the lesser sides because Shaun downhill skiis on them.

I can absolutely cop 10th or lower next year and getting ready to load up for 2020 with a treasure chest. Sort our centre issues out, bring on Bunty/Papalii etc in the pack then get ready to nab some big fish.

We could aim up for a host of big names for 2020. Kevin Proctor, Jai Arrow, Kane Elgey, Taupau, Fonau-Blake, J.Bromwich, Jordan McLean, Nathan Brown, Cody Walker, SST...sure there's names I've missed.

Plus we need to nail down these guys with massive promise that guys like sup42 and others see in the lower grades who need opportunities, as well as the big boppers in our system being transformed into stars - the Tom Ales etc.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Same with all the "move him to fullback" comments....2013-14 Shaun would have been an attacking weapon at fullback, now he would just be pretty ordinary.

 

[One Warrior]

Welcome Gareth Widdop.

Ah no, Widdop is homesick, that’s why he asked for a release, home is not New Zealand.