Will Nathan Cleary surpass Andrew Johns as the greatest ever halfback to play the game?

[Marshall_magic]

I think the 2005 season shows just how good he was. Look at the Knights record:

Pre Joey:

1993- 9th
1994 - 10th

Joey Era:
1995 - 5th (Prelim)
96 - 9th
97 - Premiers
98 -2nd
99 -7th
00 -3rd (Prelim)
01 -Premiers
02 - 2nd (Johns injured in first semi final, lost both and bundled out)
03 -7th (Johns missed second half of season)
04 -10th (plays 3 games
05 -Last (misses most of the season, comes back and they win 8 of last 10, including 6 against team that finished in the 8)
06 -4th

After Joey:
15th
9th
7th
11th
8th
12th
7th
12th

etc

Basically it proves that whilst the team may have been OK, he is clearly the biggest influence on where they finish. They had one season where he missed most of it and finished last. Newcastle have had 21 seasons without Andrew Johns, they finished above 6th ONCE. With him they finished above that 7 times.

Newcastle with Joey were always a premiership contender. When he got injured you wouldn’t back them to win a game. When he did his knee in 2004 I remember people being convinced they would run last and it wasn’t a discussion.

 

[GongPanther]

Newcastle with Joey were always a premiership contender. When he got injured you wouldn’t back them to win a game. When he did his knee in 2004 I remember people being convinced they would run last and it wasn’t a discussion.

Spot on there and just as I always though it at the time. You'd think even in that age, Johns would be advising someone else in the team if he got injured or during SOO.

 

[Knight76]

whether he is going to be better by the end of his career is going to be subject to opinion.

But I can say, he will be annointed the goat at some time driven by the media infatuation with naming players the goat. There is bias going on as well that the newest needs to be better, and players fade from memory etc.