Johnson eyes halves academy for teens in retirement
Shaun Johnson has laid out his retirement plans for a post-career halves academy, as he aims to fast-track talented youngsters to become more complete playmakers.
Johnson put the perfect cap on his career on Saturday night, putting on a two-man cut-out ball for Dallin Watene-Zelezniak with his last touch in the NRL.
It helped lift the Warriors to a 30-28 win over Cronulla, ending a difficult season for the Auckland-based club on a high and providing one last memory in the NRL.
Johnson’s final game in the NRL summed up his career perfectly.
There was still the old magic he burst on to the scene with, setting up the Warriors first with a dummy, step and line break before sending Luke Metcalf over.
The polish that came late in his career was evident in the way he planned, controlled and executed the match-winner as one of the best clutch players in the NRL.
And it’s that wisdom he now wants to impart on younger halves with his 268-game NRL career officially over.
“I’m passionate about helping younger spine members develop their game,” Johnson said.
“I’m passionate about building a program around giving them access to knowledge that I wish I had access to coming through.
“I would’ve loved some sort of mentor to give me an insight into what it takes to be a first-grade halfback with pressures, time, space, tempo and detail on what it takes to be a week in, week out first grade player with pressure on your shoulders.
“I think I can offer that and I believe I can give back in that matter, and that’s what’s probably going to get me out of bed.”
Johnson said he hoped to be able to assist players go from the man of flair he was at the start of his career, to the one composed and consistent enough to take the Warriors to a preliminary final last year.
“There are elements of both versions of myself that I’m talking about here. The early version of me, I probably didn’t realise the scope of what I was able to do,” he said.
“I’m certainly more invested in the version of myself now and how you see the game and even playing plays ahead of the game and manipulating defences.
“That’s the version where I feel I can help these 16 or 17-year-old players.
“Not expecting them to be that, but start giving them tools to start thinking that way.”
Johnson admitted he had found Saturday night’s final match easier to handle than his farewell game in Auckland last week, which was surrounded by fanfare.
And when it came down to the match-deciding set, he was able to enter his touch football zone to pull off the win.
“When it came down to the 80th minute, I was as locked in as I’ve ever been,” Johnson said.
“There wasn’t an ounce of doubt about time, or that this is my last moment ever.
“That feeling of being in the zone where you know why you’re doing something and the look you want to create.
“For me to able to finish my career on that moment is probably why I am so content.”
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