Player movements and rumours

Shaun Johnson needs to improve his ball playing skills dramatically if he wants to be considered one of the best halves in the game, the best defensive sides in the comp have shown that they can shut down his running game when needed. Admittedly that will be made harder this year with genuine attacking threats from fullback & dummy-half.

The biggest concern for a player like Johnson though who relies so heavily on his running game (and this goes for all running halves) is that he's only a serious injury away from being just another half with less than average ball playing skills. I think his value drops every year on the other side of 25 if he doesn't start to develop as a genuine ball player.

I certainly wouldn't be paying him more than JT or DCE. Talk about insanity.

 

Lol. You're absolutely kidding yourself if you think he's not "considered one of the best halves in the game" already. If not the best.

He was outstanding last season for both the Warriors and has been superb for the Kiwis for a few years now. A true game breaker...clutch player.

Starting to think some of you blokes haven't watched him much.

 

Watched him live @ the SFS this year against the best defence in the comp.

Clutch my ass. Cunt couldn't even get out of neutral.

 

He's had his off games...like any player...and that was one of them, admittedly.

I've seen him win plenty of games at the death on his own to know he's a very special player. Freakish talent who can score a try out of nothing when we've needed one most.

 

And it was just another one off game a month earlier when Johnson came up against the same team (although far weaker minus origin players)? You have to go back nearly 3 years to find the last time Shaun Johnson ran for over 30m against a Roosters defence and even then that was only because he took a 90 metre intercept, it was another 20m game otherwise.

The problem for Shaun like I said earlier is everything comes off his running game, he needs to develop some ball playing ability outside of that so when the better teams do manage to shut him down he can still play a part in the game. I do think Luke & RTS will take some focus and attention away from him this year. But I'm still adamant he needs to develop his skills if he wants to be considered one of the best halves in the game and if he wants a long career in the game.

 

That's what psychologists refer to as "Classic denial"

 

All this talk of lacking skills is utter tosh. One of the most skilful players on the planet.

Nothing wrong with his ball playing ability. You're talking through a hole in your ass. I'm sorry, there's no other way to say it.

 

Stop! You're killing me!

Who are the other 2 halves you claim are better than him too then?

 

No he's not, he's far from it.

He's one of the mot unique and gifted athletes in the game but he's far from being the the most skillful.

 

Crap. Arguably the most skilful in the world

The bloke is a bona fide rugby league superstar, carrying New Zealand into the last World Cup final on his own back with a superb displays throughout the tournament and a freakish last minute try in the semifinal (I was at) and producing NRL highlights on a weekly basis for the Warriors.

The best sidestepper in the game, bar none, his general playmaking has come on in leaps and bounds in the past two or 3 seasons and his sharp goalkicking will always make him one of the leading point-scorers in the NRL . There may one or two more decorated halves in the NRL at the moment, but none is more fun to watch. Especially if you're a Warriors and Kiwis fan

 

I just can't wait for this season to get underway now so that I can point and laugh at you blokes on a weekly basis via Johnson's deeds.

 

Thurston is No.1. Not for long though.

When I said we now had the two best players in the world I was trolling somewhat hehe. (Mainly Magic.)