Widely regarded as "Best player ever" Fact file: ANDREW JOHNS
_ Broke into Daniel Johns's house the morning after winning the 1997
grand final for the Knights on the last play of the game to wake the silverchair
frontman
Andrew Johns has rewritten rugby leagues record
books, redefining the job description of the position he plays and establishing
himself as arguably the greatest foorballer to have played the game - in
any position, of any era. Andrew Johns is seen as the heart and soul of
the Newcastle Knights. His elevation to the Test captaincy in 2002 was
a fitting reward for his status in the game. For all the adulation, he
remains more at home surfing with his mates at Newcastle than being recognised
as one of Rugby League's all time champions. Johns now captains his club,
State and country and has a CV which includes two premierships, a Clive
Churchill Medal, three Dally M medals, two Golden Boot trophies as the
worlds best player, 18 Origin caps for NSW and 17 Test appearances for
Australia.
First Grade Debut as Halfback- Andrew Johns First Grade Debut was against Gold Coast at Seagulls, April 17, 1993 (Rd 6) where he played fullback. His first grade debut as halfback was the first game of season 1994. Andrew played along side his brother Matthew and scored a record 23 points on debut. Test Debut - Andrew Johns made his
test debut on October 10, 1995, the night Harragon led the Kangaroos into
battle for a record breaking 86-6 win over South Africa at Gateshead. Johns
scored a world record for a debut player of 30 points in that match. The
30 points also equalled the overall world record for points in a Test held
by Michael O'Connor. The 1995 World Cup and the 1998 Anzac Test against
the Kiwis were the only times in his 12 Test appearances that he was chosen
in his preferred and natural position of halfback. Johns became the
second Knights player to captain Australia, exactly five years after making
his Test debut. Johns, lead Australia from halfback in an international
trial against New Zealand Residents at Gosford's NorthPower Stadium.
Andrew Johns was named player of the tournament in Australia's victorious
1995 World Cup campaign.
Joeys match day routine -
(Rugby
League Week)
Andrew Johns is the Newcastle Knights 2001 Captain.
Andrew Johns says. "I wanted to have different parts that the great players have in their game. "I aspire to have a passing game as good as Ricky Stuart, or a kicking game up near him. The running game of Allan Langer. The football brain of Greg Alexander. "To take [those] traits and mould them into your personality is good. I still think I've got a long way to go to have Ricky's kicking game." In 1996, Jack Gibson says if Johns walked into his living room right
now he'd have to be introduced. "I can only go on what I see on video,"
Gibson says. "And if he isn't there now he isn't far away." Like Ryan,
Gibson rates one of Johns' greatest qualities as his courage and ability
to go to the line. "He goes to the game," he says, "he isn't shadow sparring.
When he's got the football in his hands there's always a chance something
will happen. But I don't know about him getting there any more. He's at
a standard where it doesn't get any better. There's no Super State of Origin
game, nothing comes after that."
Mal Reilly (1996) - "When I first arrived in Australia it was Matthew and Andrew who made me realise just how far ahead the domestic game here was to what we had back home. Here were these two kids on the way up - and they would have just walked into any Great Brittain side picked. From the very first day at training the degree of skill they both possessed was very apparent to me." Chief on Andrew Johns,
A Rugby League Week survey of more than 100 senior NRL players voted Johns the game's best player by an 81% margin and best halfback by an 85% margin. Johns' supporters for the world's 'best' crown include former champion Test halfbacks Peter Sterling and Ricky Stuart, Australia's greatest-ever lock John Raper and former Great Britain captain Shaun Edwards. Peter Sterling - Andrew 'Joey' Johns, is the best halfback in the history of the game. Ricky Stuart: 'Joey is the complete package - the most complete footballer in my time. You could throw him into any era and he would adapt and still be regarded as special'. Raper: 'He has toughness and skills to make it in any era. Andrew is a champion - a great footballer'. Laurie Daley (Rugby League Week) - "Playing five eighth outside of Joey Johns is just like being out side of Sticky (Stuart)in the old days. Those passes Joey throws give me tremendous time and space, just like Sticky during his great days, when we were together in premiership teams, as well as Origin and Test sides." Daley also stated the although "Sticky" and Joey play different games, the one similarity is their passing game, he said they were amazing and accurace and the length of their passing games puts any five eight into a one on one situation to beat his man. Daley stated that both have passes either side that gives you the chance to beat your opposite number and not have to contend with more defensive numbers. Daley stated, "Joey just kept putting me and the other backs on the outside of the defence." Raiders coach Matthew Elliott, 'There was a big part of me today where it was just a pleasure to watch him, I always have to watch Newcastle videos twice because when I watch the first time I just watch him all the time. If you're a rugby league fan, you can't help but admire what the bloke wearing No.7 on his back is able to do.' Craig Coleman said."We played a very good team, they are the defending premiers and they've got the best player I've ever seen, the No.7 (Andrew Johns), give us Andrew Johns and we'll be in the (top) four - he's that good he can even stop the rain." Malcolm Reilly 1988 - "The one thing that stands out with Andrew Johns is, and I've not seen it too many times before, the tougher it gets on the field, the better he performs. Thats the sign of a true champion." Warren Ryan 2001 - "he has a bit of everything. A bit of them all. When I watch him I don't say 'Gee isnt he like Sterling'. I enjoy the fact they're all different. But he's a bit canny like Sterling, has the peripheral vision of Stuart, has proven he's a terrific front-line defender like Toovey. He's brave and he takes the ball to the line." "It will be a sad day for Australian rugby league and public because one of the greats of the game will soon no longer be there" - Darren Lockyer "I feel very lucky to have played all my football with Joey. I feel I'm among the privileged few and I will never forget that" - Danny Buderus "Even though I've played alongside him for so long with the Knights, it's always a privilege. I hope we get to send him out on the right note" - Steve Simpson "I remember watching tapes of Joey running around and to be actually
playing with him for Australia is almost a once in a lifetime opportunity
and something I'll
"He's a good friend, a great bloke and one of the best players ever" - Ben Kennedy "He's one of a kind. I think even the old legends talk about him as being one of a kind and he is a legend and he's still playing" - Timana Tahu "He's one of the game's greatest. I've been fortunate enough to
play alongside him and against him. It's much better to be alongside him--
better memories there"
"You'll never see another player like Joey. There's one in a 100 years
that come along. He's just that good" - Karmichael Hunt
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