EXCLUSIVE CAPTAINS POLL -  Who should be Australian Test captain?
Andrew Johns 47%,  Gorden Tallis 26%,  Darren Lockyer 27%
Readers phoned in 878 votes 

Andrew Johns - Why he should be captain
BEST player in the game and carries immense respect from his team-mates.
HAS good on-field discipline, rarely having a problem with referees. 
BRILLIANT tactician and the player who will implement Australian game plan; is also on field for entire match.
HAS widespread appeal among rugby league supporters. 
ULTIMATE professional.
OFFERS great insight into game when he opens up. 
Why he shouldn't be captain
LARRIKIN image has been a problem: has attracted headlines for drunken behaviour; was fined by his club last year for an airline incident involving the Newcastle team which drew complaints from the public about the Knights behaviour. 
INTENSE media spotlight can make him uncomfortable. 
ALTHOUGH he has grown into the job, was reluctant to take up the club captaincy from the start; has stated he does not want to change who he is to fit into stereotypical captain's mould. 
Laurie Daley says:
"Whoever they pick will do a fantastic job. I don't think there's anything wrong with having a bit of larrikin in them. The fans can relate to those type of players." 
Max Krilich says:
"I thought Gorden, when the season started, was a tick in front but there's not much between them now. Gorden has blemished his record a bit with his confrontations with referees. Andrew Johns is the best footballer in Australia. I can't see any reason why he shouldn't be [captain], as long he maintains his image off the field." 

Johns next on union's shopping list -  06 July 2002
RUGBY union has unveiled bold plans to poach rugby league's greatest player Andrew Johns. Not content with having signed league stars Wendell Sailor, Mat Rogers and Nathan Blacklock - and before they have even closed the deal on Lote Tuqiri - rugby has made Johns the new target. Johns is expected to be named Australian rugby league Test captain tomorrow night and has another two years remaining on a deal with the Newcastle Knights. But Queensland Rugby Union boss Jeff Miller has revealed to The Daily Telegraph his ambitious proposal to sign the Newcastle half. Miller said he wanted to discuss with the league Test captain-in-waiting the prospect of him playing with the Reds - and the Wallabies - after the World Cup in Australia next October-November. "I'm very interested in speaking to Andrew Johns - I make no secret of that," said Miller,, the QRU chief executive and former ARU contract negotiator who was instrumental in recruiting Sailor and Rogers. "Andrew will have achieved everything he wants to in rugby league and we have a lot of senior players coming off contract after the World Cup. "Daniel Herbert, Ben Tune, Chris Latham, Toutai Kefu and Matt Cockbain are among them and we are concerned quite a few of our guys will be looking to go overseas or retire. "Even though Andrew's age might be an issue for some, I think he'd be terrific. This could be a great challenge for him and an opportunity to play on another stage. "I wouldn't rule out the possibility of him playing at the 2007 World Cup. He's an unbelievable footballer." 
Johns turned 28 on May 19. By the 2007 World Cup he would be 33. David Campese played his last Test for the Wallabies at 34 and Mal Meninga was the same age when he made his farewell appearance in the Kangaroos jumper. The ARU would have to top up any contract Queensland offered Johns, with the state body limited to $110,000 a season for their leading Super 12 players. But if Miller proves persuasive, there is no doubt the ARU would be prepared to pay the player considered to be the leading talent in either code a hefty premium to make the jump. Sailor has the opportunity to earn around $600,000 a season as a regular Test winger, while Rogers is in the $500,000 vicinity. 
Miller has previously tried to sign Johns. He was negotiating a package deal that would have brought the Novocastrian and his brother Matthew across the divide two seasons ago. Johns turned down the approach and re-signed with the Knights. At that stage he had captained neither NSW nor Australia. This year he skippered the Blues and by Sunday night he should be leading the Kangaroos. Test coach Chris Anderson yesterday urged the NRL to fund loyalty payments to prevent further topline defections. Anderson was unaware there might be a move on Johns when he called for the NRL to set up a fighting fund and offer loyalty payments to the game's elite. "Maybe short-term we could restructure," he said. "There's a lot of money in the game that's not being used as efficiently as it could be. "If we change the way we do things a little bit we might be able to stop the drain on our best talent."

Reluctant Joey takes charge of his destiny Reluctant skipper takes charge of his destiny; Herald. Jul 11, 2002.
AT the height of the Australian Test captaincy debate, a caller on a sports talkback radio program declared Andrew Johns was the natural choice as skipper of the national team. After all, the bloke suggested, was it not Joey's birth right to one day lead the Kangaroos? 
It was a cute spin on the Johns-versus-Tallis issue and difficult to dispute. But, like young Simba in The Lion King, who fled after the death of his father, Mufasa, before returning to take his place atop Pride Rock, Johns needed coaxing to discover the leadership qualities that lay dormant inside him. Johns took over as captain of the Knights only at the end of 2000 after a council of chiefs former skippers Michael Hagan, Tony Butterfield, Paul Harragon and Mark Sargent convinced him it was in everyone's best interests. Eighteen months later, having led the Knights to a premiership in his first season in charge, Johns has added NSW and Australian captain to his curriculum vitae. As he prepared for his first year as Knights coach, Hagan, who played three games alongside a teenage Johns in 1993, wanted the best-credentialled man to carry out his commands on the field. `I don't know if I had to convince him,' Hagan recalled this week. 
`We saw Andrew as the best candidate for the position, and we probably made a case to him to suggest why he would be a good captain and why he should accept it. `Not only myself, but we had Tony Butterfield, Paul Harragon and Mark Sargent all former captains who had their own opinions on why he should be the next captain of our football club. `Once they put that to him, I think he realised he should at least give it some consideration.' 
Hagan said Johns overcame his initial reluctance and had grown into the role to the point where he was now rated the best leader in the NRL by no lesser judge than Brad Fittler, the man he has succeeded as Test captain. `I think he saw the benefits of it from his own point of view and the club's point of view, and we're getting the benefit of that now in terms of how far he's progressed with us, with NSW and now Australia,' Hagan said. `His role this year has taken on more significance. `If you look at his attitude towards the World Club Challenge at the start of the year, that was the second or third week in January. He's had a full-on commitment to the game since then, and it's now July, and he's playing a Test for Australia at halfback and captain. It's a fairly fitting reward for the work he's put in over the last 18 months. I'm really pleased that he got the job, and I think he'll do a terrific job for Australia.' 
Given Johns' performances on debut during his nine-year senior career, he could be primed for something extra special against Great Britain tomorrow night. 
His 23-point haul in his first start for the Knights against Souths in 1994 is still the benchmark for most points by a player on debut. About 18 months later, in Australia's second game of the 1995 World Cup, he set a world record for most points by a player in a Test debut with 30 against South Africa. The Johns story so far has been well reported. Back-to-back Dally M medals (1998-99), grand final wins in 1997 and 2001 (including the 2001 Clive Churchill Medal), Golden Boot awards as the world's best player (1999 and 2001) and World Cup man of the final and man of the series (1995 and 2000) form a solid argument that he is the best player the game has ever produced. That can be beefed up with his many pointscoring achievements, almost every scoring record on the Knights' books, dozens of match-winning performances at every level and an all-round game unmatched by any player in the game's history. Captaining his State, and now Australia, seem like final steps in an obvious career progression. But they never looked likely when he first skinned his knee and kicked a footy in the backyard of the Johns family home in Cessnock. `I've probably said this a thousand times before, but when the boys were younger, I just hoped they would make first grade at Cessnock, and they felt the same,' his mother, Gayle, said. `We were with Matthew when we heard last Sunday night. We kept trying to ring Andrew because the team was late getting announced. Even when they were all tipping Andrew to get it, we weren't getting carried away. I thought they might have picked Darren Lockyer. But we're very proud and pleased for him.' 
Johns has been painted as a larrikin and a lair for much of his career. It is a role he feels comfortable in around his inner circle of friends and team-mates, but it is also his way of dealing with a natural shyness, especially around strangers. But as cheeky and carefree as he might seem to be, Johns knows enough about the traditions of the game to recognise the importance of his new role. `It's such a proud rugby league area,' Johns said. `Everyone knows what Chief's done, but blokes like Clive Churchill, Wally Prigg ... and following in their footsteps, it's a great honour.'

Captaincy's a cut-throat job  -  July 11 2002,  Sydney Morning Herald
Tough job: Andrew Johns works on the tackle bag at training. Photo: Dallas Kilponen. So far, the hardest thing about being captain of Australia has been having to shave every day - but Andrew Johns expects his new job to get a lot tougher tomorrow night. Johns, skippering the Kangaroos for the first time in tomorrow's one-off Test against Great Britain at Aussie Stadium, yesterday used his final media conference before the match to dispel any suggestion of disunity within the Australian camp over NSW's domination of the team. Which is just as well, because the Australian halfback and world's No1 player believes his side is in for one hell of a battle against a Lions team whose absence from Sydney for a decade has created unfamiliarity among fans - if not their opponents tomorrow night.
According to Johns, David Waite's men are not only big, but skilful to boot, and players of the calibre of St Helens hooker Keiron Cunningham, five-eighth Paul Sculthorpe and centre Martin Gleeson rank among the world's best. Sure, they haven't beaten the Kangaroos in a series during 28-year-old Johns's lifetime, but Great Britain have a habit of winning first-up games, and there's no second and third Tests with which to make amends this time. "Hopefully that doesn't happen on Friday," said Johns, whose most vivid recollection of Test football in Australia was when his former Newcastle coach, Malcolm Reilly, guided the Lions to a 1988 win at the SFS.  "You can't go out there worrying about making errors or losing, but I suppose all the pressure is on the Australian team with everyone expecting us to win and win well," Johns said. "But Great Britain have shown they can sneak up on us and give it to us. They've got a great squad, and I think the addition of Keiron Cunningham to their side will make a big difference. They're a big, robust side and they'll be very physical."
Asked yesterday whether there was any animosity between the Queensland and NSW players, Johns said: "To be honest, the State of Origin has been over for two weeks. No one's talked about Queensland or NSW. "We're an Australian side and we know we've got a job to do. We don't get caught up in that sort of thing. There's too much at stake.Like having his first game as Test captain end in a loss, which is why Johns has elected to turn off the publicity and concentrate on the task at hand.It's a lot busier with the media stuff and just understanding the responsibility of it all," he said. "I think everything I say now is under the microscope, but other than that I'm just enjoying the week."
Johns did admit: "The most noticeable thing is that I have to shave every day, which is a rarity for me. But I'm probably going to be the proudest man in Australia on Friday night running out." Both sides complete their preparations with training sessions today at the SFS.

Joey's personal Test mission  -  12 July 2002
Andrew Johns has vowed to dominate tonight's Test against Great Britain to justify his selection as Test captain. Johns will tonight, for the first time, captain the Kangaroos in a one-off Test at Aussie Stadium.  "The job is only half done," Johns told The Daily Telegraph in his last pre-Test interview. "It's one thing to receive the captaincy but another to play strongly. I've got to play well with the captaincy. I've been picked also as the halfback and am expected to guide the side around." 
Johns spoke of the pressure his side will play under as $1.06 favourites. Great Britain are $7.25 outsiders. "We've been really sharp at training and the team has been together a while now, so there'll be no excuses for a lacklustre performance," Johns said. "We have got some mail that Great Britain will come out all fired up. They rate themselves a big chance. It'll be a real Test match but I think we've got them at a good time. We're football hardened and have no injuries. They might have a bit of jet lag. But there is pressure on us. There always is when you play for Australia. It won't happen but I would hate to see us not ready for an early Great Britain barrage. I watch a lot of English football and we saw video of them yesterday. (Hooker) Keiron Cunningham is their big plus. He's a world-class player. If they get a big roll-on, he'll be hard to handle." 
Johns said he was spending time alone to concentrate on his task. With all the media and promotion going on, you can tend to lose focus," he said. "The game can creep up on you and before you know it you're ready to run out. I'm starting to focus now. It's important to have a few quiet moments to yourself. I'll probably go for a walk on the beach (today)."  Johns revealed the final words he will tell his players before tonight's 7.30 kick-off.  "I don't say a heap before games. I've had a word to the young players making their debut and wished them well," Johns said. 

Johns' naming rights Proposal to dedicate Cessnock ground; Herald. Jul 13, 2002. 
THE field of dreams where Knights favourite sons Andrew and Matthew Johns first honed their array of rugby league skills could one day carry their name. 
The grounds of the Hunter Institute of Technology's Cessnock campus or Cessnock Technical College as it was known back then could be renamed Johns Park, according to whispers around the halls of power in the capital of the coalfields and wine country. An earlier suggestion was to rename South Ave, where the boys grew up and where their parents, Gary and Gayle, still live in the family home, to Johns Ave. `I don't know what the neighbours would have thought about that, but I don't think Gary and I could live in Johns Avenue. It's a bit much,' Gayle said. `Now there's some talk of them renaming a section of the park at the Tech College across the road to Johns Park. That's where the boys used to always train and kick a footy around. `Whenever anyone drove past, they were always there. `Matt used to do his sprint training there with a cat we had which thought it was a dog.' 
Meanwhile, one of Andrew's most treasured possessions, his mouthguard, was back protecting his teeth for his first appearance as Australian Test captain against Great Britain last night. The mouthguard went missing from the NSW dressing room, along with Joey's shorts and socks, after the third State of Origin game more than two weeks ago, and he was devastated. Johns has had the protector since he started playing first grade in 1994 and felt lost without it against Parramatta last week. It was returned anonymously to the Knights offices this week after some neat detective work by Knights director Vince Murphy, football manager Mark Sargent and former Penrith CEO Don Feltis. Sargent delivered the mouthguard to Johns in the Aussie Stadium dressing rooms before the champion halfback led the Kangaroos into battle against the Lions.

Johns can have a shocker, says Webcke -  Sports Watch,  23 August 2002 
Brisbane forward Shane Webcke has added spice to Friday night's National Rugby League crunch match with Newcastle, declaring Knights wizard Andrew Johns was not immune from a "crappy" game. Johns today lost his right-hand man when Test hooker Danny Buderus (wrist) was ruled out, and Webcke didn't waste any time applying more pressure on the Knights halfback and captain.  The showdown at EnergyAustralia Stadium could decide third spot - and even an all-important top-two finals berth if the Bulldogs are expelled from the competition.  Given the same edge, Johns can cause the Broncos more nightmares if their forwards are found wanting again. But the Broncos have more to worry about than the Newcastle skipper. "Johns is only one man," Webcke said. "He's as capable of having a crappy game as any of us are. We all have tremendous respect for him and that's how we'll treat it.  "But he's just a footballer like the rest of us."  Johns, rated the premier player in the world, is a little more than "just a footballer" and with his long-time menace Allan Langer still sidelined, a lot of pressure again falls on rookie Brett Seymour.  Langer overshadowed Johns in the last two State of Origin games behind a Brisbane-dominated pack.  Tallis said it was always hard to plan against Johns because he "often played off the top of his head".

Knights thrash Broncos -  Sports Watch,  24 August 2002 
With the long-time league-leading Bulldogs sensationally stripped of 37 competition points for massive breaches of the salary-cap, the Broncos still had the opportunity to assume top spot from new pacesetters, the New Zealand Warriors. Newcastle captain Andrew Johns reluctantly revealed after orchestrating his team's emphatic and decisive 40-10 defeat of the Broncos, the Knights also had top-two and minor premiership aspirations on their mind. Johns and classy centre Timana Tahu admitted the spectacular scratching of the Bulldogs from this year's title race had given the Knights' own premiership claims a decided boost. In a Knights' dressing room clearly lacking the jubilation that would ordinarily accompany such a glorious triumph, Johns followed the lead of Hagan and said August 23 had been a sad day for the NRL. The Australian captain didn't want to talk about the Bulldogs' heartache, but conceded he felt sorry for their players, many of whom serve as the champion halfback's team-mates at state and national levels. But when pressed further, Johns acknowledged a finals series without the runaway competition leaders greatly enhanced Newcastle's chances of defending its premiership. "It's fallen in our lap. We've got to make the most of it," Johns said. The past fortnight, since Newcastle's record 54-14 loss to Cronulla, has seen a remarkable turnaround for the premiers. 

Johns on report for 'just a slap' -  Newcastle Herald, 2 September 2002 
Newcastle captain Andrew Johns will face a nervous wait today after he was reported during his team's last-gasp win over Penrith yesterday. National Rugby League judiciary commissioner Jim Hall will examine video of the match after referee Steve Lyons placed Johns on report for a high tackle on Panthers prop Joel Clinton in the 58th minute. The halfback later described the incident as "just a slap". "You probably get a little bit worried coming into the semis but hopefully it should be right," said Johns, who was told repeatedly by Lyons during the game to bottle his frustrations. When asked about Lyons's warnings, Johns said: "It's a tough game and you've got to wind yourself up to play." 
Newcastle forward Bill Peden said: "When Andrew gets a little bit upset it's best to leave him to his own devices. In saying that, he'll only get cranky for a little while but then he gets his head back on the job and it's pretty sweet." 

Cranky crusader Johns saves game - 2 September 2 2002 
Warning, warning, warning: If you see the world's best player blowing steam from both ears, approach with extreme caution - he's known to be armed and dangerous. It was a bit like that at Penrith yesterday as the Newcastle and Panthers camps joined 16,471 fans on a nervous watch while Andrew Johns momentarily turned into Captain Cranky only to re-emerge in his usual superhero garb and save the Knights in the dying moments.  With Penrith having suddenly hit the front just four minutes before full-time, Johns - reported for a high tackle and repeatedly warned by referee Steve Lyons to "settle down" - delved into his bag of tricks to snatch a 32-30 win and possibly the minor premiership. The match ended in controversy with video referee Peter Filmer called to rule on a possible obstruction in the lead-up to Ben Kennedy's try in the 79th minute. Panthers coach John Lang could only marvel at Johns's final-minute feats as he: Helped the Knights regain possession with a perfectly weighted short kick for winger Anthony Quinn; Threw the final, cut-out pass for Kennedy to cross and level the scores; and, Converted from out wide to regain the lead and the vital two competition points.  "We never had it won," Lang said after the match. "He [Johns] was always going to do some sort of a kick to try and regain possession, and I've got to say that he's got a pretty good record of doing that." It was a happy ending to a game that may ultimately prove costly for the premiers, with Johns placed on report. Even before Johns's high shot on Joel Clinton in the 58th minute, Lyons had earlier told his fellow match officials: "Watch Johns, he's getting cranky." The Knights had led 20-8 until one minute before half-time but tries to Rhys Wesser, Luke Lewis and Ben Roarty put the home side ahead at the 45-minute mark and a major upset was brewing. "Joey, settle down," Lyons said. "You've got the semis in a few weeks' time. I know it's a frustrating game and things don't always go your way." 
Asked later about his Jekyll-and-Hyde performance, Johns said: "The thing is that every player out there has just got to be aware and make sure that if the unexpected's there they are able to combat it. "On occasions we'd seem to get back on top then just push a pass or do something stupid so it wasn't one of our best. We probably got caught daydreaming a bit. [But] it was just a matter of staying cool, not doing anything ridiculous, and I thought we could put some points on. It turned out all right."   Knights coach Michael Hagan said. "I think Andrew probably came up with three things in the last two minutes that turned the game so we're very fortunate to have him in our football team. "He just competes all of the time, that's part of what makes him so great. "But then he was able to calm down and come up with those three big plays when you need to have that composure to change the course of a game."

Cranky Joey best left alone for Knights-  2 September 2002 
Bill Peden says it's a smart idea to leave his captain Andrew Johns well alone when he's cranky. Peden knows that even if Johns is grumpy, like he was yesterday in Newcastle's thrilling 32-30 victory over a gutsy Panthers outfit at Penrith Stadium, the champion halfback will soon regain his composure and come up with a match-winning play. That's exactly what the NSW and Test skipper did in the dying seconds of a fast-paced game against Penrith in front of 16,700 people - the best crowd this year at the stadium. With the Knights trailing 30-26 with five minutes left following a try to Panthers reserve forward Trent Waterhouse, Johns put in a short kick-off to allow his winger Anthony Quinn to regather possession. A few tackles later, Johns threw the final pass to lock Ben Kennedy, who ran into a hole and scored the try to equalise at 32-all before the skipper calmly slotted the conversion. 

Will Joey self-destruct again? By PETER FRILINGOS  03 Sept 2002 
Andrew Johns' hopes of an unprecedented third Dally M Medal could be blown apart by the judiciary for the second year running after he was charged last night with a careless high tackle. Johns will be stripped of three Dally M points under revamped award rules this season if he pleads guilty today or fights the charge and loses. Last year, under the old Dally M system, the Newcastle and Australian skipper was automatically ruled out of medal contention when he was suspended for an incident involving Cronulla five-eighth Adam Dykes late in the season.  NRL commissioner Jim Hall yesterday charged Johns with a grade two careless high tackle on Penrith's Joel Clinton. As well as losing three Dally M points, Johns will be suspended for one match for either an early plea or if found guilty by the judiciary. Hall caused a stir when the original charge posted against Johns was a grade three offence carrying an extra week's suspension. The charge was later reduced to a grade two when Hall explained there had been a computer mix-up with the grade three charge levelled against Melbourne's Danny Williams. That stroke of luck was followed by news that the 75 carry over points from last year expired a couple of weeks ago. Under the Dally M rules amended for this season a player remains eligible for the game's most prestigious award provided he is suspended no more than once in a season. Two suspensions mean elmination from the award, while a player forfeits three Dally M points for every match he is suspended for a first offence in any one year. That means Johns would have three points deducted from his current tally if suspended. He would also miss out on the opportunity to earn further points in Sunday's final premiership round clash against St George Illawarra at Aussie Stadium. 
Newcastle and Johns will decide whether to defend the charge today. Last year Johns was suspended for two games shortly before the play-offs for striking Cronulla's Adam Dykes at Toyota Park. Under the existing Dally M rules last year Johns was automatically eliminated from the contest as a suspended player.  Yesterday's charge came only a matter of hours after Johns told a Fox Sports interviewer what a third Dally M Medal would mean to him. Fox Sports will air the interview in the lead-up to the awards. Johns would not comment on the charge last night. 

Johns guilty, but cleared to play -  5 September 2002 
Andrew Johns failed to beat a high-tackle charge at last night's judiciary hearing, but the Test captain is free to help Newcastle in their bid to secure their inaugural minor premiership after having the severity of his offence downgraded for a second time. Following a hearing lasting little more than an hour, Johns was found guilty of a grade-one careless high tackle on Penrith prop Joel Clinton during last Sunday's 32-30 win. Johns was initially charged with a grade-three offence, but that was downgraded on Monday, with the NRL blaming a clerical error for the mistake. And last night, Alan Sullivan, QC, representing Johns, successfully argued for a further downgrade, claiming any contact with Clinton had been accidental and caused by the Penrith player grabbing the Newcastle captain's arm. Johns said after the hearing: "I'm disappointed to have been found guilty but I think I got a fair hearing, and I'm looking forward to playing this weekend and hopefully wrapping up the minor premiership." The outcome of the hearing is a massive boost to the premiers' hopes of topping the ladder at the conclusion of the regular season on Sunday, for which the club will win $100,000 prizemoney. Johns, who has achieved almost every goal in the game, can become the season's leading points-scorer for the first time in the match against St George Illawarra. He can also win the National Rugby League player-of-the-year award. 
So far, Johns has scored 240 points this season, two more than Bulldogs winger Hazem El Masri. Johns was yesterday voted the game's best player in League Week's annual poll of 100 players for the fourth consecutive season and said last night he was pleased to still be in contention for a third Dally M medal. "It's not something that you sit down at the beginning of the year and work towards but it's a nice bonus along the way and I don't think anyone has won three," Johns said. During the hearing, Johns convincingly argued he only made glancing contact with the back of Clinton's neck after the Panthers prop grabbed his hand when he came in to wrap up the ball. "There was no malice, my fist wasn't clenched," Johns said. "My timing was wrong but the first point of contact was with his hand. Joel's a lot bigger than me and his momentum was coming off a quick play the ball so his momentum was up. "I was just trying to make a ball-and-all tackle ... he's a bit taller than me so I had to jump up to wrap the ball up. It's hard because it happened so quick but it's his natural instinct to protect himself [by raising his arm], and that's what happened." 
Sullivan tendered video evidence showing Johns coming in to make the tackle on Clinton's right side, where he was carrying the ball. The footage showed the Penrith forward reaching across to Johns with his left hand. "His [Clinton's] fingers are clearly visible wrapped around Andrew's forearm," Sullivan told the panel of Royce Ayliffe, Jeff Hardy and Ian Roberts. "With the momentum of the tackle and the dynamics of the respective body movements of Johns and Clinton, Johns' arm continues to rise over the top of Clinton's shoulder, making further more extensive contact with Clinton's left arm because Clinton has maintained his grasp on Johns' arm. "As the grip contact between Johns arm and Clinton's hand is broken and as the players continue to lose balance and fall away from each other, Andrew Johns' open right hand makes glancing contact with the back of Clinton's neck behind his right ear. "The contact is neither forceful or damaging as Clinton, who is not held in the tackle, immediately gets to his feet and seeks to play on by running off, showing no apparent effects of the tackle." 

Johns brothers split down the middle - NRL Offical site, 6 September 2002
Multiple personalities must run strongly in the Johns family. Cronulla five-eighth Matthew Johns has drawn more than a few laughs with the popularity of his alter-egos Trent the flight steward and the ocker Reg Reagan. Then you have younger brother Andrew who can throw a massive dummy-spit during a match, score the match-winning try 10 minutes later and then celebrate with jubilant teammates he was berating only moments before.  The Newcastle captain's temper landed him in hot water against Penrith last week when referee Steve Lyons placed him on report for a high tackle on prop Joel Clinton.
"Captain Cranky" was clearly frustrated at the time but managed to regain his composure to deliver the final pass in the dying seconds that allowed Newcastle to lock up the scores before he kicked the conversion to steal victory. On Wednesday the National Rugby League judiciary downgraded Johns' grade two high tackle charge to a grade-one offence, allowing the No.7 to play against St George Illawarra at Aussie Stadium on Sunday. It also prevented him from losing three Dally M points which could be crucial in the polling as he held a seven-point lead on the field when voting went into secrecy from round 16.
Johns was denied a chance to win his third Dally M Medal last season when he was suspended for striking then-Cronulla five-eighth Adam Dykes.  Matthew says "Joey" has been hot-headed ever since the brothers belted each other in the backyard of their parents' Cessnock home as youngsters.  But the difference today is that the world's best player has learned to control his temper.  "When he first came into grade he'd go off, lose his cool and not be able to get it back," said Matthew, who added that his brother could've done with a week's rest because of his long season.  "He can change his mindset now and switch his focus really quickly. He'll be angry one minute but still have that fire in the belly and still keep his head and be able to put on the plays."
Andrew Johns is still the favourite to win the Dally M medal, but Matthew joked there may not be much room left on the mantlepiece. "I need another Dally M from Joey hanging in Mum and Dad's house like I need a hole in the head," said Matthew, or was it Reg Reagan speaking?.  "It's bad enough looking at the Golden Boots," he added in reference to Andrew winning the prestigious award for the world's best player in 1999 and 2001.

ANDREW JOHNS WINS DALLY M FOR RECORD THIRD TIME 9 September 2002 
Andrew Johns has won the 2002 Dally M Medal as the official NRL player of the 2002 Telstra Premiership. Presented in association with the Daily Telegraph the 2002 Award was announced at the Sydney Town Hall in front of more than 500 guests and hundreds more fans who packed the public gallery. Prime Minister, John Howard, presented Andrew Johns with his Dally M Medal, the third of his Career. The Provan Summons medal as the People's Choice award was also won by Andrew Johns for an incredible fourth year. 

Johns is top of the charts with triple M record By Steve Mascord September 10 2002 
Andrew Johns's reputation as a once-a-generation sportsman was enhanced last night when he was named Dally M player of the year for a record third time. In the past 12 months, Johns has captained the Knights to their first premiership in a united competition, become the first man to win the Golden Boot for the world's best player more than once, and been crowned Brad Fittler's successor as captain of Australia. In winning the Dally M, with 34 votes from the Bulldogs' Brent Sherwin in second and joint-third placed Brett Kimmorley (Cronulla) and Craig Wing (Roosters), he added another unprecedented feat to his resume. Parramatta's Peter Sterling, Manly's Cliff Lyons and StGeorge's Michael Potter each won it twice. Voting showed that Johns was only assured of the award when he helped the Knights edge out Penrith at the death two weeks ago. He won by more than the three points he would have lost had he been suspended for a high tackle in that game. He fought the charge, partly so it would not harm his Dally M chances. 

Joey's treble 10 September,   2002 
Daily Telegraph FIRST there was the NSW captaincy, then he led Australia and now a third Dally M Medal. For Andrew Johns 2002 has been a year to remember. On the eve of the finals Johns has confirmed himself as one of the greatest players the game has seen after winning an unrivalled third Dally M Medal in Sydney last night. Johns won the award with 34 votes ahead of Bulldogs half Brent Sherwin on 26, while Cronulla's Brett Kimmorley and Sydney Roosters half Craig Wing were a vote behind on 25. The Newcastle halfback is the first player to have won the Dally M Medal three times moving ahead of Parramatta's Peter Sterling (1986-87) and St George and Canterbury fullback Michael Potter (1984, 1991). It caps off another remarkable season for Newcastle's favourite son. He was in great form early in the season and then stepped up to the Origin series when he was appointed NSW captain. Before the first game he said the interstate arena was his last frontier - a domain he wanted to dominate. He did so in the first game before Queensland took control in the second and the third could not be split. Johns then won the appointment as Test captain amid a highly political debate over who should lead Australia. In recent weeks he has been back to his best playing an instrumental role in getting Newcastle to a top two finish. If not for their final stumble on Sunday against St George Illawarra it would have been the Knights first minor premiership. Johns was initially reluctant to take the captaincy role at his club and also at the representative level. But during the Origin series his emergence as a genuine leader confirmed his standing in the game not only in this era but across time. He is rated by some as the best player to have run onto a rugby league field and this latest award gives credence to the argument. Johns was a clear leader before the voting went behind closed doors after round 16. It was the first time the voting had gone secret so far out from the playoffs and as the final rounds were counted down last night it emerged as a battle between the halves. From round 16 Sherwin closed the gap as he moved to 19 points just two behind Johns on 21. Wing moved into the equation the following week as he stepped up to 19 points before both Johns (23) and Sherwin (22) edged a little further ahead. Then Kimmorley made a late season burst as he hit some of the best form of his career. He grabbed three votes on three consecutive weeks in matches against South Sydney, the Roosters and that memorable thumping of Newcastle to move from 13 to 22 points and come right into calculations. But Johns had continued to edge ahead and wrapped the award up with his performance against Penrith in round 25 when he grabbed an unbeatable lead, eight points ahead of Sherwin and Wing. Johns also endured a trip to the judiciary that week where he was found guilty of a high tackle charge but escaped a suspension and therefore did not have any Dally M points deducted. Under the new rules a player loses three points for every week they are suspended, if they are suspended twice they become ineligible. Parramatta's Nathan Hindmarsh was fifth in the voting and was the best placed forward but he was ruled ineligible after being suspended for the second time last week. 

Knights lose Johns -  September 15, 2002
Newcastle 26 St George Illawarra 22
NEWCASTLE will have to defend its National Rugby League premiership the hard way - without captain Andrew Johns - after the Knights playmaker suffered a back injury in last night's qualifying final. Johns will be out for six weeks after he was diagnosed with back fractures following Newcastle's 26-22 loss to St George Illawarra at EnergyAustralia Stadium. Johns left EnergyAustralia Stadium and was taken to John Hunter Hospital in an ambulance after collecting a pair of Luke Bailey knees in the seventh minute of the qualifying final, won by St George Illawarra. It was a sombre Newcastle dressing room after the match as the players contemplated a September without the world's best player, who left the field with the Knights leading 6-0 after attempting to shake off the injury for three minutes. 
Coach Michael Hagan was clearly upset over the incident, claiming he had "strong views" on what happened. "I would argue there was probably no need for that third person to arrive at that time in the tackle when two other people had clearly made the tackle," Hagan said. "For him to come in at that point you need to consider what happened to our best player. They are always difficult things to prove conclusively because they can always appear to be accidental." 
Referee Bill Harrigan referred the incident to video referee Chris Ward as Johns lay writhing on the ground in agony, before placing Bailey on report. "It's been looked at," Harrigan said to St George Illawarra captain Trent Barrett. "I am going to place it on report and penalise him for the knees." 

Knights skipper tells of agony -  16 September 2002 
A SHATTERED Andrew Johns yesterday revealed he feared for his playing career after suffering fractures in three small bones in his back against St George Illawarra. The injury has sent a shockwave through the NRL finals with the best player in the competition sidelined for the rest of the season. As a result the Knights have blown out in the betting from $4.50 to $15 with SportsTAB and appear to be little hope of winning the premiership again without their number one player. The opening round of the finals produced a major reshaping of grand final aspirations. Brisbane and the Sydney Roosters are now the favourites while Parramatta and Canberra had their season's ended. But it was the Johns incident which commanded the spotlight. "I knew straight away it was something serious," Johns said from his hospital bed in Newcastle yesterday.  He required painkillers overnight to deal with his injury and could be in hospital for another two days. "The pain was excruciating - I've never felt anything like it," he said of the incident. "There was pain shooting down my right leg and my back was going into spasms and I was physically crook. "It was agony and I was fearing the worst at the time. "I was only thinking this morning how lucky I was because the bones I've fractured are fairly close to the spine. I guess it could have been a lot worse." As it is, he has sunk from the heights of winning an unprecedented third Dally M medal last week to seeing his dream of leading the Knights to back-to-back NRL premierships being over. He will be laid up for the next six weeks and will also miss Australia's one-off Test against New Zealand after the grand final. "I'm devastated - all the work you put in to get to this point is wasted - over in the blink of an eye," he said. "It is pretty hard to take." 
Johns said the kneeing incident which resulted in Dragons prop Luke Bailey being penalised and placed on report by referee Bill Harrigan, was still vivid in his mind. "I had the ball and the call came out to switch the attack to Rudds (Sean Rudder)," Johns said. "But I spotted Jason Ryles so I dummied and thought I would try and take him on.  "I was going down in the tackle and I just copped this big whack in my back. "It was a bit of a blur after that for a moment or two and than I was just in agony. "I tried to stay out there but I knew it was no good.  "I was crook from the pain in the sheds before they took me to the hospital." 
The worst fears of Knights medical staff were realised just after 11.15pm on Saturday when CAT scans revealed Johns had fractured three small bones coming off his vertebra. Doctors have told him the bones will never completely heal but there will be no lasting problems. "We are not dead yet and we'll use the disappointment of losing Andrew and the spirit in the club as a spur over the next few weeks," Knights coach Michael Hagan said. 

Footy Show Awards - Tuesday, September 17, 2002
Three (3) Newcastle Knights players have picked up major awards at Channel 9's Footy Show Awards ceremony held at the Star City Casino earlier this evening.  Andrew Johns once again stamps himself as the best player in the competition by picking up the 'Player of the Year', 'Punters' Pick' and 'Halfback of the Year' awards. Danny Buderus reinforced his growing status in the game by earning the Hooker of the Year honour.  While tireless prop, Matt Parsons finally achieved the recognition that Knights fans have been crying out for, earning himself a jersey in the team of the year, named as one of the two 'Prop Forward's of the Year'.

Johns - 'No miracle comebacks' -  18 September 2002 
THE gambler in Andrew Johns painfully gave way to the realist yesterday. 
Released from hospital after a painful few days, the inspirational Newcastle captain dismissed talk he may make a shock return if Newcastle fight their way into the grand final. Johns loves a punt but he said yesterday he wasn't prepared to gamble his long-term health and risk possible further damage to his injured back. "I won't play again this season - no way," Johns said. "We're talking about my back.  "You've got to look long-term at things, not only long-term with your footy career but long-term with your life. "It's not something you want to gamble with." 
Despite being initially ruled out for six weeks after breaking three bones in his back against St George Illawarra, Newcastle club doctor Peter McGeoch raised the possibility of an early return by Johns if the Knights reached the decider. Johns was quick to insist he would not even contemplate such a move. "I don't want to be 40 years old and not be able to go for a surf or swing a golf club because my back's not too good," he said. Asked about the Test against New Zealand early next month, Johns was equally dismissive: "I won't be able to do any exercise for three or four weeks and am going to put on a kilo or three.  "It wouldn't be fair on the players and the Australian jersey going out there half fit." 
Johns provided teammates with a boost when he arrived at training not long after being released from hospital.  He claimed he was coming to grips with the fact he would not be a part of his side's finals campaign. "Saturday night and Sunday I was devastated just because all year I'd been working so hard," he said. "With one tackle it's all been taken away, but I suppose now I will just have to live it out through the other boys." 
Johns admitted his side faces a huge challenge on Sunday but claims the Roosters will be writing them off at their own peril. "It is going to be really tough but the spirit in the club is enormous," he said. "The courage shown the other night (against the Dragons) was top shelf and I know the boys are going to tear in and do everything they possibly can to win." 

Johns takes his hospital pass and hobbles back to the training ground -  September 18 2002
Johns's hospital name tag still dangled around his wrist when he arrived at the Newcastle Knights' ground with a fractured back and a broken heart. "It's all been taken away, all that hard work during the year," Johns said. "It breaks your heart, really. You put all that hard work in..."   Before he was sidelined by a spine-cracking tackle on Saturday night, Johns felt his team was building to "something special" - a premiership.  But things had changed since he staggered off the field and it was now up to the "other guys" to fulfil that dream.  Fresh from hospital, the halfback hobbled around with an awkward limp. He was just off the morphine but on pain-killing tablets. The stay in hospital had been a time of reflection. Johns concluded that after "that tackle" by Dragon Luke Bailey he feels lucky. Really lucky."If you sort of sit back and think, 'I've broken a bone in my back, it's pretty serious'," he said. "I've had time to reflect on it. It's really shaken me up a bit. "I'm just grateful I'm able to walk out of hospital. If we get in the grand final, if I'm 100per cent I'll play but, if not, there's no way I'd risk it."
Johns also had time in hospital to read some "glossy" magazines, supplied by his younger teammates. He made sure he didn't leave them there.  But he also had a chance to watch the footage of the Bailey tackle, over and over again. "I've played with Luke Bailey in Origin - you'd like to think there was no intent there," Johns said. "I think the judiciary found there's no case to answer. But, um, it's, yeah, maybe mistimed or what."
Johns was quick to add that he had no bitterness towards Bailey. The Dragon had done the good-bloke thing and rung Johns to apologise and tell him there was no intent in the tackle. Anyway, Johns admitted, he himself had been "no angel" in the past. In the morning drizzle he made his way slowly to the middle of the field, found the drinks esky and sat down to watch his teammates go through their footy drills. It was then he realised the name tag was still firmly wrapped around his left wrist and he ripped it off and cast it aside. What he couldn't cast aside was that feeling of sorrow that he won't be there to lead his teammates on Sunday against the Sydney Roosters. Sure, the boys would stand up to the challenge without him, they'd unite for sure, they'd put in a big game, Johns said. "A lot of people aren't giving us a shot," he said. "[But] the spirit in this club has never been higher. If they go out this Sunday and pull a win off against the Roosters, it could possibly be one of the best wins in the club's history." But can they do it without Joey?  "[That sort of speculation] gives me the shits. Of course they can do it without me."

Years of NRL left in me, says Joey -  Sports Watch ... 20 September 2002 
Andrew Johns won't play again this year, but he has delivered the news all Newcastle Knights fans want to hear. He hopes to play for another six or seven National Rugby League seasons. Sidelined with three broken bones in his back, the champion halfback is using his unexpected spare time to promote his DVD, "Joey - The Andrew Johns Story, so far". And, despite his debilitating injury, the 28-year-old said retirement was nowhere in sight. Asked how long he would continue playing for, Johns said: "It's hard to say. I'll see how the body goes. "It's not feeling too bad (apart from the latest injury). As long as the body is right, who knows - mid 30s." 
When he does finally hang up the boots, Johns said he'd "probably like to stay involved in the game in some way". The DVD gives a fascinating insight into the world of the game's premier player. From a humble backyard in a coal-mining town to the captaincy of his country, it is the story of a boy who believed the game could be different and set out to make that dream come true.  Johns speaks about how he turned his gifts into reshaping rugby league and the hours he spends practising drills that have made him league's leading innovator and pointscoring machine.  He admitted to being chuffed to be known as a person who revolutionised kicking in general play. Johns has countless kicks in his armoury and he is delighted to see other leading players mimicking them to improve the standard of the modern game. New Zealand Warriors halfback Stacey Jones copied one of Johns' signature banana kicks to set up a try for teammate John Carlaw in Sunday's qualifying win over Canberra. "I saw Stacey's kick (for) Johnny Carlaw and I got a real kick out of it," Johns admitted.  "I do feel pretty proud to see other boys doing it. It's good to see other blokes doing it. "There's definitely there's some other kicks to work on, but nothing I can say yet." 
The Newcastle captain also talks about life away from rugby league - and his greatest loves. "If I've got a day off, I go surfing," he said. "I like to spend time with my little son (Samuel). If the races are on, I love nothing better than going to the races.  "But (I enjoy) pretty much just kicking back at home. A few of the boys might come over. I go for a surf and a bit of a feed. "(I enjoy) just hanging out with my mates."
Johns owns three racehorses - Arduous King, Buenos Aires "and, to be honest, I've got no idea what the third one's name is". "They're all race horses, but they may as well be trotters because they're bloody hopeless."
The DVD features one of Johns' surfing safaris to the Philippines. "It talks about that - it was probably at a time when I was struggling a bit with footy and I went over there and it sort of refreshed me," he said.  The DVD also shows a compassionate side of Johns, who recently became a patron of Ronald McDonald House for the Hunter Region. "Having a child of mine and going up there and seeing how crook the kids are and the lift they get just from getting an autograph from you ... it's something that's nice to do. "I'm not doing it to get pats on the back. I'm doing it because I think it's the right thing to do."

One of a kind Author: by Brett Keeble and Neil Goffet. 21 September 2002 Newcastle Herald 
When a seriously injured Andrew Johns hit the ground at EnergyAustralia Stadium last weekend so too, in the eyes of many pundits, did the Knights' premiership hopes. The betting odds on Newcastle widened immediately, the fans started losing heart and pub and lounge room experts across the region and further afield were declaring that the Knights 'can't win without Joey'. Coach Michael Hagan and Johns himself have dismissed that suggestion - and plenty of fans are willing that the prophets of doom be proved wrong tomorrow when the Knights meet the Roosters in their sudden-death semi-final at Aussie Stadium - but Johns' emotional 'call to arms' to the team's followers earlier this week suggests that even he accepts the unique influence he wields over Newcastle's fortunes. Every team has its star, every era its greats, but few players have had the impact on and off field that Johns has had on the Knights. It has already been suggested that his name will one day appear alongside the selected few lauded as the game's 'Immortals'. So what it is that makes him so special? Chad Watson talks to the experts in a bid to define the 'Johns factor'. 
THE CAPTAINS 
AS a former Knights and Australian skipper, Paul Harragon has walked in Andrew Johns' boots. But the popular ex-prop known as 'The Chief' does not claim to have possessed the same all-round football abilities. 'The Joey factor is all-consuming,' Harragon says. 'And I just don't mean what you see on the field ... You only have to go to training and see the way he interacts with the other players to realise what he means to the club. 'He's the Australian captain, he's possibly the best player to date in the game and he averages nine points a match. 'But he also gives polish to a set of six by whacking on a beautiful kick so that the team gets the ball back or even scores a try. As well as that he can make a big hit when he has no right to do it.' Harragon suggests that the Knights will miss Johns as much mentally as they will physically in their do-or-die clash against the Roosters. 'The psychological side of it is massive,' he says. 'In the back of your mind you have the desperation about him not being there but in the front of your mind you're telling yourself to get on with business. 'It's hard to trick yourself like that.' Harragon says young Knights such as John Morris and Kurt Gidley will have no better opportunity to prove that they can perform under pressure. 'Joey's aura has to have rubbed off on the other blokes,' he says. Harragon says being the captain in a one-team town like Newcastle has more advantages than disadvantages. 'Off the field it can sometimes be a noose around your neck but once you get down to work it's a real privilege,' he says. Johns has matured as a footballer and a person since having the (c) next to his name in the weekly program. But his predecessor, Tony Butterfield, has long been impressed by Johns' ability to step up to the mark: 'He always seems to excel on the big occasions.' Butterfield believes Johns provides a 'lot of subtle ingredients' to the Knights' playing mix. 'So he'll be missed but his absence isn't insurmountable,' he says. Butterfield says the team doesn't need any extra motivation at this end of the season. 'I think the key is confidence and the confidence comes from what you've done,' he says. 
THE HALFBACK 
Peter Sterling rates 'consistency' among the most valuable assets a footballer can possess. 'The main sign of greatness is consistent excellence and Andrew Johns is at the top of that tree,' the Parramatta legend-turned-media commentator explains. 'He plays to the best of his ability every week. 'Even if Newcastle get beaten, I usually still come away thinking that he was one of the best players.' Johns' position of halfback - the same jersey Sterling filled for the Eels - has emphasised and enhanced his domination of the game over the past few years. 'As a halfback you handle the football more than any other player apart from your dummyhalf,' Sterling says. 'So what you do with that football is very important to your team's chances. Joey tends to make more of the right decisions or make decisions into the right ones through the unique ability that he has. 'The organisation that he provides for the team is unbelievable. That was obvious last Saturday night.' Sterling believes Newcastle's top No.7 has an 'enormous influence' on the team, especially when directing the attack. Without him, the Knights are 'less effective'. He notes that Newcastle has the best offensive record during the regular 2002 season, racking up 724 points. 'Joey's so important because Newcastle win games on their attacking ability as opposed to Canterbury teams of the '80s that relied on their defence,' Sterling says. Johns' guiding hand also helps harness the natural flair of tyros such as Timanu Tahu and Daniel Abraham. Sterling describes him as the Knights' rudder: 'Ironically, the new rudder of the team will probably be the bloke with that name (five-eighth Sean Rudder).' Sterling, regarded as one of the sport's most astute analysts, reckons the Newcastle halfback boasts both the 'best pass' and the 'best kick' in the code. 'It's not just his vision and accuracy that stand out,' he says. 'He throws bullet passes and cut-out passes either side ... even when he's off-balance. 'When you're in a defensive lineup it's very difficult to read because you don't expect him to deliver that type of ball from that position.' Sterling notes that Johns' kicking arsenal - from 'shonky bombs' that bamboozle opposing fullbacks to clearing boots that bounce like leg breaks into touch and 'banana kicks' that peel off for friendly wingers - has been copied by many but matched by none. 
THE EXECUTIVE KNIGHTS 
chief executive Ken Conway subscribes to the theory that Andrew Johns is the best rugby league player on the planet. He is also well aware of the financial benefits that go with having Joey on the field. An annual club contract of $475,000 - plus a plethora of personal sponsorships - make Johns one of the highest paid players in the NRL. But the stellar No.7 is worth every cent according to Conway. 'He is financially attractive to us because he has got a very high profile,' he says. 'He leads the team around the park and you have only got to look at the win/loss ratio when Joey is playing compared to when he isn't. 'We are going to get more people in to see a winning football team and every football team needs someone of Joey's calibre and without him the crowds just aren't there. He is certainly worth a lot of dollars through the gate.' Johns may also be worth a new gate, not to mention a new wraparound grandstand at EnergyAustralia Stadium. The halfback kick-started the latest moves to upgrade the ground and its facilities during his victory speech at last year's grand final. Political observers were surprised when the State Government threw in $23.6million for the mooted project. Never one to let a chance go by, Johns also had a quiet word with Prime Minister John Howard last week on stage at the Dally M awards, urging him to chip in with the Federal share. Johns is now trying to convince Novocastrians to continue supporting the Knights without him. After he was ruled out last weekend, many Knights fans appeared to lose interest in the showdown with the Sydney Roosters. Sources suggest only three dozen Newcastle season-ticket holders bought seats when given a 24-hour headstart on public sales to the showdown at Aussie Stadium tomorrow. In comparison, 'Rooster Boosters' snapped up 900-plus seats. Conway pointed out that Newcastle finished second in the NRL this year on home-crowd figures behind the Brisbane Broncos, who have a greater population base from which to draw supporters. 'I certainly think we would get less people to our home games if Joey wasn't going to play,' Conway says. 'We've got a great stable of stars but there is no question Joey is the mega star.' 
THE COACHES WHEN 
Michael Hagan was appointed Knights coach at the end of the 2000 season, his first task was to convince Johns to assume the captaincy reins. Hagan admitted that he found the idea of coaching the world's best rugby league player 'rather daunting'. 'My first-grade coaching career would have been over before it began if Andrew had agreed to go to Brisbane,' Hagan told Weekender earlier this season. This week he has done his best to deflect attention away from the team's less than flattering efforts without Johns (three wins from 12 games). 'Obviously he is the most important and most talked-about player in our team and the game, so the interest in him is understandable but we need to try to channel our effort into the next game,' he said. Speaking after Johns scored 34 points in Newcastle's 54-26 win over Canberra last year, Raiders coach Matthew Elliott conceded he was guilty of spectating. 'There was a big part of me today where it was just a pleasure to watch him,' Elliott said. '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.' Former premiership-winning coach and school teacher Warren Ryan waxes lyrical when asked what Johns means to the Knights. 'He's the core, the focal point, the axis of the whole thing,' Ryan offers. 'It's stating the obvious to say the team revolves around him.' 
THE PLAYERS 
The highly credentialled members of Andrew Johns' supporting cast do not need reminding about their record in games without him. The Knights will still field a side studded with NSW and Australian players Danny Buderus, Ben Kennedy, Matt Gidley, Steve Simpson and Timana Tahu against the Roosters and they are determined to end the 'one-man team' jibes. 'It's the old story. Joey's our number-one playmaker and kicker,' Buderus says. 'You take him out of the side, it's going to be very hard. It's the same as if you took Brad Fittler out of the Roosters or you took Trent Barrett out of the Dragons. 'It's going to be a big ask, but hopefully we'll bounce back. We've got nothing to lose.' Gidley adds: 'Any team that loses one of their key halves is always going to do it tough because you rely so heavily on those guys. 'We're aware of our record without Joey but it's something you can't really focus on.' Man mountain Matt Parsons, who has taken the captaincy reins, says the Knights still have enough quality players to get the job done against the Roosters: 'We're not going to lay down for anyone and come Sunday, we certainly won't be laying down in Sydney.' 
THE PSYCHOLOGISTS 
Roger Peters, a Newcastle psychologist contracted to the NRL through the Corpsych group, recommends that Johns' team-mates take shelter from the media maelstrom surrounding his absence. 'I think the worst thing that they can do is read the Press,' he says. 'After all, when does stuff like that become self-fulfilling prophecy? 'The biggest problem that faces the Knights is not the absence of Andrew Johns per se but getting used to the combination without him.' Sports psychologist Fiona McCarthy reckons the on-field actions of Johns speak louder than his words. 'Andrew leads by example,' she says. 'His mere presence has a big effect on those around him. 'He has an amazing skill level but I think the biggest thing is that he's a fantastic leader.' McCarthy, a consultant with the Hunter Academy of Sport, says Johns sets the highest of standards for himself and 'that's quite an infectious quality'. 'The tradition and the positive energy that the Knights have built is what makes them a successful club,' she says. 'Even though Andrew Johns is out of the picture for the rest of the season, the Knights are still a top team. 'Andrew may be their best player but he's inspired a lot of others to reach greater heights.' Johns has copped flak for getting 'cranky' when he or his team-mates make errors and when refereeing decisions go against them. 'Obviously he seeks the perfect game, so he doesn't like mistakes,' McCarthy says. 'But whenever he gets a bit angry, he gets over it extremely quickly.' 
THE FAN DENNIS 
Rowston has one red eye and one blue eye and nothing brings a smile to his face like watching the 'freakish' Johns strutting his stuff. The president of Knights supporters' group the Excalibur Club says Johns is a 'real crowd-pleaser' because he appeals to all facets of football's society. 'Whenever he has the ball in his hand you know that something special's going to happen,' Rowston explains. 'Johnsy has got a bit of larrikin in him and we all like larrikins. Newcastle has always been thought of as a working-class area and he's definitely one of us, but he can relate to all levels of people.' 
THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN 
Seven of the best from the best No.7
1. March 13, 1994 - Sydney Football Stadium In his first starting game for the Knights, 19-year-old Johns scores two tries, kicks seven goals and a field goal to boot for a personal tally of 23 points in Newcastle's 43-14 win over pre-season champions South Sydney. Johns' haul is the most points by a player on debut in premiership history - a record that still stands. 
2. October 10, 1995 - Gateshead International Stadium (UK) Johns breaks the world record for most points by a player on Test debut, scoring 30 points (two tries and 11 goals) in Australia's 86-6 victory over South Africa in a World Cup qualifying match. The record still stands. Johns goes on to be named player of the final in Australia's 16-8 win over England, and player of the tournament. 
3. September 28, 1997 - Sydney Football Stadium Having spent the first few days of grand final week in a hospital bed nursing broken ribs and a punctured lung, Johns conjures up the match-winning play in Newcastle's famous victory over Manly in the ARL title decider. With six seconds left and the scores tied 16-16, Johns darts out of dummy-half to the short side, draws Manly's defenders and turns the ball inside to Darren Albert for the go-ahead try.
4. July 6, 2001 - Marathon Stadium After 10 weeks on the sidelines nursing torn knee ligaments, during which time the Knights lose four straight games, Johns returns to score 20 points (two tries and six goals) in Newcastle's 44-0 shut-out of defending premiers Brisbane. The game is still the biggest loss in the Broncos' proud 15-year history. 
5. July 29, 2001 - Marathon Stadium Johns scores a club record 34 points (four tries and nine goals) in a 54-26 win over Canberra. Apart from breaking his own Knights single-game scoring record, it is the highest individual haul by any NRL player in 2001 and the equal-sixth highest by any player in premiership history. 
6. September 30, 2001 - Stadium Australia In his first year as Knights captain, Johns wins the Clive Churchill Medal as the best player on the field in Newcastle's 30-24 victory over minor premiers and raging hot favourites Parramatta in the NRL grand final. Johns helps set up four of Newcastle's five tries and leads by example through his kicking game and desperate defence. 
7. July 12, 2002 - Aussie Stadium (formerly Sydney Football Stadium) In his first game as Australian Test captain, Johns leads the Kangaroos to a record-breaking 64-10 victory over Great Britain. The winning margin is the greatest in 116 Tests between the arch rivals. Johns kicks 10 goals, equalling the Anglo-Australian Test record held by Australia's Mick Cronin (1979) and Briton Lewis Jones (1954).
 

Andrew Johns entertaining the Newcastle crowd against the Storm, kicked a penalty from half way which well over 60 meters on the full.

JOEY'S PAIN - 23 September 2002 
ANDREW Johns was the face of Newcastle yesterday, optimistic, happy, concerned and finally heart-broken as his beloved Knights were beaten 38-12 and eliminated from the premiership battle. "I'm still immensely proud of what they achieved," he said after yesterday's loss to the Roosters. With scores even at the 59th minute, the tense battle turned to disaster for the Knights when Rooster Craig Fitzgibbon scored sensationally from an intercept. Fitzgibbon's try polarised spectators, with considerable doubts being exposed on video replays about him being on side. 
Aussie Stadium became the Knights' house of pain yesterday, with Johns the public personification of Newcastle's performance as he sat in the stand watching the players compete without the magical bag of tricks he brings to matches. When Newcastle played well, Johns, who is sidelined with a back injury, smiled and cheered. When they made mistakes his face contorted with anguish. Finally, his head slumped forlornly into his hands as he realised there was no way back for his team as the Roosters scored freely late in the match. It was a pain his reputation as the world's best player and his third Dally M this year could not shift. Johns said of his teammates: "They really had a dig today. I'm disappointed we lost. It was hard watching from the grandstand and wanting to be out there. "I don't know how coaches do it. But I'm really proud of how the players put in." At one stage Johns' face appeared on the giant screen at Aussie Stadium and there was some jeering from Roosters' supporters. "They booed me, mate," he laughed. "I thought they liked me." 

Joey claims title No.3 
Andrew Johns has won League Week's esteemed VB Player of the Year award for a record-equalling third time - placing him alongside '80s legends Peter Sterling and Kevin Hastings as the only men to achieve the prestigious triple. Johns, now preparing to lead defending premiers Newcastle into their NRL finals assault, finished the regular season on 153 points. 
The Newcastle half-back's latest honour comes just seven days after his peers voted him the game's best player for a record fourth consecutive season. "To be mentioned in the same elite group as Peter Sterling and Kevin Hastings is a real honour," says Johns, who won back-to-back titles in 1998-99. "I think this has been one of the most consistent seasons of my career." Awarded annually since 1970, League Week's VB Player of the Year is the game's most prestigious and longest-running trophy. The gong rewards the player who maintains the highest level of consistency and excellence over 26 gruelling competition rounds. "I really pride myself on consistency now because it's a part of my game that was lacking when I was younger," Johns, now 28, confesses. "As a young bloke you think you're bullet-proof, that you'll play forever. But as you get older you realise you're coming closer to that final game. You prepare better, are more settled and have enough experience to know the best way around the park." Johns has also been boosted this season by a relatively injury-free run. The NSW maestro missed eight games and the State Origin series last year with a busted knee, while an ongoing groin problem upset his 2000 season. "I think the key is making sure you've got a release away from football," Johns says when asked about the secret to his form. "I love playing footy but I also love getting out for a surf and having a bet on the races. Getting away from football helps you to get up for the game every weekend." 

Joe's Hawaiian blue -  21/10/2002,  Newcastle Herald
Andrew Johns might reign supreme in his `local break' at Dixon Park, but he was a small fish in a very large pond in Hawaii last week. The recuperating Newcastle, NSW and Australian captain came a gutser on Hawaii's famous North Shore when a fellow surfer committed the ultimate sin and dropped in on the world's best rugby league player. There had been speculation that Johns sustained minor damage to some internal organs in the green-room incident. But his manager, John Fordham, said the champion halfback suffered nothing more than a `whack in the stomach' for his troubles and was shaken but not stirred. There was no foundation to other rumours that Johns had aggravated his well-documented back injury, Fordham told a Sidelines spy. Fordham said Johns was making steady progress from the three broken bones he suffered when kneed in the back by Dragons prop Luke Bailey in the qualifying final at EnergyAustralia Stadium five weeks ago. `In fact, he's been asked to play in a charity cricket match at Riverview on November 13 and says his back is okay and he'll be right to play,' Fordham said. Merewether fifth grade's most famous part-time player will join the likes of former internationals Mark Taylor, Merv Hughes and Dean Jones in the limited-overs hit-and-swipe affair. 

Knights star considers surgical solution to groin problem -  Newcastle Morning Herald, 30 Noveember 2002
Peerless Newcastle Captain Andrew Johns is expected to undergo minor groin surgery next Wednesday.  The three time Dally M player of the year met groin surgeon and Knights medical specialist Dr Neil Halpin on thursday night to discuss the idea of surgery, which would sideline him for at least three weeks.  The schedualed clean up operation will help relieve the painful effects of scar tissue which has  built up since Johns had both sides of his groin surgically reattached at the end of the 1999 NRL campaign.  Johns has also battled other groin problems, including a perineum condition which has required regular pain management, for the past few seasons.  He is keen to start next season in the best possible shape.  The 28 year old halfback, who has carried the mantle of worlds best player for at least the past four seasons has not missed a training session since the Knights began their off season conditioning program last week. 
Dr Halpin is schedualed to perform the procedure next Wednesday but Johns told the Heral yesterday he was no certainty to go under the knife.  Johns said he would train flat out with the team this morning, to see how he pulled up tomorrow and consult Dr Halpin again on Monday.  "Its nothing serious.  Its just to tidy up a bit of scar tissue - if I get it done at all - and right now it feels 100 per cent, so I will have to weigh a few things up."
"We're only two weeks into training and I've done everything so far and I'm feeling really good so this is just a minor hiccup.  The workload has put a bit of stress on my groin, as it has on other parts of my body, which is to be expected because i'm not getting any younger.  I'm just worried that if I dont get it done I could be sore for a few days after every game again next year and long term too,  I don't want to end up doing further day to myself."
Johns has made a full recovery from the three  broken bones in his back, which he suffered in the operning minutes of Newcastles qualifying final loss to the Dragons almost three months ago. He missed the rest of the Knights finals campaign and australia's Trans-Tasman Test win over New Zealand after the grand Final.

Joey's back in business 19 Nov 2002 - Sportal
Andrew Johns was back on the training paddock yesterday feeling every bit like the first-year rookie out to make an impression. "I've been hanging for this for a couple of weeks now," the Newcastle and Test captain said of the club's return to training. "It is great to be back running with the boys - to get some routine back." Not everyone returns to "work" after an extended holiday with as much enthusiasm. But throughout his career, Johns has never battled for the motivation to train and play. Barely eight weeks after breaking three bones in his back during the NRL finals, he easily made it through a one-hour session to kick off the Knights' preparations for 2003. Coach Michael Hagan had given his star player the option of a couple of extra weeks off if he thought he needed them. Johns was having none of that. 'The back feels great - there are no problems there at all," he said. 'It's the first day of training and we were probably all running at around 90 per cent but it felt good. "I've had about eight weeks off and that's enough. "You don't have any routine to follow and I tend to fall into the trap of eating the wrong stuff and letting myself go a bit during the off-season. "I woke up and looked in the mirror the other day and while I haven't got much of a body at the best of times, I saw this bloke skinny up top and fat down below. "I realised then I needed to get back into it soon." Johns said he never had any real fears the back injury would affect his health long term. But he remains disappointed at the way last season ended. "It feels like some unfinished business there," he said. "You see other teams in the grand final and you get jealous - you get envious knowing it could have been us there and not them. "I never need motivation but it's in the back of your mind." Johns said he remains as ambitious as ever and admits leading NSW to an Origin series win would be among his major goals in 2003. "I go into every season trying to play in as many games as I possibly can and being as consistent as I can," he said. Ironically, while Johns was back yesterday, many of his high-profile teammates watched the session from the sideline. As many as 10 players including internationals Danny Buderus, Timana Tahu, Steve Simpson and Adam MacDougall, are in rehabilitation. "We've invited a few of the younger guys up into the senior squad to fill in the holes," Hagan said. 

Joey lauds golden point - 22 Nov 2002, Sportal 
Andrew Johns says he will have to start practising his field goals - but then warned that the extra point maay not always be rugby league's golden point. Johns yesterday applauded the NRL's move to bring in the "golden point" rule that will see an end to drawn matches during next year's premiership. "It's a good idea, a great idea," he said. "I think everyone will be in favour of that. It would be exciting to watch." Johns once described a drawn State of Origin match as like "kissing your sister" and said drawn premiership matches left a similarly empty feeling. "For the players and the supporters - everyone walks away feeling like that. It's neither here nor there," he said. While many believe the new rule will see a spate of drop goal shots, Johns said it would not turn into a field goal shootout. He predicted teams would still play towards a game plan in a bid to score the extra point through a try or penalty, with a field goal emerging as a later option. "The first three or four plays I'd say you'll try to put a play on, then after that maybe a field goal will be the best way to go to get over the line," he said. Also cautioning against a field goal shootout is that kickers generally have less success at kicking one-pointers than they do, say, at conversion attempts. "The big thing with the drop kick is you're kicking off the back foot," Johns said. "Because you're standing so far back you're not kicking with any momentum. "You've really got to hit the ball hard to get it over, which is why you miskick it sometimes. "Then you've got to take into account the fatigue factor because it's at the end of the game, plus there's the pressure. They're pretty hard to strike." While some have expressed concern about the length games possibly could run to, Sydney Roosters recruit Brett Finch called it a bonus. "The longer it goes the more exciting it will probably get," he said. "Most players tend to want a result from the game. "I haven't heard of anyone who doesn't like it." 

Johns runs eye over rugby league talent -  4 December 2002
Australian Rugby League captain and the world’s no.1 player Andrew Johns will attend the AIS/ARL Rugby League Camp at the AIS today, passing on his wealth of expertise and knowledge to the players. Johns has been invited to attend the week-long camp by head coach of the AIS/ARL Rugby League Program, Brian Johnson. ‘We all marvel at some of the things Andrew does on the football field, so to have him mixing with the players and providing his expertise and knowledge of the game will be tremendous for their future development,’ Johnson said.

Johns back in training -  Sportal,  19 Dec 2002 
Newcastle captain Andrew Johns has returned to training eight weeks after breaking three bones in his back. The halfback suffered the injury in the Knights’ first final against St George Illawarra, and after he was ruled out for the rest of the season the club crashed out of contention the week after with defeat to eventual champions the Sydney Roosters. But with Newcastle back in training on Monday as it began its pre-season campaign, Johns was one of the most enthusiastic of the bunch after his disappointing personal and team end to 2002. "I've been hanging for this for a couple of weeks now," Johns told the Daily Telegraph. "It is great to be back running with the boys - to get some routine back. "The back feels great - there are no problems there at all. It''s the first day of training and we were probably all running at around 90 per cent but it felt good. I've had about eight weeks off and that's enough. "You don't have any routine to follow and I tend to fall into the trap of eating the wrong stuff and letting myself go a bit during the off-season. "I woke up and looked in the mirror the other day and while I haven't got much of a body at the best of times, I saw this bloke skinny up top and fat down below. I realised then I needed to get back into it soon." Having helped the Knights to two premierships, including in 2001 as skipper, Johns added he’ll use the disappointing way his 2002 season ended as motivation to get back to the top of the mountain next year. "It feels like some unfinished business there," he said. "You see other teams in the grand final and you get jealous - you get envious knowing it could have been us there and not them. I never need motivation but it's in the back of your mind." 

Johns likely to play in World Sevens -  7sport.com.au,  19 December 2002 
Newcastle captain Andrew Johns is recovering from groin surgery but Knights coach Michael Hagan said most of his star players were a good chance of taking part in the February 1-2 tournament.  "I think it's going to be determined by their rate of progress from their rehab," Hagan said. "People like Andrew Johns, we would consider how he trains after Christmas. "His groin was done last week and it's about a two to three week rehab process so he may or may not be some hope for that."