Andrew Johns' head snaps back. His face is contorted in pain and his body twists as Manly's Sam Harris catches the world's best player with a mistimed high tackle.

Moment of impact -  By BARRY TOOHEY in Newcastle,  15 Aug 2003 
This is the frightening moment two weeks ago that could have left Johns in a wheelchair and precipitated the announcement he would spend the rest of the year on the sidelines.  The photograph, taken by Tamworth's Jenny Hall, is a sickening reminder of how easy it is for things to go wrong in rugby league. Hall - an amateur photographer who watched the match from EnergyAustralia Stadium's northern hill - froze the terrifying moment that shows the full force of Harris' tackle. 
Johns required attention and spent several minutes in the back play in severe discomfort before the pain eased and he rejoined the action.  Harris was placed on report following the incident but did not face the judiciary after Johns revealed he had slipped and fallen into the tackle. "It was my fault and just unlucky for Sam Harris that he caught me where he did," Johns said at the time. 
But if Harris was unlucky, then Johns could not have possibly realised at the time how lucky he was not to have been paralysed by the tackle in light of his season-ending neck injury.  Johns had carried the neck problem for two weeks before his side's clash with Manly and it was a further 10 days before he agreed to have an MRI scan, which revealed just how serious the injury was.  Specialists told Johns it was not safe for him to continue playing this season, saying a hit in the wrong place could prove disastrous. Hall, who owns JM Photos in Tamworth, said she had gone to Newcastle for the game "because a friend of a cousin plays for Manly". "I was on the hill, right behind the tackle when it was made and I had a feeling I might have got it on film," she told The Daily Telegraph. "I knew it was a good shot but didn't think any more of it until yesterday when I heard the news about Andrew Johns." 
Knights chairman Michael Hill spoke with Manly chief executive Ian Thomson on Thursday night to assure him Johns or the club had no animosity towards Harris. "I just wanted Ian to convey to Sam that he was in no way to blame for what has happened to Andrew," Hill said. "It is just one of those unfortunate things that can happen in football."

Johns tells of scare -  August 15, 2003
On the day Andrew Johns' season crumbled, all the game's premier player could think of was how lucky he is. "Mate, it is scary when I think about what could have happened - how I could have ended up," he said. "A wheelchair or worse. Someone up there is looking after me." 
Johns will be sidelined for the rest of the season and will be in a brace for the next six weeks after scans revealed he was suffering from nerve damage and a protruding disc in his neck.  But it could have been a whole lot more serious. 
Johns revealed he has been playing russian roulette with his health for almost two weeks out of fear there was something wrong. He initially complained about the neck problem after the Knights' clash with Penrith a month ago. He carried it into the Test against New Zealand a week later before "stirring it up" again against Manly a fortnight ago. He considered having a scan a few days later but put it off. "Looking back, I should have had it done then," he said. "But I was worried there might have been something there and I guess I didn't really want to face that," he said. "I took it into the Cowboys game last weekend and straight after coming off, I knew I has in trouble. I think I made about three tackles in the 60 minutes I was out there and after everyone of them, I had this great pain and pins and needles down my arm." 
Johns was looking after his young son Samuel for two days earlier this week so booked in for the scan in Newcastle on Wednesday. He had it done at 1.45pm and didn't think anything more of it until club specialist Neil Halpin rang him at home that night. Dr Halpin told Johns he would need to see leading spinal injury specialist Professor Yeo in Sydney the following morning. "Neil didn't say too much but I have always trusted his assessment on anything and the fact that he was sending me to Sydney to see this fellow told me something was up," Johns said. 'But at that stage, I still didn't know how serious it was." 
Johns' mother Gayle offered to drive her son to Sydney yesterday morning for the consultation but he decided to go himself. "I got down there around 10.30am and Professor Yeo did a few manual tests and told me what I had to know," he said. "He asked was there a moment in a game when I thought something was wrong - when I might have done it. "But to be honest, it wasn't like the back injury last season against St George." 
Johns will have a further MRI scan today and another in six weeks so that specialists can compare the two before deciding if surgery will be needed to repair the damage. "I won't be there to lead the Knights for the rest of the year and the Kangaroo tour is now gone," he said. "It's disappointing - real disap pointing but just like last year, it's out of my hands. I'm probably just lucky it is not any worse." 
 

Johns scored 36 points from 16 goals and a try, made 45 tackles, 23 runs and 113 metres and put in 37 kicks in the three games he should have been watching from the grandstand.

Johns played on with serious neck injury -  By Brad Walter and Steve Mascord, 15 August, 2003 
Braced for the worst: Andrew Johns at the press conference yesterday announcing he is out for the season. Photo: Peter Stoop  Andrew Johns risked permanent damage by playing three matches with a serious neck injury before he was ruled out for the rest of the season yesterday. Rugby league's No.1 player stunned the game when he announced he had been diagnosed with a protruding disc which was putting pressure on his spinal column. Attending a media conference wearing a neck brace, he said he would miss the rest of the NRL season and the Kangaroos tour of France, Wales and England in October and November.
Consulting Knights doctor Neil Halpin last night told the Herald he had advised the Australian captain to have scans on his neck before the July 25 Test against New Zealand.  "But you know Joey, he can be hard to pin down," Halpin said. "Andrew started to get problems five weeks ago. I thought it [the diagnosis] was a distinct possibility. [But] he didn't have the scan until last night and as soon as I saw the report I was pretty concerned."
Johns scored 36 points from 16 goals and a try, made 45 tackles, 23 runs and 113 metres and put in 37 kicks in the three games he should have been watching from the grandstand.  Halpin said: "Joey time and again has played on with terrible pain and terrible injuries and sometimes you can underestimate what you're going through, but he thinks putting your hand up is something of a scandal. "The problem you've got, though, is that this is not like a sore knee or a sore groin. The stakes are very much higher."  Johns admitted yesterday: "I tried to avoid the scans."
Halpin said a tackle by Manly second-rower Sam Harris during a match at EnergyAustralia Stadium on August 3 could not be blamed for the injury.  Johns jarred his neck on July 18 in a home game against Penrith and has been troubled by a sore neck since. Asked if Johns had risked a far more serious injury by playing on, Halpin said: "Yes, I'd think so. He's very fortunate. It's hard to quantify these things without sounding dramatic but, at the same time, yes, there was quite a risk."
Johns will wear the brace for six weeks and has been advised that there is a 60 per cent chance he will not require surgery. Spinal specialist Professor John Yeo told Johns yesterday morning that he was suffering from C4 and C5 disc protrusion. This in turn was applying pressure on the spinal chord and the C6 nerve root. A corrective operation, if required, would sideline him until next April.  "You've got to strike a balance between being complacent and being dramatic about these things, I think the odds are very much that he will play again next year," Halpin said. "Amazingly, in the last of his three games carrying the injury, he scored 24 points in a 60-24 win over North Queensland at Dairy Farmers Stadium on Saturday night. But he made just two tackles in the first half and six for the match. "Against the Cowboys at the weekend every time I made a tackle or got tackled there was severe pain," he said. "I pretty much knew there was something pretty drastic there."
Of the 24 matches Johns has missed since 1998, the Knights have won just nine. This season, they lost to Melbourne, Penrith and Wests Tigers in his absence and beat South Sydney.  "We have to pull together now," Newcastle coach Michael Hagan said. "This has just confirmed that we can't look over our shoulder and hope he's going to come good in a couple of weeks' time."

What it means
What is the injury? Johns has a protruding disc in his neck. The C4/5 disc is impinging on his spinal chord and C6 nerve.
What does it mean? He needs to immobilise the neck for six weeks and will wear a brace. Doctors are hoping it will settle the injury enough to avoid surgery.
Will he need surgery? There is a 40 per cent chance.
What happens if he has surgery? Johns will have the C4 and C5 vertebrae fused. He will be out for a minimum of six months.

Champ will be back -  By Peter Frilingos,  August 15, 2003
Before the start of the season Andrew Johns said he was relishing the prospect of returning to the heavy body contact of rugby league. The champion halfback had spent most of the off-season recovering from the back fractures that rubbed him out of the finals series and the Australian team late last year. "The body contact is what I like most about rugby league," Johns said. While he was always a genius with the ball in his hands Johns instantly earned respect and admiration from his peers through his fearless approach to the game. The Johns legend was born when he played in the trenches out of position at hooker for Australia in the 1995 World Cup final at Wembley Stadium. That day the 21-year-old halfback won man-of-the-match honours against the odds in a side that was expected to be beaten by Great Britain. Johns' tackling performance inspired the side to victory and since then his dominant front-on defence has set the standard for teammates to follow at club, State of Origin and Test level. Earlier this season there were calls from some quarters to have Johns installed as rugby league's seventh immortal behind Clive Churchill, Graeme Langlands, Bob Fulton, Johnny Raper, Reg Gasnier and Wally Lewis. Hopefully Johns will be back to lead the Knights, NSW and Australia next year but should that not happen he would be the last man to blame the game for the nature of his injury. Above all else Johns simply loves playing the game and since 1908 only a handful of players have come anywhere near his class. 

Johns chance for tour -  16 Aug 2003 
Andrew Johns is a slim chance to lead the Kangaroo tour later this year. The Australia captain, who will undergo more tests next week to determine if he needs surgery, could be back on the field in six weeks, spinal cord injury expert Professor John Yeo said yesterday. Initial scans suggest that Johns has two protruding discs which are putting pressure on nerves and the spinal cord. Yeo released images taken from CAT scans yesterday which show the discs protruding to the left and back on to the spinal cord. He told The Daily Telegraph yesterday that an MRI scan was required to check the diagnosis and determine whether the Newcastle captain would need surgery. "At the end of next week, he will come back and we will do an MRI scan which will show whether the diagnosis we have made was right or not," Yeo, of Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital, said.  "The MRI shows up the spinal cord. With the CAT scan we can just see a faint shadow of the spinal cord, but the MRI will be much clearer." He added: "I spoke to Andrew today and he is going away for a few days, which I think is a good idea because the whole thing has been very stressful for him." 
It is possible that the neck brace Johns has been told to wear will repair the injury. Yeo said it would be up to Johns - in consultation with his doctors - to decide whether he returned to rugby league. On the off chance Newcastle qualified for the grand final, Johns could make a shock comeback in the NRL's showpiece event on October 5. But a more realistic scenario would leave Johns with a slim chance of leading the Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France, with the opening Test in England to be played on November 8.

Johns set to eclipse Chief's NSW rep record -  16/07/2003,  Newcastle Herald
NEWCASTLE and NSW captain Andrew Johns will pass former teammate Paul Harragon as the Knights' most capped State of Origin player in tonight's third game at Suncorp Stadium. Johns has recovered sufficiently from a debilitating dose of the flu and will lead NSW in his 21st Origin appearance as the Blues chase only their fourth clean sweep. The 29-year-old halfback equalled Harragon's record of 20 games with a man-of-the-match performance in NSW's series-clinching 27-4 victory over Queensland at Telstra Stadium three weeks ago. ``I wasn't aware of it," a still hoarse Johns told the Herald from his Brisbane hotel last night. I'm just wanting to get to the game. I trained today and I still feel a bit weak, but I'll be right." 
Harragon was also surprised to learn Johns is poised to pass his mark, which he set with a NSW Origin record 20 consecutive appearances between 1992 and 1998. Former skipper Brad Fittler (29) holds the NSW record for most Origin games, and Harragon believed Johns was capable of passing that milestone if he wanted to. ``I'm really pleased for Joey. He was always going to do it, and it's a great achievement," said Harragon, who will witness his record being broken first hand as a member of Channel Nine's commentary team. ``I reckon he's got another three years in him at this level if he wants to, which would give him a crack at Freddy's record, but records and numbers aren't what drives him. Those sort of things aren't something you think about when you're playing, and I know that's not what motivates Joey." 
Johns will lift the Origin shield regardless of tonight's result but said it would be a ``hollow feeling" if he did so after a Queensland victory. Having made his Origin debut in 1995, four days before his 21st birthday, Johns has started in 18 matches and come off the interchange bench twice. He and Harragon were teammates in the Blues' Origin campaigns from 1995 to 1998 and were key members of NSW's clean sweep in 1996. That was the only year either state has won all three games of a series using the same 17 players. After making his debut in the first game of the 1992 series, Harragon played 20 straight matches before injury ruled him out of Origin III in 1998. Only 72 hours ago, Johns was given little chance of making tonight's kick-off. He was bed-ridden with the flu and forced to stay home in Newcastle while his teammates flew to Brisbane. But he joined them on Monday, trained lightly that afternoon, and took an even more active role at training yesterday. Meanwhile, Knights front-rower Matt Kennedy will come off the bench, and Scone and NSW Country hooker John Johnson will start for NSW Residents in tonight's curtain-raiser against Queensland. ``I reckon Joey's got another three years in him at this level if he wants to, which would give him a crack at Freddy's record." Paul Harragon 

Rock on Joey - all day long -  the Sun Herald
Andrew 'Joey' Johns is sporting a new tattoo courtesy of a big bonding night with the Kangeroo's. Johns was out with his teammates in Kings Cross and after the odd beer or two he got the inspiration to have one of his favourite phrases inked.  Now he has the words, "Rock & Roll" on his left side, but we are not sure he is delighted about it.  He has told mates he woke up and thought, "What have I done?"  On the night he was pretty impressed, having a shirtless trot through the Cross repeating the words "Rock & Roll" to passers by.  His teammates loved the antics.  His other favourite saying when partying is "All Day".
 

Kings Cross, 2am, a belly full of beer and a head packed with great ideas.

Tats the way for Johns -  Daily Telegraph - 
So where else does a rugby league player head for some male bonding but a tattoo parlour?
Confidential got our hands on photos of some of league's finest lads - including Andrew "The Maestro" Johns - making a lifelong committment to body art.  Following a Roosters boys night out, Craig Wing, Luke Ricketson, and a few team-mates rocked up to Sleevemasters for an early morning tat session a couple of weeks ago.  They'd had a few drinks, were quite excited about going under the needle and they knew exactly what they wanted.  The work was done by tat guru Dave Downie, tat master to the stars. Johns got a "Rock & Roll" tat as well as an "01" on his back - and was so impressed with Dave's work, they went for a beer afterwards.  "Andrew came back to say hi, he's a pretty cool guy," said Dave.  "He had some work added to one he already had on his back."
Wing and a bleary looking Ricko paid homage to their team, and got "Roosters" tattoed on their arms, in old English letters. According to Dave, they took it quite well, and also headed straight out for a beer. "They were laughing, goofing around, just a bunch of guys having some fun," said Dave.  "They weren't in too much pain, I don't think it hurt them at all," he said.  "They had bruises and cuts all over them from the game - they were dented up pretty good. And the girls . . . they were chasing them around for autographs."
Dave is a legend of his game, having left his marks on Madonna, Emmy Lou Harris, Angry Anderson, Sheryl Crow and the boys from Public Enemy in his time.

Joey's doc warns the NRL -  17aug03
The spinal specialist who ruled Andrew Johns out for the rest of the season has called on the NRL to investigate minimising the number of players allowed in a tackle. Professor John Yeo is concerned the "multiple tackle" is contributing to a high incidence of neck injuries in rugby league, adding there may be other players in the Telstra Premiership unaware they are carrying an injury similar to that of the Newcastle champion.  And in another development in the Johns aftermath, Newcastle chairman and NRL director, Michael Hill, has called for compulsory neck scans for players."I'd like it looked at," Yeo said of gang tackles. 
"League is a great team game. But to get to the play-the-ball, you have two or three, sometimes four blokes, scrunching you into the ground. The challenge for league is to work out a way, while keeping the game as enthusiastic as it can be, to have some sort of modification of the multiple tackle. I can't see how it would change the game. I think it is worth the authorities spending more time looking at that because we don't want great players like Andrew out of the game before their time." 
Yeo and colleagues at Royal North Shore Hospital have worked with rugby union on changing laws in the scrum to prevent neck injuries. After a CAT scan on Johns last Wednesday, Yeo determined the halfback had two protruding discs that were putting pressure on nerves and the spinal cord. Johns was told even an innocuous tackle could have caused paralysis in an arm. He was immediately ruled out for the season and must wear a neck brace for the next six weeks. 
The Knights, NSW and Australian captain is the latest in a growing line of players to suffer neck injuries in the NRL. Others in recent years are PJ Marsh, Gorden Tallis, Nathan Brown, Wayne Evans, Robert Tanielu and Craig Greenhill. Tallis last night spoke out against the need for any knee-jerk reactions. But the Knights are alarmed that Johns played on for several weeks with the injury, oblivious to the dangers and risking paralysis. Which is why Hill has spoken with NRL chief executive David Gallop about having players undergo scans at the start of a season. "I am certainly not a medical expert but I firmly believe it is an issue worth investigating at the highest levels and I will be bringing it up at the next board meeting," Hill said. I will be proposing the administration has discussions with NRL doctor Hugh Hazzard about instigating a policy of checking X-rays or scans on players as they come into grade and on a regular basis from then on. Just how far that goes and whether the policy should cover all players is something I believe needs to be talked about. I understand it is a policy which is already in force in the National Football League in America." 
Hill said the game's administrators were ever conscious of the potential threat of players suffering serious injuries and that the crackdown on illegal lifting tackles over the past few weeks was a clear example of that. "We need to do whatever is reasonably possible to protect the health of our players," he said. "My strong view is we should have as many safeguards as possible in place and any policy we put in place would not amount to a witch-hunt looking for time-bombs waiting to go off." 
Yeo believes other NRL players could have a similar injury to Johns. "There are probably players out there with a few bulging discs that we don't know about and they don't know about," he said. 

Hagan thanks Johns for season's efforts
Newcastle Knights rugby league coach Michael Hagan has paid tribute to captain Andrew Johns who has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a neck injury. Johns will spend the next six weeks in a neck brace after being diagnosed with a protruding disc, and will also miss the Kangaroo tour of England. The Knights take on the New Zealand Warriors at home tonight, with Kurt Gidley at halfback. Hagan says it is time for the rest of the team to prove they can win without their inspirational captain. "I think we need to thank him also for what he has contributed this year. I think he has played at a level this year that defies belief in how consistent he plays the game," he said. 

Injured Johns helps out the Knights -  7sport.com.au,  26 August 2003 
The Newcastle Knights have a new assistant coach.  He has a sharp footballing brain, powers of motivation, technical nous, tactical genius, the respect of the team - and a neck brace. Nobody will be asking if he's ever pulled on a boot. Andrew Johns's neck injury has ruled him out for the remainder of the National Rugby League season but coach Michael Hagan has the Australian captain to help prepare the Knights as they attempt to reach the finals - and beyond.  It's an unofficial position with excellent working conditions. Johns can turn up whenever he wants, doing as little or as much as he likes, albeit nothing physical that might harm his recovery.  "There's no question Joey wants to help out," said Hagan.  "And we're naturally happy for him to spend as much time here as he wants. He's not known for sitting idle. The more we can get him doing, the better.  He hasn't done a lot yet because he went away for a few days but he'll be involved between now and the end of the year, for sure."
Johns addressed the players before their stirring win over the New Zealand Warriors in round 23.  And he was due to work with the team's kickers at training ahead of Sunday's crucial game against St George Illawarra at Jubilee Oval.  "We invited him to come down to the game in Canberra last weekend but he couldn't make it," said Hagan. "He's also got a young son he wants to spend a bit of time with.  We'll invite him to be at all our games and sessions, and the rest is up to him.  He's obviously still got a lot to offer even though he's not playing, there's no question about that." 

Johns backs shot clock for goal-kickers -  2 September 2003
Newcastle sharp-shooter Andrew Johns has backed the introduction of a shot clock for goal-kickers, but his peers weren't so enthusiastic about the proposal. Australian rugby league captain Johns believes a shot clock would provide added excitement for the fans, who are becoming increasingly frustrated at the length of time being wasted on goal-kicking. "I don't know how it'd work - from the time they're awarded the try or the time they place the ball on the tee or sand - but it's something the league should look at," said Johns, who is sidelined with a major neck injury. Johns, who had a goal-kicking success rate of 82 per cent before injury ruled him out of the season last month, said calling time off during goal-kicking would drag games out and play havoc with television coverage. He noted the time taken by goal-kickers came down to individual talent. "Every kicker is different. It's probably people who aren't the natural kicker who really have to go through the mental rehearsal," said Johns.

Knights - Rugby League Week, 3 Sept 2003
Andrew Johns may not play again this season, but Newcastles favourite son is still a front runner for the Proven Summons Peoples Choice Award for the stand out player in the NRL. Sidelined with a bulging disc in his neck, Johns is gunning for his sixth consecutive gong for the best player in the game as voted by the fans. Only two players have ever been bestowed with the honour - former Australian captain Brad Fitler 1997 and Johns 1998-2002. While the injured Newcastle, NSW and Australian captain will again start firm favourite for the award named in honour of league legends Arthur Summons and Norm Provan, a host of NRL rivals will be gunning for the prize.

Johns backs player action -  September 4, 2003
Andrew Johns last night predicted all players would "stick tight" over their drastic decision to boycott Tuesday night's Dally M Medal. The NRL has until tomorrow to meet further demands from the Rugby League Players Association over a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) or players will snub the game's premier awards night. "We have to stick tight," said Johns, a three-time Dally M Medal winner. This has to be done. But this [action] isn't about us. It's about the players of the future. That's why we're doing it."

Joey's awards the NRL's best - Andrew Johns,  September 7, 2003 
WE won't be hearing those words on Dally M Medal night this season, so I have taken the liberty of coming up with a selection of my own after what has been a stellar season for the National Rugby League. What I won't take credit for is the name of my awards. You can blame the sports editor for that. Without further ado, I present "The Joeys" for 2003. 
PLAYER OF THE YEAR 
Penrith's Craig Gower: Has been an inspiration for the boys at the foot of the mountains. He seems to have relished his full-time move to halfback, which has always been his best position, and has directed his side brilliantly behind a big, young, mobile pack of forwards. He has played with a crook sternum for a big part of the season, so full marks for courage as well. 
RUNNER-UP 
Roosters' Anthony Minichiello: I had some doubts about "The Count" before the State of Origin series, but not any more. He was outstanding and his form throughout the season has been super. I rate him one of the most devastating ball-returners in the game. 
THIRD 
Penrith's Rhys Wesser: Always had the potential but has developed into one of the game's true match-winners with his blistering pace and ability to score long-distance tries. Will be a player to watch in the finals series. COACH of the YEAR 
Melbourne's Craig Bellamy: Has done an unbelievable job with the Storm in his first season as a top-grade coach given the long-term injuries to key players Scott Hill, Robbie Ross and Rodney Howe. Has turned an unsettled club into a harmonious one and players really want to play for him. 
CAPTAIN of the YEAR: 
Bulldogs' Steven Price: Rugby league's Mr Nice Guy who has held everything together this season after the disappointments of 2002. His own form has been outstanding as well. Craig Gower, Brad Fittler and Simon Woolford deserve mentions here for also doing outstanding jobs with their teams. 
ROOKIE of the YEAR: 
St George Illawarra's Brett Firman: Wins in a photo finish from Melbourne's exciting fullback Bill Slater. Firman plays in one of the most responsible positions on the field at halfback and has done an outstanding job for the Dragons in the absence of Trent Barrett for much of the season. 
REPRESENTATIVE Player of the Year: 
ST George Illawarra's Luke Bailey: Just gets the nod ahead of Danny Buderus after his performances off the bench in Origin which earnt him a Test jumper against the Kiwis. 
REFEREE: 
Bill Harrigan: Remains the yardstick for the game's whistle-blowers and if anything, has widened the gap between himself and the rest. Has the respect of the players which is vital and games tend to flow much better because of it when he is in charge. 
OTHER AWARDS: 
BEST BLUE: 
The dust-up between the Warriors and Brisbane a few weeks back which proved to me why I am a lover, not a fighter. Gorden Tallis on Ben Ross is highly commended in this category. What was young Ross thinking? The verbal 'stouch' between Gus Gould and me ranks a distant third. 
HARDEST HITTER: 
Warriors' Richard Villasanti: Just ask Freddy Fittler. This bloke has no fear when he launches himself. You'll find me on the other side of the ruck from him whenever we play the Warriors. 
BEST SLEDGER: 
Penrith's Ben Ross: Ben probably regrets whatever he said to rile big Gordo earlier in the season. Not too many sledgers left but I'll give it to Tezza Hill on the strength of consistancy because he wins it nearly every year. 
MOST INTIMIDATING: 
Penrith's Tony Puletia: The big hair, the facial expressions, the size of his thighs - he is just a scary character when he is charging at you on the field. Special mention in this category goes to intimidating veterans Ben Kennedy and Gorden Tallis who still rate highly, particularly when you get close enough to look into their eyes. Nightmare stuff. 
IMPACT PLAYER: 
Bulldogs' Willie Mason: They don't come any bigger than Big Willie and just the size and speed of the man make him a handful, particularly when he is used in short, sharp bursts. 
BEST GROUND: 
Suncorp Stadium: If you look past the state of the playing surface, it is just an awesome stadium to play in with the grandstands so close to the action. 
WORST GROUND: 
Energy Australia Stadium: I love playing there and the support is unbelievable but the facilities for the fans and the players are a disgrace. 
BEST SPORT: 
Sharks' Chris 'Beaten Favourite' Beattie: Chris gets The Joey here in a real tight one from Melbourne forward Kirk Reynoldson, who stormed (no pun intended) into contention this season thanks to the bushiest beard in Australia. 
The Sunday Telegraph

Knights -  Rugby League Week,  3 Sept 2003
Andrew Johns may not play again this season, but Newcastles favourite son is still a front runner for the Proven Summons Peoples Choice Award for the stand
out player in the NRL.  Sidelined with a bulging disc in his neck, Johns is gunning for his sixth consecutive gong for the best player in the game as voted
by the fans.  Only two players have ever been bestowed with the honour - former Australian captain Brad Fitler 1997 and Johns 1998-2002. While the injured Newcastle, NSW and Australian captain will again start firm favourite for the award named in honour of league legends Arthur Summons and Norm Provan, a host of NRL rivals will be gunning for the prize.

Joey not keen on 'scary' surgery -  By Barry Toohey,  6 October, 2003
Andrew Johns has revealed he will seriously consider retirement if he is forced to have neck surgery during the rugby league off-season.  Johns missed the last four games of the NRL competition and was ruled out of the finals series and Kangaroo tour after scans revealed protruding discs in his neck were putting pressure on his spinal cord.  He first suffered the injury against Penrith just before the Test against New Zealand in July but played another three games unaware just how serious the problem was.  It was after the Knights' 60-24 win over North Queensland in Townsville in round 22 that the discomfort became unbearable and Johns finally had the tests done. He was immediately told his season was over and ordered to wear a neck brace for six weeks.  Sydney specialist Dr John Yeo told Johns immobilising his neck might prevent the need for fusion surgery but he gave the Newcastle and Australian captain no guarantees. Johns is expected to have further scans in the next week to ascertain the injury's progress and admits the thought of surgery frightens him. "The neck feels really good at the moment and I am confident everything will be okay and there won't be any further problems," he said. "But if neck surgery is the only option for me to continue playing I will seriously think about giving it away. The thought of having neck surgery frightens me."  Provided Johns is given the all-clear to make his return next season, it could be his last in representative football.  "The constant grind takes a big toll on the body," he said.

Email rumour gets under Joey's neck -  October 19, 2003,  The Sun-Herald
Matthew Johns is fuming about a highly defamatory email and whispering campaign that is targeting his injured brother Andrew.  For six weeks the rugby league world has been buzzing with the rumour that has now found its way into cyberspace. Johns's management have taken steps to ensure the email is not circulated any further, have referred the matter to police and employed a legal team to handle any defamation suits that may arise from the matter.  Matthew Johns said: "I actually heard the rumour from Andrew.  He asked me if I'd heard the latest one and he told me what was going on.  He just shrugged his shoulders and had a half smile when he said it. Most of the time this kind of thing is just water off a duck's back, but you can see he is not that happy. I know he gets the shits about these things. In this case it is really disgraceful. Normally they are just laughable, these kind of things. What people don't realise is that while Andrew may be able to cope with these things, the rest of his family has to live with it as well. I get pretty angry about these things and I know my mum gets upset. Mum has to walk down the street in Cessnock and know what people are saying. Or people come up to her and ask her if this and that is true. That's the effect this has on the family and people don't think of it."
According to Johns's manager John Fordham, there were positive developments in the case yesterday. Fordham issued an information statement for the media on Thursday. It outlined the steps being taken and denied the email's suggestions very strongly.  "I can confirm that we have had some developments in the matter today which are helpful to the investigation," he said. "This is a matter which we are taking very seriously as the mischievous email has potential to cause enormous damage. If we are able to identify the origins of the email I can guarantee you the full might of the law will be used."
A medical specialist will re-examine Johns's neck injury this week to determine his future in the game.  There are some doubts whether he will continue in rugby league if he is required to have surgery on his neck. 

Johns can't rule out quitting -  October 22, 2003,  The Newcastle Herald
Andrew Johns admits retirement will be an option when he visits spinal specialist professor John Yeo tomorrow for a progress report on his injured neck.  Johns is "praying" he does not need an operation to repair a bulging disc and will consider hanging up his boots for good if Yeo and Knights medical officer Neil Halpin recommend surgery.  The Newcastle, NSW and Australia captain announced in August he would not play again this year because of the injury.  Johns missed the last four games of the NRL season, Newcastle's finals campaign and the chance to lead Australia on the Kangaroos tour. Yeo said at the time that Johns would have to wear a neck brace for six weeks but warned there was a 40 per cent chance he would need surgery if the disc, which was pressing on his spinal cord, had not returned to its normal size. Surgery would involve removing part of the damaged disc and fusing the C4-5 vertebrae, which would sideline the 29-year-old for at least six months. Johns has not worn his brace for the past few weeks and resumed light training last week. But he is dreading the possibility of going under the knife.  "It doesn't feel too bad, but I'm just praying that I don't need an operation. I really don't want it," he said yesterday. "I'm not getting the pain in my arm any more which is a good thing. When I wake up in the morning, occasionally it aches a little bit but I've been back surfing for two or three weeks and last week I started doing some light weights."
When asked if he would consider retiring if fusion surgery was the only option, Johns said: "You never know. I've just got to sit down with the doctors and go through all the scenarios and possibilities. What happens if I do have surgery, the risk of further injury; things like that and how it's going to affect me later on in life. I don't want to be 40 and walking around with a neck so sore that I can't even look over my shoulder. I've got to weigh all these things up but I'm in good hands and I've got total faith in professor Yeo and especially Neil, because he's definitely got my best interests at heart." 
Halpin said Yeo, the medical director of the spinal unit at Royal North Shore Hospital, would have the final say.  "John Yeo is a world authority in this area and we'll be guided by what he says," he said yesterday. Johns said he would step up his training regime as early as Friday if Yeo gave him the green light to resume. The Knights begin official pre-season training on November 10 but Johns wants to get the jump on his younger teammates. "As you get older, the first two weeks your body shuts down if you've done nothing and just turn up to training so I've got to have a little bit under my belt," he said.

Hang in there Joey, urges brother Matt -  October 23, 2003
Matthew Johns will urge his superstar brother Andrew against retirement even if he needs surgery to correct his neck problem. Andrew will visit spinal specialist professor John Yeo today to determine whether surgery is required for a bulging disc. Should surgery be necessary, Johns will consider ending his magnificent rugby league career. But Matthew said: "There's been talk around that if he gets a bad report he might give it away but I would hate to see that.
There is still so much fire in Joey's belly. I'd hate to think he would retire because 12 months down the track he might say, 'Hang on a minute, I want to come back. But I've spoken to Joey and he's getting around well. "
Andrew said last night he was "nervous and apprehensive" about his 4pm appointment with Dr Yeo.  "I'm just praying I don't have to have an operation," he said. "If he tells me I can start training again, I'll be back into it the next day."
Newcastle coach Michael Hagan said the health of his star player was paramount. "Joey feels good," Hagan said. "It's fingers crossed. It is important for him first and foremost - we just want him to be okay and not take any risks."

Johns given the OK to train again -  By Brad Walter,  October 24, 2003
Andrew Johns was yesterday cleared to resume training, but the Australian and Newcastle captain still refused to fully commit to playing again next season until he underwent more tests on his injured neck.  A nervous Johns, who this week indicated he was likely to retire rather than undergo spinal surgery, expressed his relief after being told by leading specialist Professor John Yeo that the injury which ended his season in North Queensland on August 9 had improved significantly.  The Test halfback and world's best player was given permission to do weights work as soon as today, but his future won't be confirmed until he has another scan before the Knights return to training on November 10.  "I am at a stage in my career now where if there was any risk of further damage I'd make the right decision for sure," Johns said.  "I was really nervous today coming down [to Sydney] but he [the doctor] was really happy with the range of movement I've got. I am allowed to resume training but before I do any contact work I've got to have another MRI just to be 100 per cent sure."
Yeo, who initially diagnosed Johns with a disc protrusion which, in turn, was applying pressure on the spinal cord and a nerve root, said wearing a neck brace for six weeks had helped improve Johns's condition. "At this stage, it would appear that surgery will not be required," he said. 

Joey given all-clear -  October 24, 2003
Andrew Johns was cleared yesterday to resume his wonderful career and then declared: "I can't describe how relieved I am."  Johns had undergone a scan on a bulging disc in his neck, an injury which threatened to prematurely end the Newcastle and NSW captain's career.  Spinal professor John Yeo met Johns for 30 minutes at the North Shore Medical Centre, St Leonards, before telling the player surgery was not required.  Yeo described Johns' recovery as "encouraging" and said that the injury had "improved significantly".  Johns will have another MRI scan in the next two to three weeks but is expected to resume training with Newcastle on November 10. Accepted as the world's premier player, Johns can immediately start conditioning training and weights and will start contact training after his final MRI scan.  Johns' disc was placing pressure in his spinal cord and had surgery been necessary, the three-time Dally M Medal winner said he would have considered retirement.  "I was really nervous coming here today," Johns said. "But the doctor is happy with the range of movement I have.  This is certainly a weight off my shoulders. It's been a tough couple of weeks.  I'm happy there's no numbness in my arm and am reasonably confident I'll be all right. It's great to get some good news"
Johns, who visited Yeo flanked by girlfriend Cathrine Mahoney and manager John Fordham, would have been captaining the Kangaroos through France and Great Britain if not for the injury. "I'm going away on a holiday now and when I come back I'll tear into training," Johns said. "I've just got to be smart about things." 
Johns said he spoke about retirement to Yeo.  "We spoke about that and whether I have pain when there is contact," Johns said.  "If there was a risk of damage that would come in later life then I would make a decision." 

Johns comes through training session
Newcastle Knights captain Andrew Johns has taken part in the team's first off-season training session, with no signs of his neck injury causing problems. In October, Johns was given the all clear to resume light training after spending two months in a neckbrace after suffering a disc protrusion. Johns is still to undergo further tests before he can take part in heavy contact training, but coach Michael Hagan says his fitness is "pretty good", considering how long he has been out of training. "He got through the session pretty well, he's obviously done a bit of work because he's had an extended break compared to the others and he's keen and back doing things pretty well," he said. "But like everybody he's going to need the benefit of another couple of weeks or months to get back into the swing of things."

Andrew Johns,  back in pre season training.

Brace yourselves, Joey's fighting fit -  November 11, 2003
A remarkably fit-looking Andrew Johns began pre-season training with Newcastle yesterday, showing no signs of the serious neck injury which threatened to end his career. Johns was back in action for the first time since his career was put on hold late last season after a scan revealed protruding discs in his neck were dangerously close to his spine. He missed four rounds of the competition, the finals series and was ruled out of the Kangaroo Tour.  He was ordered to wear a neck brace for six weeks and warned not to undertake any physical activity. But all that seemed a world away to the game's best player yesterday. 
"It is just great to be back among the boys training," Johns said after a gruelling session at Redhead beach. "I was stinging to get back into it and while it was pretty tough physically, I can't tell you how much I enjoyed it." 
Only three weeks ago, Johns' playing career was still very much up in the air. He was considering retirement rather than the prospect of neck surgery if his condition worsened.  But following a consultation with Sydney spinal specialist Dr John Yeo, Johns was cleared to resume training.  "I've still got to have another MRI scan within the next week or so to make sure everything is fine, and I'm still a little anxious about that," Johns said. "The neck has felt a bit sore in the mornings but there has been no pain down my arm, which is the big thing. I made a pact with the doctor to be really fair dinkum about it and if there is any sign of pain, to go in and have it checked out. But it has been feeling really good." 
Despite the long lay-off, Johns fronted up to the club's first session in remarkably good shape, admitting he has being making up for lost time over the past three weeks. "I trained pretty hard with Kurt [teammate Kurt Gidley] for a couple of weeks after getting the clearance and I did a lot of surfing while I was away last week [on holidays in the Maldives]," he said. "I'm about 90 kilos which is around my playing weight and [I'm] feeling pretty good." 

Johns still committed to rep game -  The Sun-Herald,  16 November, 2003
Andrew Johns says overcoming a massive injury scare hasn't convinced him to follow the lead of former Australian captains Brad Fittler and Gorden Tallis and start planning an early end to his representative career. Johns told The Sun-Herald he had worked too hard to get where he was to start thinking about giving it away at this stage, despite the serious neck injury that put his career in doubt before he was recently cleared to resume training. "I really haven't thought about scaling down in the future," Johns said. "I'm just happy to be back at training. I'll play things by ear and see how things go down the track, but whatever happens I won't give the rep stuff away easily. I've put too much effort in to get here and I enjoy it too much."
Johns - halfback and captain of Newcastle, NSW and Australia - is 29. 
Roosters five-eighth Fittler was 29 when he quit representative football at the end of 2001, citing physical and mental wear and tear, to concentrate on his club. Brisbane second-tower Tallis, 30, quit representative football just ahead of the squad being chosen for the current Kangaroos tour of Great Britain and France. Like Johns, his career was almost ended by a neck injury, in 2001, and since he is still bothered by it, he chose to scale down to protect his club career.
Tallis captained Australia once - against New Zealand at the end of the 2002 season when Johns was out with three broken bones in his lower back - and with Johns out again he would have been captain on this tour had he been available. Johns's older brother, Matthew, says the Test captaincy means much more to Joey than most people realise. "Joey is not unlike Steve Waugh in that he's got a great respect for the history and tradition of his game," Matthew said. "It's just that Joey doesn't make a big deal of it publicly. He's well aware of the players who have captained Australia since way back and the job means a hell of a lot to him. All of the rep stuff is important to him, but particularly the Australian captaincy.
"That's one reason he won't walk away from rep footy in a hurry. The other reason is that because it took him a while to finally nail down the halfback spots for NSW and Australia - after other halfbacks got in ahead of him or he was used at hooker - and he's determined to stay there and enjoy it for as long as he can."

Johns to resume full training -  November 21, 2003
Andrew Johns - considered the world's No.1 rugby league player - has been given the all clear to resume full training with the Newcastle Knights. Knights skipper Johns - recovering from a neck injury - received the green light from Professor John Yeo today and will start full contact training with Newcastle from next week. After examining an MRI scan taken this week, Professor Yeo said he was satisfied that Johns could resume full training. Johns had already begun light pre-season training with the Knights almost a fortnight ago. Johns had to withdraw from the current Kangaroos tour because of the neck injury suffered at the end of the NRL season.

Police probe Johns 'scuffle' -  By Jeff Dunne,  December 19, 2003
Newcastle captain Andrew Johns has been involved in a nightclub incident which is being investigated by police. Newcastle Knights officials are aware of the incident but no action has yet been taken by the club. No police charges have been laid after the incident at the Crown and Anchor Hotel in Newcastle last week. Johns was involved in a scuffle with another patron in the toilets, but it is unclear who started it. The patron has since lodged a complaint with the police, who have interviewed the Newcastle captain. A mediation meeting was held yesterday with the person involved, his father, Johns and his legal representative. 
The Australian captain - who missed the recent Kangaroos tour of Great Britain with a neck injury - has found himself in the headlines in the past for his off-field behaviour. Most notably, last year after a well-publicised argument with teammate Ben Kennedy at a Newcastle hotel. The pair resolved the matter the next day, but because it occurred in front of other drinkers it quickly became public knowledge. Newcastle officials declined to comment yesterday, as did Johns' management. 

Complaint against Johns dropped -  December 20, 2003
A man involved in a pub incident with Newcastle, NSW and Australian rugby league captain Andrew Johns today decided not to take action over the matter.  "The person involved in the so-called skirmish with Andrew Johns has confirmed to Johns' lawyer he is not proceeding with his complaint," Johns' manager, John Fordham, said today. Police were investigating a "scuffle" involving Johns, 29, and a fellow patron of the Crown and Anchor Hotel in Newcastle. 
Eamonn McCabe, the owner of the Crown and Anchor, said the hotel had received a report of an incident on the night of December 10 but the incident had been blown out of proportion. He said Johns and his party had left without a problem soon after and that there had been no evidence of a scuffle. "We have (security) cameras all through the hotel but not in the toilet obviously, so we couldn't see it," he said. "If there had been something (big) happening, you would have seen it, people buzzing and all that."
McCabe said the Knights were regular guests at the Crown and Anchor and had never caused any trouble, even taking part in fundraisers held there to raise money for air conditioners at local schools last week. Johns has had mixed fortunes this season - regaining the State of Origin title with NSW, but missing Newcastle's finals campaign and the Kangaroo tour with a neck injury. He has since been cleared to resume training and is expected to be back in action at the start of the 2004 season.

Joey aims for Sevens return -  The Sunday Telegraph,  28 December, 2003
Andrew Johns wants to make his comeback in the World Sevens tournament next month, but admits he won't be rushing back from the neck injury that ruined his season.  Johns knows the Sevens would be the ideal vehicle for him to make his return but will have his neck re-assessed to gauge whether the tournament is a possibility.  "It's still a long way away and I've just got to see how I'm going - I'll know more in the next couple of weeks," Johns said. "I still haven't done any contact work, but the fitness is good and I think the Sevens would be the ideal way to kick-start the year."
The world's best player has not played since early August after being diagnosed with a neck injury.  A scan revealed that protruding discs were dangerously close to his spine, resulting in the 29-year-old missing the final four rounds of the competition, the finals series and the Kangaroo tour.  The Australian captain was forced to wear a neck brace for six weeks and warned not to undertake physical activity. It was only last month that he was finally given the all clear to resume training.  "The Sevens would be a good way for me to get some confidence back," Johns said.  "If I'm cleared to make a comeback before then, then I'd love to be in the squad, but I'm not going to rush anything at all."
Knights coach Michael Hagan said he will sit down and talk to Johns about the Sevens when training resumes next week.  "I haven't spoken Sevens football with Joey as yet," Hagan said.  "At the moment, he has done everything asked of him bar contact work for the last six weeks and he is certainly in great shape. I know how much he loves playing and it wouldn't be a bad introduction back into footy for him. It's difficult football aerobically, but not as physical as the 13-a-side game."
Johns is due to meet his specialist, Professor John Yeo, next month for an update on how his neck injury has progressed. Hagan said if Johns wasn't available for the Sevens - to be played on January 24-25 - he certainly hoped to have him available for one of the Knights' two trials. Newcastle play the Roosters at Nelson Bay on February 21 and the Cowboys at Mackay on February 28.