Bennett lauds Johns' coaching role - October 14, 2005
Bennett has been reunited with the world's premier player for the first time since 1998, and he admits Johns' genius has had a telling effect on the Kangaroos in the lead-up to the Tri-Nations Test against New Zealand at Telstra Stadium tomorrow night. The superstar's influence was there for all to see after training today, when Johns called his forwards aside to issue some tips about angles to run and how to keep the defensive line guessing. He was akin to a puppeteer pulling the strings, and the forwards, many of them veterans of the international arena, took in his every move. "He's like a coach," Bennett said. "You're lucky, he's out there coaching them for you. He's great. You know, he says something and they all do it, and that's what forwards need. They need a halfback like that, and he's very, very good at it. It's a pleasure to have him."
Bennett said Johns was a natural leader. Even seven years ago, when Allan Langer was halfback and the Newcastle No.7 played hooker, Johns called the shots, he said. "He was always like that," Bennett said. "He was trying to run the forwards back then (while) playing hooker, so nothing's changed. He's just a got a few more theories now."
The return of Johns, 31, to the international fold after two injury-enforced years on the outer has also eased the workload and responsibility of Kangaroos captain Darren Lockyer. The pair has never before been partnered in the halves, and Lockyer is relishing the chance to play outside Johns, who will serve as both a foil and creator for the Queenslander. "I guess (Johns's return) takes a couple of roles out of my game," Lockyer said. "In general-play kicking, Andrew's the best in the game so he'll be the man for that. He'll be directing the team around the paddock. I'll be out there working with the backline and trying to capitalise on any opportunities that he creates. I'm very excited about playing with Joey. He's in great form and I'm looking forward to strapping on the boots with him tomorrow night." 

Johns in doubt for trip - October 22, 2005
KANGAROOS halfback Andrew Johns is in doubt for the final leg of Australia's Tri-Nations campaign due to lingering complications with his surgically repaired right knee. Johns will undergo scans on the troublesome joint tomorrow, with the results to determine whether or not the champion No.7 will be available to join his teammates in flying out to England on Thursday, where they will complete the preliminary rounds of the Tri-Nations tournament with two games against Great Britain. Johns refused to answer any questions regarding the injury after jetting into Sydney this morning with the rest of his NSW-based Australian teammates following last night's heart-stopping 28-26 win over New Zealand in Auckland. But Kangaroos team doctor Hugh Hazzard confirmed that Johns was being hampered by the knee. "He's been struggling with it a bit and we'll be getting him to get it reassessed during the week just to make sure everything's alright," Dr Hazzard said. "We've got to wait for any investigation and follow-up before we make any decisions like (whether he will go to England) and it's not my decision anyway, it'll be the coaches decision. He's struggling with his running and that's a concern. For his own health and welfare and safety it might be better if he gets further investigation and gets it treated properly, but I've got no final comment on that until we do some investigations."
The suspect knee is the same one which required a total reconstruction in March last year after Johns ruptured the cruciate ligament in an NRL match against the Eels at Parramatta Stadium. He completed an intensive rehabilitation program at the Queensland Institute of Sport earlier this year in a bid to strengthen the muscles around the joint, but it appears a heavy workload with Newcastle, NSW, Australia and UK Super League club Warrington may be finally taking its toll on the 31-year-old Johns. He failed to take part in some of the Kangaroos training sessions during the squad's build-up to the Tri-Nations, and while he didn't struggle in the two Tests against New Zealand, Johns has been below his best. Johns showed glimpses of what he is capable against the Kiwis last night, but his bid to find his best form wasn't helped when he received a cork to his right leg midway through the first half. Australian and Newcastle teammate Danny Buderus said he was hopeful Johns would be fit to play the remainder of the tournament, especially as the Kangaroos do not have another match until they meet Great Britain in Wigan on November 5, which is another two weeks away. "We don't know how he's going to pull up," Buderus said. "I think he should be right. It is concerning, but he's got two weeks off before the next game. It's just going to be up to him to see what sort of pain he's going to be in."
One man who could profit from his absence, St George Illawarra pivot Trent Barrett, also said he was confident of Johns' availability. Barrett, who was sensational off the bench in the unfamiliar role of hooker last night, would come into calculations along with Scott Prince and Craig Gower to fill the vacant No.7 jumper should Johns be ruled out. "I'm nearly 100 per cent sure that he'll be okay to go," Barrett said. "We need him. Joey's starting to hit his straps and there were touches in that game last night that showed he was going to be playing very well, hopefully he's okay."

'I don't want to be a passenger' By Andrew Johns, October 23, 2005
At the moment, I'm feeling some mixed emotions. I'm desperate to go on this Tri-Nations tour to England and help Australia win the tournament.  But after the way I've played in the last few weeks, it's obvious my knee is affecting my performance. To be honest, I'm labouring - and I don't want to be a passenger.  Right now I can't exactly be sure about my prospects of going to England. I'll see my Newcastle doctor tomorrow for scans on the knee, which is the same one I had reconstructed last year. The results will determine my fate. I'm hoping it will be nothing serious and I can be OK for the rest of the tour. The knee is giving me grief. I couldn't run properly on Friday night and it's not the way I want to play. I haven't pulled up too well after the Test either. The knee is really sore - I can't even stretch it out. It wasn't one incident that did the damage. I got a cork to my other leg in the Sydney Test, but this is wear and tear and because of it I've been struggling to train with the guys. My knee was OK for most of the season but it has been pretty sore at the back end of the year. I guess I'm no spring chicken and the little niggles have taken a toll. My knee has really hampered me in the past two Tests and I haven't been happy with my performances. That's what I have to sort out within myself. I love playing for Australia and that win the other night was just magic - it was one of the best I have experienced. But if I go to England, I want to contribute to the team. I don't want to play like I did on Friday night. I don't want to play and be half-fit and feel as though I could be doing more to lift the side.
It's just a waiting game now and I can tell you I'm sweating on the results. As for the game itself, it was proof Test football is alive and kicking. 
If anyone thinks Test footy is finished, watch a replay of the game on Friday night. I've played a lot of representative football and it was as tough as any Origin game I have played.  No question. The Kiwis are such a big side across the park and rarely have I had such a test of my physical ability. It was my toughest game in a long time. The Kiwis deserve credit. Brian McClennan (coach) has really got them going. They are playing with a lot of passion and I reckon the past two performances have been their best in 10 years. They are certainly capable of winning the tournament, especially if Stacey Jones decides to extend his career during the English leg of the tour. But I think our performance was outstanding. It typified the character in this team. We had very little ball in the first half. The Kiwis were all over us at 16-8. Because of their size they just kept on rolling, so we had to hang in there. At halftime there was no panic. "Locky" (captain Darren Lockyer) talked to us about not looking at the scoreboard and we had enough big-match experience to stay nice and cool. But I have to say there was a lot of relief at the end of it all. We got a bit of a wake-up call after our loss the other week and there has been a fair bit of pressure on the squad. One bloke I want to single out is Lockyer. His performance the other night was simply outstanding. He has played a lot of great games but that may go down among his finest. When we needed some magic, he provided it. With "Bedsy" (hooker Danny Buderus), he's up there with the best I've played with. Locky showed us the standard at which we need to play. I just hope I can get some good news on the knee and contribute more than I have been. 

I won't play another Test - October 25, 2005
Andrew Johns's international career is over after he was ruled out of the Tri-Nations tour last night with a knee injury. Widely regarded as the world's best player, Johns, 31, indicated last night he had played his last game for Australia and may even pull out of representative football altogether. "That's probably it as far as playing for Australia goes," he said. "I don't think I will be available for the Anzac Test (early next season) and I'm not even sure about the Origin series now. I'm not 21 now, I'm 31, so I can't be pushing myself when I'm injured. I'll wait and see but that could be it and I'll just concentrate solely on the Knights from now on."
Johns had scans on his injured knee in Newcastle yesterday – revealing he has minor cartilage damage, tendinitis and wear and tear around the back of his knee cap which will almost certainly require minor surgery. He was ruled out of the tour after consultation between Knights specialist Neil Halpin and Kangaroos doctor Hugh Hazard. Australian selectors will announce Johns's replacement today with the squad to leave for Britain on Thursday. Grand Final hero Scott Prince is tipped to win the job ahead of Craig Gower. Australia play Great Britain on November 6 and 20.

Knights want to prolong Joey's career - October 30, 2005
NEWCASTLE coach Michael Hagan believes Andrew Johns can survive another three years in the NRL and will devise a specialised training program in a bid to preserve his career. The revelation came as Johns admitted last night he had reconsidered his representative future and would make himself available for Test and Origin selection in 2006. Concerns for the Newcastle captain's long-term future have surfaced after he was ruled out of the Tri-Nations tour last Monday with a knee injury. It is the fourth straight year Johns has had his campaign thwarted by injury, and comes just months after he signed a deal tying him to the Knights until the end of 2008. But Hagan said Johns, 31, is not at risk of a repeated breakdown and the Knights will alter his training schedule to safeguard his ageing frame.
"We'll certainly look to modify Andrew's training if there's wear and tear in the knee," Hagan said. "I've only spoken to Joey briefly during the week. I don't expect him back until after Christmas. The veteran insists he will press for NSW and Test selection next year. "It's something I want to do, I want to play Origin next year," Johns told Triple M's Dead Set Legends program yesterday. "I'll make the decision at the time. If I'm playing great I'll put my hand up. I also hope I'm looked at for the Anzac Test."

Johns back in hospital after setback - December 3, 2005
NEWCASTLE Knights captain Andrew Johns was back in hospital in Sydney yesterday after a setback in his recovery from his latest knee operation. Johns, who underwent an arthroscopy seven days earlier to clean up cartilage damage behind his right kneecap, suffered bleeding and swelling in the joint but Knights surgical consultant Dr Neil Halpin dismissed rumours of an infection. Halpin said the minor post-surgical complication was not unusual and did not expect it to delay Johns's return to pre-season training next month. Johns suffered a potentially fatal pulmonary embolism - a blood clot on his lung - after his reconstructive knee surgery in April last year. To reduce the risk of a recurrence, he was administered with blood-thinning medication during the arthroscopic procedure last month.
"Look, it's nothing serious. It's not a big deal," Halpin said. "He's had a bit of a bleed in his knee, so we've had him in hospital today to wash out some small clots but he's fine. Because of his pulmonary embolus last year, we had to anti-coagulate him last week but the risk with that is bleeding. And the way Joey's luck seems to have been running lately, if anything's going to happen, it's going to happen to him. But there's no sign of infection in his knee or the blood tests we've done, so he should be right in the next day or two."
Halpin expected Johns would be able to return home as early as today once the swelling had subsided. Johns could not be contacted for comment last night. 
Constant pain in his right knee forced the 31-year-old to pull out of Australia's Tri-Nations campaign after the second preliminary game against New Zealand in Auckland in late October. After serious knee, back, neck and jaw injuries in the past four seasons, Johns returned midway through last season to lead NSW to a come-from-behind 2-1 Origin series win over Queensland. He also steered Newcastle to eight wins from their last 11 games of the NRL season.

Joey goes under the knife again - December 4, 2005
Andrew Johns spent last night in hospital following complications from knee surgery but it is not expected to affect his preparations for the 2006 season. The Newcastle halfback suffered an infection in his knee after he had "cleanout" surgery on Monday. The superstar missed Australia's unsuccessful Tri Nations campaign after suffering tendonitis and cartilage damage. He had initial surgery in November and returned to hospital during the week for a minor cleanout. Johns's manager John Fordham confirmed that his client spent the night in hospital as a precautionary measure. "He had minor surgery earlier this week, just some additional repair work after surgery last month and he picked up a bit of an infection," he said. "He has been put on antibiotics until it clears up and it was decided that it was best for him to stay there where he can get some looking after. He will probably go home in 24 hours. It's only a minor complication."
After the final game this year Johns headed to England to play for Super League club Warrington in a bid to claim his first ever premiership title in the UK. But Warrington bowed out short of the decider and Johns returned home in mid October. But the knee injury prevented him to returning to the Old Dart. And after missing out on the Tri-Nations tour, Johns admitted he had probably worn the green-and-gold jersey for the last time. Johns will return to light training probably next week and will begin full-time in the new year. He is expected to be on deck for the Knights' opening game of the NRL season against the 2005 minor premiers the Eels after picking up their first ever wooden spoon in September. "This won't put Andrew's recovery back at all," Fordham said. "The plan was always that after this sort of clean-up and clean-out that it would take him four or five weeks to get back into it. He will do weight training before Christmas and then he will be ready for full training when the club comes back in the second week of January. "And he will be ready to play when the trial games start and when round one of the NRL comes around in March."

Johns expected to start training -  6 December 2005
A knee infection has not slowed recovering halfback Andrew Johns. Johns' manager John Fordham expected his star charge to hit weight training with NRL club Newcastle on Wednesday despite complications following minor surgery on his right knee. Johns suffered knee cartilage damage early in the Kangaroos' Tri Nations campaign and underwent an arthroscopy for "standard cleanout" surgery recently. However, Johns returned to hospital last Friday after bleeding and swelling in the joint. He left hospital on Sunday after having the knee drained. "He hopes to resume weights training on Wednesday and go into running sessions when the Knights come back to training after Christmas," Fordham said. "Normally when you have a clean out it is four to six weeks before you can run on it again. This hasn't disrupted his recovery. He's enjoyed a break and can't wait to start (playing) again." 
Fordham said there was no reason why Johns would not contest the Knights' opening game of the 2006 NRL season against this year's minor premier Parramatta. 

Andrew Johns calls for early decision on Michael Hagan 
Newcastle Knights captain Andrew Johns says the uncertainty surrounding the future of coach Michael Hagan is unsettling and putting pressure on the players.
Knights management met with Hagan earlier this month and made it clear his contract, which expires at the end of next season, will be reviewed mid-year.
But Johns says an earlier decision would be welcome. "I think it would take pressure off everyone, but my job is to play and not to run the club and that's every player's philosophy," he said. "We'll just have to play well and the club will make a decision mid-year." 
Johns added Hagan had his full support. "It's just a bit disappointing to be honest," he said. "If anything it just puts pressure on the side and it's pressure we don't need. Hages knows where I stand and I've got a lot of respect for him as a coach, and as a person he's done a lot for me so, you know, he gets my full support."

Johns is a barge arse 
ANDREW JOHNS’ tag as the greatest player in the world means nothing to his new Warrington team-mates. To them, the Australian sensation is known as BARGE ARSE because of his big backside. Johns’ new Wolves pals even say it to his face — insisting that is the only way he will gel with the team.
Captain Lee Briers, 27, said: “It says a lot about him that he can take stick like that. People think that because he’s a superstar he might be arrogant. But he’s not in the slightest. “He gets stick off everybody, especially about the size of his backside. But he’s all right with the Barge Arse nickname. He’s a top personality.”
Johns, 31, is earning around £15,000 per match in a bid to help fourth-placed Warrington reach the Grand Final next month. The half-back is being paid almost as much as some fringe Warrington players earn in a year. But Briers insists the Aussie Test star will be worth every penny to the club. Briers added: “He is unbelievable. In his first training session we all stood back and watched him. We couldn’t believe how good he is. “But it’s not just what he does himself, it’s the effect he has on everybody else. He’s organising and motivating us all the time, bringing out the best in everybody.”
Warrington host fifth-placed Hull in Saturday’s elimination play-off game. 

Ready for attack - October 07, 2005 
AUSTRALIAN halfback Andrew Johns last night declared himself "fresh and ready" for an all-out assault on this year's Tri-Nations tournament. The world's greatest player returns to Australia from England tomorrow night and will go into camp with the Kangaroos on Sunday. Johns has completed a brief playing stint with English Super League club Warrington and says he is now focused purely on representing Australia. "Seeing it's two years since I've played for Australia, pulling on the green and gold again will be a huge thrill," he said. "Even when I signed to play with Warrington I made it very clear that playing for Australia had always been a great honour and privilege. "It was a disappointing start to the season for me personally and for the Knights. But bouncing back to play Origin, being part of a Knights team that performed outstandingly in the latter part of the competition, then getting an opportunity to play for the Wolves and winning selection in the Australian team means that I'll finish the year on a real high. I feel fresh, ready and fit following my time with the Wolves and I'm really looking forward to catching up with the blokes in camp on Sunday and performing well in the Tri-Nations." 
The Kangaroos trained twice this week and will reassemble on Sunday. Coach Wayne Bennett will train his side on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday next week before the opening match against New Zealand at Telstra Stadium on Saturday night. Australian skipper Darren Lockyer and centre Matt Cooper continue to battle hamstring injuries. Bennett will name the team on Tuesday. ARL officials are hoping for a crowd of around 25,000 for the match. The game has, however, lost some gloss with Kiwi and Wests Tigers star five-eighth Benji Marshall withdrawing to have a shoulder reconstruction. Marshall, who has surgery on Tuesday, will be sidelined for up to six months and will miss the World Club Challenge in February. There is also the possibility Marshall will be unavailable for the club's opening one or two NRL premiership games next season. New Zealand will be missing another of their injured stars in Bulldogs player Sonny Bill Williams. 

Johns to pull on green and gold - October 10, 2005 
LESS than a month after putting club before country, Kangaroos playmaker Andrew Johns today said he was honoured to be pulling on the green and gold again. 
Johns will line up for Australia for the first time in two years when he runs on to Telstra Stadium for the Tri-Nations opener against New Zealand on Saturday. 
The champion halfback admitted he thought his days in the international arena were numbered after a slow start to the NRL season, and was relieved to be once again pulling on the Kangaroos jersey. "It's something I never take for granted, playing for this jumper, and I'm going to make the most of it going out there on Saturday night," Johns said today. It's been (two) years since I played for Australia and four years since I've played with players like Darren Lockyer. And just going to England I got a taste of what the atmosphere's going to be like over there. It's out of this world, the singing and the chanting and just the passion for the game over there, I can't wait to get over there and be a part of it." 
Johns' loyalty to the green and gold was called into question after the Newcastle No.7's opted for a stint with English Super League club Warrington. With the Super League grand final clashing with Australia's match against the Kiwis on Saturday, Johns said he would play in the English decider ahead of the Test. 
Ultimately he wasn't forced to choose, thanks to Warrington's semi-final loss to Hull. The Newcastle maestro, who returned to Australia yesterday after a holiday in Europe, is expected to be named at halfback tomorrow to make his first appearance in the green and gold since taking on New Zealand in Sydney in 2003. 
The 18-Test veteran admitted there were times when he thought his international career was over, particularly after a substandard start to the 2005 season with the Knights as he continued recovery from a knee injury. "I suppose at the start of the year, I think everyone saw how bad I was playing, the last thing on my mind was getting back and playing again for my country," Johns said. "I was playing awful, and that's probably being nice. That's just the way we were going at the club level, I think we lost 13 straight at Newcastle, my confidence was down and so was the side's." 
Johns said he was aware of the pressure of maintaining Australia's long-standing dominance and said he had a first-hand taste of the hype being generated in England about their team's chances in the tournament. "There is that added pressure every time (an) Australian rugby league team goes over and it's just something you've got to live with," Johns said. "In England they generally think that they're going to win it so it's fantastic for the game. I think if you go to New Zealand it may be the same. It's going to be exciting and I definitely think it's going to be a real tight series and fingers crossed we've got the players to come home with it." 

Joey's return - October 11, 2005 
KANGAROOS halfback Andrew Johns revealed for the first time yesterday the genuine fears he harboured just months ago of never representing Australia again. 
And Knights coach Michael Hagan also pinpointed the day in March when he believed Johns first experienced concerns over his playing future. While desperately attempting to lift Newcastle out of the club's horror rut earlier this year, Johns said he felt his Test days were all but over. It has now been two years since Johns played for the Kangaroos but yesterday he looked comfortable once again in a green and gold jumper. Asked were there periods when he felt his Australian career was over, Johns said: "There were definitely times, especially at the start of the year when I was playing badly. "The last thing on my mind then was playing for Australia. You never take the Australian jersey for granted." 
Johns said his confidence was down during the Knights' horror stretch. I was playing awful," Johns said. "We weren't going well at club level, I think we had lost 13 matches. My confidence was down, as was the confidence of the team. It affected my performances. But we turned it around over the last few months of the season." 
Hagan said Johns was carrying injuries early this year and remembers a match against Canberra at Canberra Stadium, which Newcastle lost 39-14. "After that game he had some concerns about whether he would get back," said Hagan, this year's Queensland coach. "It was the first time I thought he had real doubts about his own ability. But being picked for Australia is a fitting reward for all the hard work he put in over the past 18 months. He has come back fit and strong – I was hoping he wouldn't have come back that early though to destroy Queensland." 
Johns will be Australia's halfback when coach Wayne Bennett today names his side for Saturday night's opening Tri-Nations Test against New Zealand at Telstra Stadium. Skipper and five-eighth Darren Lockyer remains in doubt with a hamstring injury, as does centre Matt Cooper. "It's been a while since I have played for Australia with guys like Darren Lockyer," Johns said. "Playing in England (during a recent stint with Warrington) has given me a taste of the crowds over there – they sing and they chant. It's out of this world. I can't wait to get back there. I feel a bit jet-lagged. But I had dinner with the guys last night and you know it's the real deal when you put the green and gold on." 
Johns said Australia will face a monumental assignment during the tournament given the continuing improvement in English football. "They will field a bigger forward pack than ours," said Johns. "New Zealand will also have a massive forward pack. We need to control the ball. If we don't it will be a tough night for us." 

Joey's pumped up for Tri-Nations and ready to make up for lost time - October 11, 2005 
When Andrew Johns first put on the Warrington Wolves jersey, he had to have a second glance in the mirror because seeing himself in something other than Newcastle colours was a physical shock. Now, having pulled on the Australian jersey after an absence from the past four touring teams, he also needed a second look. At the beginning of the year, Johns doubted he would be in this position. He said of his return from a knee injury and then a broken jaw that his Newcastle form was "awful … and that is probably being nice".  "We'd lost 13 in a row and my confidence was down and so was the side's," he said of Newcastle's wretched start to 2005. "At the start of the year [when] everyone saw how bad I was playing, the last thing on my mind was getting back and playing for my country." 
Johns acknowledged that playing for an English club side and the national team were vastly different experiences. For the short stint in England, it hit home how he would have dearly loved an entire season playing a game that is more open, flamboyant and "where they try and score a try off every play". 
He added yesterday: "I wish I had gone over when I was a lot younger and experienced such play on a full-time basis over a season or two." 
But Johns has returned home from his guest appearances in England and about to represent Australia in the Tri-Nations match against New Zealand on Saturday night. Secretly, Johns is excited about the chance to play alongside Darren Lockyer. "It is something I never take for granted, playing for this jumper, and I'm going to make the most of it going out this Saturday night," he said. Johns said he did not want to be drawn into the debate about the length of the season for representative players, other than that it was sometimes a tough gig, but he noted that this year's Tri-Series would be quite tight and unpredictable. He said the perceived gap between Australia and Great Britain has narrowed to such a point that there isn't really a gap. And he added that the New Zealand pack was bigger and a real threat to the Australian forwards. "They're going to be really tough opposition, and if we don't control the ball then they're going to really give us a tough night," said Johns.  "It is up to us to control the ball and make sure they do a lot of work. We've got to tire the big guys out." 

Surfer Joe - October 13, 2005
IT is the sport that gives Andrew Johns his "release" from rugby league's pressure and intensity. Johns and Australian teammates Mark Gasnier and Craig Fitzgibbon took to the Bondi beach waves yesterday as Saturday night's Test against New Zealand at Homebush approaches. "Rugby league players are put on a high pedestal," Johns said on his DVD Joey: The Andrew Johns story so far. Whenever you go out people want to know about football. But surfing is a release from that. When I'm out in the water they don't care if I've won grand finals or Origins. They still drop in on me and don't talk about football."
Johns' mate and renowned surfer Matt Hoy added: "Surfing helps Joey relax and get away from everything. "There's no pressure on him. It's just a bit of fun for him."  And despite several wipe-outs in the very average surf yesterday (sorry Joey, we just had to pick the best wipe-out as the bigger picture), Johns is an excellent surfer who can hold his own at most breaks. 

Johns undecided on rep longevity - 13 October 2005
Kangaroos playmaker Andrew Johns believes a horror run with injury may well lengthen his NRL career, but is unsure if it will extend to the representative arena.
Johns will make a welcome return to the green and gold against New Zealand on Saturday night, ending a two-year injury-enforced absence from the Test fold.
The Newcastle No.7 will remain with the Knights until the end of the 2008 season after signing a new deal with the club earlier this year, but his days in the sky blue of NSW and green and gold of Australia could be over well before that. "I'm probably going to assess it a little bit next year, see how I'm feeling, how I pull up probably after Origin," Johns said. "It takes so much toll on your body physically, and I think everybody knows mentally and emotionally it really takes it out of you, so I'll see how I go next year."
Johns' uncertainty over his representative future means the upcoming trip to New Zealand and England for the Tri-Nations could be the 31-year-old's last tour with the Kangaroos. Australian coach Wayne Bennett has already stated his desire to see Johns in an Australian strip until the 2008 World Cup, but the 18-Test veteran said he couldn't commit to such a long-term plan. "That's too far ahead, I don't really know if I'll play that long for my club team," Johns said. "I'll just have to weigh it up and if I'm still playing and playing well and training hard ... and enjoying my footy, then who knows."
Any decision to pull the pin on his rep career could have as much to do with Johns repaying a debt of gratitude to the Knights rather than fatigue. The champion halfback has been sidelined for extended periods in each of the last five NRL seasons, with his absence for much of this season having a big impact on the Knights finishing with their first ever wooden spoon. Johns said it could be time to give something back to the club, with his disrupted program over the last five years set to prolong his stay with the Knights. "It showed, Brad Fittler a couple of years ago, he retired from rep footy and his club footy went through the roof," Johns said.
"The Knights have been good to me so I might have to repay them there. You look at some players who have been injured during their career, it extends their career. As long as I'm training hard and enjoying my footy there's no reason why I can't go on. I'm going to go on, I've signed up till 2008, so I'll be playing till then I suppose."

Bennett lauds Johns' coaching role - October 14, 2005
Bennett has been reunited with the world's premier player for the first time since 1998, and he admits Johns' genius has had a telling effect on the Kangaroos in the lead-up to the Tri-Nations Test against New Zealand at Telstra Stadium tomorrow night. The superstar's influence was there for all to see after training today, when Johns called his forwards aside to issue some tips about angles to run and how to keep the defensive line guessing. He was akin to a puppeteer pulling the strings, and the forwards, many of them veterans of the international arena, took in his every move. "He's like a coach," Bennett said. "You're lucky, he's out there coaching them for you. He's great. You know, he says something and they all do it, and that's what forwards need. They need a halfback like that, and he's very, very good at it. It's a pleasure to have him."
Bennett said Johns was a natural leader. Even seven years ago, when Allan Langer was halfback and the Newcastle No.7 played hooker, Johns called the shots, he said. "He was always like that," Bennett said. "He was trying to run the forwards back then (while) playing hooker, so nothing's changed. He's just a got a few more theories now."
The return of Johns, 31, to the international fold after two injury-enforced years on the outer has also eased the workload and responsibility of Kangaroos captain Darren Lockyer. The pair has never before been partnered in the halves, and Lockyer is relishing the chance to play outside Johns, who will serve as both a foil and creator for the Queenslander. "I guess (Johns's return) takes a couple of roles out of my game," Lockyer said. "In general-play kicking, Andrew's the best in the game so he'll be the man for that. He'll be directing the team around the paddock. I'll be out there working with the backline and trying to capitalise on any opportunities that he creates. I'm very excited about playing with Joey. He's in great form and I'm looking forward to strapping on the boots with him tomorrow night." 

Johns in doubt for trip - October 22, 2005
KANGAROOS halfback Andrew Johns is in doubt for the final leg of Australia's Tri-Nations campaign due to lingering complications with his surgically repaired right knee. Johns will undergo scans on the troublesome joint tomorrow, with the results to determine whether or not the champion No.7 will be available to join his teammates in flying out to England on Thursday, where they will complete the preliminary rounds of the Tri-Nations tournament with two games against Great Britain. Johns refused to answer any questions regarding the injury after jetting into Sydney this morning with the rest of his NSW-based Australian teammates following last night's heart-stopping 28-26 win over New Zealand in Auckland. But Kangaroos team doctor Hugh Hazzard confirmed that Johns was being hampered by the knee. "He's been struggling with it a bit and we'll be getting him to get it reassessed during the week just to make sure everything's alright," Dr Hazzard said. "We've got to wait for any investigation and follow-up before we make any decisions like (whether he will go to England) and it's not my decision anyway, it'll be the coaches decision. He's struggling with his running and that's a concern. For his own health and welfare and safety it might be better if he gets further investigation and gets it treated properly, but I've got no final comment on that until we do some investigations."
The suspect knee is the same one which required a total reconstruction in March last year after Johns ruptured the cruciate ligament in an NRL match against the Eels at Parramatta Stadium. He completed an intensive rehabilitation program at the Queensland Institute of Sport earlier this year in a bid to strengthen the muscles around the joint, but it appears a heavy workload with Newcastle, NSW, Australia and UK Super League club Warrington may be finally taking its toll on the 31-year-old Johns. He failed to take part in some of the Kangaroos training sessions during the squad's build-up to the Tri-Nations, and while he didn't struggle in the two Tests against New Zealand, Johns has been below his best. Johns showed glimpses of what he is capable against the Kiwis last night, but his bid to find his best form wasn't helped when he received a cork to his right leg midway through the first half. Australian and Newcastle teammate Danny Buderus said he was hopeful Johns would be fit to play the remainder of the tournament, especially as the Kangaroos do not have another match until they meet Great Britain in Wigan on November 5, which is another two weeks away. "We don't know how he's going to pull up," Buderus said. "I think he should be right. It is concerning, but he's got two weeks off before the next game. It's just going to be up to him to see what sort of pain he's going to be in."
One man who could profit from his absence, St George Illawarra pivot Trent Barrett, also said he was confident of Johns' availability. Barrett, who was sensational off the bench in the unfamiliar role of hooker last night, would come into calculations along with Scott Prince and Craig Gower to fill the vacant No.7 jumper should Johns be ruled out. "I'm nearly 100 per cent sure that he'll be okay to go," Barrett said. "We need him. Joey's starting to hit his straps and there were touches in that game last night that showed he was going to be playing very well, hopefully he's okay."

'I don't want to be a passenger' By Andrew Johns, October 23, 2005
At the moment, I'm feeling some mixed emotions. I'm desperate to go on this Tri-Nations tour to England and help Australia win the tournament.  But after the way I've played in the last few weeks, it's obvious my knee is affecting my performance. To be honest, I'm labouring - and I don't want to be a passenger.  Right now I can't exactly be sure about my prospects of going to England. I'll see my Newcastle doctor tomorrow for scans on the knee, which is the same one I had reconstructed last year. The results will determine my fate. I'm hoping it will be nothing serious and I can be OK for the rest of the tour. The knee is giving me grief. I couldn't run properly on Friday night and it's not the way I want to play. I haven't pulled up too well after the Test either. The knee is really sore - I can't even stretch it out. It wasn't one incident that did the damage. I got a cork to my other leg in the Sydney Test, but this is wear and tear and because of it I've been struggling to train with the guys. My knee was OK for most of the season but it has been pretty sore at the back end of the year. I guess I'm no spring chicken and the little niggles have taken a toll. My knee has really hampered me in the past two Tests and I haven't been happy with my performances. That's what I have to sort out within myself. I love playing for Australia and that win the other night was just magic - it was one of the best I have experienced. But if I go to England, I want to contribute to the team. I don't want to play like I did on Friday night. I don't want to play and be half-fit and feel as though I could be doing more to lift the side.
It's just a waiting game now and I can tell you I'm sweating on the results. As for the game itself, it was proof Test football is alive and kicking. 
If anyone thinks Test footy is finished, watch a replay of the game on Friday night. I've played a lot of representative football and it was as tough as any Origin game I have played.  No question. The Kiwis are such a big side across the park and rarely have I had such a test of my physical ability. It was my toughest game in a long time. The Kiwis deserve credit. Brian McClennan (coach) has really got them going. They are playing with a lot of passion and I reckon the past two performances have been their best in 10 years. They are certainly capable of winning the tournament, especially if Stacey Jones decides to extend his career during the English leg of the tour. But I think our performance was outstanding. It typified the character in this team. We had very little ball in the first half. The Kiwis were all over us at 16-8. Because of their size they just kept on rolling, so we had to hang in there. At halftime there was no panic. "Locky" (captain Darren Lockyer) talked to us about not looking at the scoreboard and we had enough big-match experience to stay nice and cool. But I have to say there was a lot of relief at the end of it all. We got a bit of a wake-up call after our loss the other week and there has been a fair bit of pressure on the squad. One bloke I want to single out is Lockyer. His performance the other night was simply outstanding. He has played a lot of great games but that may go down among his finest. When we needed some magic, he provided it. With "Bedsy" (hooker Danny Buderus), he's up there with the best I've played with. Locky showed us the standard at which we need to play. I just hope I can get some good news on the knee and contribute more than I have been. 

Johns has only 50-50 tour chance - October 24, 2005
ANDREW JOHNS is rated only a 50-50 chance of joining the Tri-Nations touring party to England and France this week. Johns' Newcastle Knights team doctor, Neil Halpin, said yesterday the star halfback remained in a "fair bit of pain" after aggravating an old knee injury in Australia's 28-26 win over New Zealand in Auckland on Friday night. "I inspected the injury this afternoon, but there's not an awful lot new to report until he undergoes an MRI," Halpin said. "He is reporting a fair bit of pain to the back of the kneecap of the knee he had operated on. He says it's still very sore, but we won't know the full extent until we get the results of the MRI. He's 50-50.  "Hopefully, he can have the scans done on Monday morning and have the results back by mid-afternoon. The results will be studied by Michael Johnson, the orthopaedic surgeon who operated on Johns, and he'll make his own assessment before briefing the league doctor Hugh Hazard." 
Johns' manager, John Fordham, said last night that he wasn't hopeful the star player would be passed fit in time to tour. "The MRI today will give us a clearer picture on the injury," Fordham said. "Joey remains in a great deal of pain and at this stage he's not very hopeful." 
Halpin said he remained hopeful the news wouldn't be too bad. "Joey is now 31 and in football terms that is getting on in age," Halpin said. "But he has shown in the past that he can still perform at the highest level with a high pain threshold. "We are also mindful of the fact that he's also played a fair bit of football this year after only playing two games in the previous two seasons. I have found him to be the most amazing of athletes, borne out by his effort of playing with two broken ribs and a partially collapsed lung in the 1997 grand final. And for him to whinge about an injury, it must be considered to be of a serious nature." 
It is the same knee that required a full reconstruction and ended his 2004 season. In his weekly column in The Sunday Telegraph, Johns wrote that he was desperate to join the tour. "But after the way I've played in the last few weeks, it's obvious my knee is affecting my performance. Right now I can't exactly be sure about my prospects of going to England. The results (of the MRI) will determine my fate." 
Australia and Newcastle team-mate Danny Buderus said he hoped Johns would be fit to play the remainder of the tournament, especially as the Kangaroos did not play a match until they met Britain on November 5. "It is concerning, but he's got two weeks off before the next game," Buderus said. 

I won't play another Test - October 25, 2005
Andrew Johns's international career is over after he was ruled out of the Tri-Nations tour last night with a knee injury. Widely regarded as the world's best player, Johns, 31, indicated last night he had played his last game for Australia and may even pull out of representative football altogether. "That's probably it as far as playing for Australia goes," he said. "I don't think I will be available for the Anzac Test (early next season) and I'm not even sure about the Origin series now. I'm not 21 now, I'm 31, so I can't be pushing myself when I'm injured. I'll wait and see but that could be it and I'll just concentrate solely on the Knights from now on."
Johns had scans on his injured knee in Newcastle yesterday – revealing he has minor cartilage damage, tendinitis and wear and tear around the back of his knee cap which will almost certainly require minor surgery. He was ruled out of the tour after consultation between Knights specialist Neil Halpin and Kangaroos doctor Hugh Hazard. Australian selectors will announce Johns's replacement today with the squad to leave for Britain on Thursday. Grand Final hero Scott Prince is tipped to win the job ahead of Craig Gower. Australia play Great Britain on November 6 and 20.

Knights want to prolong Joey's career - October 30, 2005
NEWCASTLE coach Michael Hagan believes Andrew Johns can survive another three years in the NRL and will devise a specialised training program in a bid to preserve his career. The revelation came as Johns admitted last night he had reconsidered his representative future and would make himself available for Test and Origin selection in 2006. Concerns for the Newcastle captain's long-term future have surfaced after he was ruled out of the Tri-Nations tour last Monday with a knee injury. It is the fourth straight year Johns has had his campaign thwarted by injury, and comes just months after he signed a deal tying him to the Knights until the end of 2008. But Hagan said Johns, 31, is not at risk of a repeated breakdown and the Knights will alter his training schedule to safeguard his ageing frame.
"We'll certainly look to modify Andrew's training if there's wear and tear in the knee," Hagan said. "I've only spoken to Joey briefly during the week. I don't expect him back until after Christmas. The veteran insists he will press for NSW and Test selection next year. "It's something I want to do, I want to play Origin next year," Johns told Triple M's Dead Set Legends program yesterday. "I'll make the decision at the time. If I'm playing great I'll put my hand up. I also hope I'm looked at for the Anzac Test."

Johns back in hospital after setback - December 3, 2005
NEWCASTLE Knights captain Andrew Johns was back in hospital in Sydney yesterday after a setback in his recovery from his latest knee operation. Johns, who underwent an arthroscopy seven days earlier to clean up cartilage damage behind his right kneecap, suffered bleeding and swelling in the joint but Knights surgical consultant Dr Neil Halpin dismissed rumours of an infection. Halpin said the minor post-surgical complication was not unusual and did not expect it to delay Johns's return to pre-season training next month. Johns suffered a potentially fatal pulmonary embolism - a blood clot on his lung - after his reconstructive knee surgery in April last year. To reduce the risk of a recurrence, he was administered with blood-thinning medication during the arthroscopic procedure last month.
"Look, it's nothing serious. It's not a big deal," Halpin said. "He's had a bit of a bleed in his knee, so we've had him in hospital today to wash out some small clots but he's fine. Because of his pulmonary embolus last year, we had to anti-coagulate him last week but the risk with that is bleeding. And the way Joey's luck seems to have been running lately, if anything's going to happen, it's going to happen to him. But there's no sign of infection in his knee or the blood tests we've done, so he should be right in the next day or two."
Halpin expected Johns would be able to return home as early as today once the swelling had subsided. Johns could not be contacted for comment last night. 
Constant pain in his right knee forced the 31-year-old to pull out of Australia's Tri-Nations campaign after the second preliminary game against New Zealand in Auckland in late October. After serious knee, back, neck and jaw injuries in the past four seasons, Johns returned midway through last season to lead NSW to a come-from-behind 2-1 Origin series win over Queensland. He also steered Newcastle to eight wins from their last 11 games of the NRL season.

Joey goes under the knife again - December 4, 2005
Andrew Johns spent last night in hospital following complications from knee surgery but it is not expected to affect his preparations for the 2006 season. The Newcastle halfback suffered an infection in his knee after he had "cleanout" surgery on Monday. The superstar missed Australia's unsuccessful Tri Nations campaign after suffering tendonitis and cartilage damage. He had initial surgery in November and returned to hospital during the week for a minor cleanout. Johns's manager John Fordham confirmed that his client spent the night in hospital as a precautionary measure. "He had minor surgery earlier this week, just some additional repair work after surgery last month and he picked up a bit of an infection," he said. "He has been put on antibiotics until it clears up and it was decided that it was best for him to stay there where he can get some looking after. He will probably go home in 24 hours. It's only a minor complication."
After the final game this year Johns headed to England to play for Super League club Warrington in a bid to claim his first ever premiership title in the UK. But Warrington bowed out short of the decider and Johns returned home in mid October. But the knee injury prevented him to returning to the Old Dart. And after missing out on the Tri-Nations tour, Johns admitted he had probably worn the green-and-gold jersey for the last time. Johns will return to light training probably next week and will begin full-time in the new year. He is expected to be on deck for the Knights' opening game of the NRL season against the 2005 minor premiers the Eels after picking up their first ever wooden spoon in September. "This won't put Andrew's recovery back at all," Fordham said. "The plan was always that after this sort of clean-up and clean-out that it would take him four or five weeks to get back into it. He will do weight training before Christmas and then he will be ready for full training when the club comes back in the second week of January. "And he will be ready to play when the trial games start and when round one of the NRL comes around in March."

Andrew Johns on Mad Monday

Andrew Johns calls for early decision on Michael Hagan 
Newcastle Knights captain Andrew Johns says the uncertainty surrounding the future of coach Michael Hagan is unsettling and putting pressure on the players.
Knights management met with Hagan earlier this month and made it clear his contract, which expires at the end of next season, will be reviewed mid-year.
But Johns says an earlier decision would be welcome. "I think it would take pressure off everyone, but my job is to play and not to run the club and that's every player's philosophy," he said. "We'll just have to play well and the club will make a decision mid-year." 
Johns added Hagan had his full support. "It's just a bit disappointing to be honest," he said. "If anything it just puts pressure on the side and it's pressure we don't need. Hages knows where I stand and I've got a lot of respect for him as a coach, and as a person he's done a lot for me so, you know, he gets my full support."