Boys' eyes wide open - January 20, 2006 
WHEN the schoolboys' eyes opened just a little bit wider Andrew Johns knew. So did Queenslander Darren Lockyer. When it came to wide-eyed boyhood astonishment at meeting their sporting idols up close Johns and Lockyer had been there, done that. So the looks from schoolboy players at yesterday's launch of the NRL's trips to the game's outposts were mirror reflections for Johns and Lockyer. Johns remembered when Parramatta came to his home town of Cessnock and he met his idol Peter Sterling, along with Mick Cronin. "They weren't just heroes to me, they were super heroes," he said. "The buzz lasted for months. I had my photo taken with Sterlo. We laugh about it now. I was lucky enough to be ball boy the night Parramatta played. I talked about it for years." 
Lockyer, from Roma in Queensland, remembered the thrill of coming to Brisbane and meeting his idol Wally Lewis. "It was a huge occasion," he said. "We went into the dressing room after and met all the players." 
Lockyer kept an autograph. Before long he was playing alongside the men whose signatures he'd sought. Johns said going to country areas helped players hold on to reality. "It's important to stay grounded," he said. "Otherwise you might become self-absorbed and concerned only about yourself." 
Johns emphasised persistence above all. "My brother Matty was a footballer before he became a TV star and he wasn't the best player in his age group," he said. 
"But he kept working hard on his skills and he played for Australia." 

Joey's bid to prolong career - January 20, 2006 
ANDREW Johns, the best player of his generation, has become a rugby league environmentalist, hoping his wearing knee can keep sustaining itself from a rapidly depleting energy source. Johns, hoping to make his comeback with Newcastle in the opening premiership round, says his knee is not quite a week-to-week proposition but it is not 100 per cent either.  "It's a year-to-year prospect," he said. "Who knows how many more games I have in my knee. I've got three years to go on my contract but whether I see that out ... fingers crossed I can play for another couple of years. It's just a matter of being smart with it and looking after it." 
Johns says he will adopt the training procedures devised by great players like Laurie Daley, who worked his way around the pain of knee problems to continue playing. "Laurie says in the final three years he did his fitness work in the gym and the pool," Johns said. "He did a couple of ball sessions and got by on that. I guess that's what I'll have to do." 
Johns said he wanted to play representative football again this year after damaging his knee playing for Australia last season and missing the English leg of the Tri-Nations tour. Again it would depend on his knee. "Origin is the pinnacle and playing a game in Melbourne in front of a full house is very attractive," he said. 
"I'll think about it closer to the event when I see how I'm going, see how my form is and how the body is. But if I'm pulling up sore after matches I've got to do the right thing by the Knights." 
Johns in board shorts and T-shirt, along with Test captain Darren Lockyer, was the major drawcard yesterday as the NRL confirmed its country carnival itinerary in front of a hundred schoolboy players in Sydney. From February 1-3 nearly 100 of the NRL's highest profile players, representing 13 clubs, will visit more than 40 destinations in regional NSW, Queensland and Victoria. Stopping off points include the little cattle town of Richmond in North Queensland, Lavington in the Riverina, Mogo and Gunnedah. For Johns getting back on the field for Newcastle in the opening round is a priority in what will be Michael Hagan's final season as coach. "We'd like to send him out a winner," Johns said. "There's no reason we can't win (the premiership). 
Only Wests in 1933-1934 have ever gone from last to first in one season. In Newcastle's favour is the return of Johns. Last year he missed much of the season with injury but inspired Newcastle to six wins from their final seven games when he returned. 

Joey's price for success -  January 21, 2006 
ANDREW Johns has a dream and a nightmare. The dream is of winning one last premiership medal with his beloved Newcastle Knights. The nightmare is that in striving for that fitting finale for one of the game's greatest careers, he will once again fall victim to the knee injuries that have plagued him, and become a virtual cripple unable to enjoy a backyard game of touch with his son. "There is a risk in playing too long," Johns said. "You see players who have had chronic injuries and they can't even play touch football. I don't want to be like that. I don't want to get a knee replacement at 40 and have to hobble around. I love to surf and want to be able to keep on doing it." 
While hinting at early retirement, the world's best halfback said he is not done with yet. In a chilling warning to his rivals, he said: "I want another premiership before I finish."  In a bid to prolong his career, Johns will cut back on training. But he admitted the troublesome knee may still force his hand before his contract expires in three years. Despite reports Johns' magnificent representative career is over, the Test captain said he hasn't drawn the curtain yet and he will make a decision down the track. "I don't really know what will happen yet," said Johns. "I will just have to wait and see how the year goes. I certainly won't make a decision yet." 
In a wide-ranging interview with The Saturday Daily Telegraph Johns opened up about what lies ahead for one of the game's greats and also previews the NRL year ahead. 
THE INJURY 
After three season-ending injuries Johns admits he only has a limited number of miles left in his knees. The Test half was kept out of the game for 334 days with a knee injury sustained in 2004, and still hasn't run since damaging cartilage playing for the Kangaroos late last year. The Knights captain said he now plans to train less, in a bid to manage the injury, but added he was hopeful of getting through the year. "I only have so much left in my knee," he admitted. "I have to use it up on the field. I still feel fit but we have to manage the injury. I haven't run yet but I have been killing myself on the rowing machine. Trainers are very smart these days and we can do a lot of cross-training, which limits the impact. I can do work in the pool or on a bike and lessen the load. At my age I don't have to be as fit as I was when I was 20. I just have to be smarter. Fingers crossed, I will still be able to go out and run with the boys. I hope it doesn't end up I can't train at all but we'll just have to wait and see." 
RETIREMENT 
As the prospect of retirement looms for the 31-year-old, he said he would like to play football forever. But the fear of not being able to walk may force him to quit early, in what would be a major blow for all league fans. "It will depend on my knee," he said. "It will be a year-to-year proposition as to whether I see it out. I don't want to lose my mobility." But after 225 first-grade games the star No.7 says he is far from finished. "I would definitely like to win another premiership before I retire and I think we have the team to do it. "When you are young you think you are going to play forever but I can see the end now. I consider myself very lucky to have played to this level and been able to enjoy the lifestyle I lead. I have done everything in the game and consider myself blessed. I want to enjoy my last couple of years and I think the main thing is to have fun." 
LIFE AFTER FOOTBALL 
One of the game's best tacticians, Johns would not rule out a coaching career after retirement. But in a startling admission he revealed he would find it tough to coach his beloved Knights. "I think it's very difficult to coach guys you've played with," he said. "You have to have a line in the sand. You can be mates but you can't be too close. It would be very hard for me to coach a guy like Kurt Gidley because I am so close to him." Johns said he would not go straight into coaching, all but ending speculation he will take over from departing Knights coach Michael Hagan at the end of the year. "You can't go straight in from playing to coaching. You have to do an apprenticeship. It is like learning a new trade. I don't know if I want to be a first-grade coach. There is just so much pressure. But I'm thinking about it. If I do go down that road I will spend four or five years as a student first." 
Johns also said he'd follow in brother Matthew's footsteps and pursue a post-football career in the media. The Knights captain is already signed up with league broadcasters Channel 9 and looks to have a big future with the network after several performances that have television heavyweights calling him a "natural". 
"It has come into my mind more and more lately," he said. "I want to do a bit of television and keep my hand in the media. I am a sports lover through and through and want to keep involved with it for as long as I can."  Johns spoke about his passion for viewing sports on television. He said he would like to see more of the sort of coverage that had him talking live on air only moments before one of the most important games of his life. "I went to the cricket during our break and I talked to a couple of the guys," he said. "Adam Gilchrist asked about the interview my brother did with me on the team bus before Origin III. He asked whether it may have crossed the privacy line and I said I think it is great for the bloke sitting at home watching it and think there should be more of it. I think it would be great for cricket if you could get a camera right in front of Ricky Pointing's face just before he ran out. It gives the guy at home a feeling like he is there. It's great exposure for the game and we need it. I love it when they get a camera in after the game and you get to see a team sing their song. They are just great pictures." 
NRL 2006 
Coming into what will be one of the most evenly-matched competitions in history, Johns believes the Dragons and 2005 premiers Wests Tigers will be his toughest opponents. "I think St George have the playing roster to give it a real shake," he said. "And with the salary cap it might be their last chance, which should motivate them even more. You only get a couple of chances to win a grand final because you just can't keep a team together. I also think the Wests Tigers will be thereabouts again. They have bought really well, with the likes of Keith Galloway, Ryan O'Hara and Sam Harris. They are well coached and will be tough again next year." 
But Johns said that all of the teams could potentially be a force. "It all depends on who is fit and in form," Johns said. "You need your top 17 on the park. The NRL needs to be credited on the way the salary cap has worked. It has just spread the talent right out. It is very unpredictable. No two people on the street would be able to pick the top eight if asked." 
PLAYERS TO WATCH 
Johns predicts that two Bulldogs, Sonny Bill Williams and Willie Mason, will have a massive impact on the NRL this year. And he paid Williams the biggest compliment of them all by saying he could be the best player the game has ever seen. "I saw Sonny the other week in his civilian clothes," he said. "It's frightening to see how big he actually is. You look at him and think 'geez, I have to play against this bloke'. If he stays injury-free for the rest of his career he will be the best player ever. Fingers crossed that we get to see that. We are just so lucky to get to see the bloke play. And I think Willie Mason will have a big year. Anyone who has a major injury will do it tough for a while. He only played a handful of games last year and by his standards they weren't great. But I think he will be in for a great season." 
THE ROOKIES 
Johns has a soft spot for the game's halves and picked three playmakers as the rookies to watch. "Being a halfback I want to watch Tim Smith this year and see how he evolves," said Johns. "In his first year he was outstanding. He will only get better when he takes the ball to the line a bit more and develops his ball game. 
Jarrod Mullen is another one to watch. He is behind Kurt Gidley at our club. He has only just turned 19 but looks the goods. He has a massive future in front of him. And I think Todd Carney from the Raiders looks the goods. He will be a very good player." 
STATE OF THE GAME 
With football's World Cup approaching and the success of the Sydney Swans in the AFL, Johns feels it is more important than ever to keep young athletes playing rugby league. "We have to make sure that young, talented athletes at about 16 or 17 are playing our game," he said. "I understand the junior numbers in league are higher than they have ever been. I think if we keep our niche market we will be right. Our product is so strong at the moment. The season, the finals and the Origin series, it's all good. We are just going to get stronger and stronger. And with the way NZ performed in the Tri-Nations, the future is also looking good for international football. I think everyone will be looking forward to the Test matches this year. I really think the product is great. Crowds are up, ratings are up. When Friday comes around I just can't wait for the first game to start. You can watch every game all weekend." 
PLAYER BEHAVIOUR 
With the image of the game taking a battering in recent times, Johns said it was important for players to be careful and avoid incidents that may tarnish the game's image. "I just think they have to be careful and look after each other," he said. "It's hard for younger players these days because the rules are different. Every young bloke gets into a bit of strife but unfortunately if you are a league player you are in the spotlight. I really don't know what the answer is. I just think the spotlight is so intense from a young age. Whatever they do is public knowledge and they will get jumped on. Everyone makes mistakes." 

Andrew Johns is keen to send Michael Hagan off on a winning note.
Newcastle Knights captain Andrew Johns says the dumping of coach Michael Hagan has given the side extra motivation to perform well this National Rugby League season. Hagan was told last week that his contract would not be renewed beyond this year. Johns said Hagan had handled the situation well and continued to have the players' support. "Hages has always had my full support," he said. "He's done a lot for me as a player and as a person and he knows that and we'd like to send him out a winner, that's what we'd like to do."
Johns said he should be fit to play the opening game of the season, after battling continuing knee problems and undergoing surgery late last year. he said there were some complications in the first few weeks after the operation but they had since been sorted out. "The last two weeks it's really picked up," Johns said. "I ran for the first time on Monday. I pulled up a little bit sore but that's to be expected. But I think I'll be right for the first comp game, it's just a matter of me managing the injury."
Johns said he wanted to again lead New South Wales in this year's State of Origin series but his management of the injury will be key to whether that is possible.
"State of Origin is just the pinnacle and obviously very attractive this year," he said. "I'd love to go down there and play in a packed house but I've got to be smart about it. If I'm pulling up sore after games then I've got to do the right thing by the Knights."

Johns warns rookies of pitfalls -  January 30, 2006
FORMER Newcastle, Sharks and Australia star Matthew Johns has delivered a simple message to the emerging players in the NRL talent about the pitfalls of sporting fame: "Not much good is going to happen after midnight."
Johns, one of several keynote speakers to 64 players at the NRL rookie camp today, said the youngsters were entitled to enjoy their time in the spotlight but they had to ensure they were in the headlines for the right reasons. "There are certain pitfalls to avoid," Johns said. "I told the boys that I love having a beer, I love having a good time, but for these young guys, not much good is going to happen after midnight. Go out, enjoy yourselves until midnight. But if you feel like having a few more drinks, go to your mate's joint. When you have a certain amount of beer, your judgment just isn't that good. You might go out with the best intentions but you wake up the next morning going: Geez, did I really have to do that?"
"I'm trying to get across to the young blokes that they're young, they can have a good night out, they just need to learn there are things they can do to minimise any trouble they find themselves in ... the biggest is (being home by) midnight."
Johns said the youngsters would do well to follow the example of Sydney Roosters fullback Anthony Minichiello. "He does it really well, he hasn't lost his focus," Johns said of Minichiello's ability to enjoy his profile without letting it affect his football. "He goes out and enjoys himself, but when he turns out to play on the weekend he plays at the top of the tree. His form never dips. He's a really charismatic guy and people invite him to to all sorts of things and he likes to enjoy himself. However, he trains hard, he doesn't look for trouble and because he always plays well no one can say that he's a good-time Charlie."
Johns' advice is timely, as most of the rookies are expected to make their first-grade debut this season after the majority of last year's attendees went on to crack the top grade. And the youngsters have been warned that bad behavior inevitably turns into bad publicity, as seen with the sacking of young former Newcastle forward Dane Tilse, who was involved in a drunken incident just a week after last year's camp. NRL chief executive David Gallop said the rise from obscurity to stardom could be rapid, citing the rise of St George-Illawarra back rower Ben Creagh from rookie to Kangaroos tourist last season. "We are giving guys the chance to reach their potential, and reminding them the rewards comes responsibility," Gallop said. "How they get remembered in their time in the NRL is largely in their hands, but we accept that we have a responsibility to give them support as they begin their careers."

Joeys fitness is key to Knights season - Battle scared Johns on course for opener - The Sun Herald, 12 February 2006
Andrew Johns will hit the deck and stay down.  The Newcastle Knights will gasp.  Say it isnt so!
Their captain has been plagued by injuries in recent times and, trying to squeeze a few more years out of his career before retirement,  he deserves to be allowed to get up unscathed.  Another severe injury, another extended lay off...  its almost too cruel to mention - but impossible to ignore.
. April 2001 - torn medial ligaments ruled him out of the state of origin series.
. September 2002 - three broken bones in his lower back ended his season.
. August 2003 - a bulging disc in his neck killed ended another campaign.
. March 2004 - A knee reconstruction killed another year too soon.
. April 2005 - a broken jaw against the warriors sidelined him for six weeks.
. October 2005 - wear and tear to his reconstructed knee forced him off the tri nations tour.
Johns is 31.  Is he falling apart.  His body has taken a battering.  But he's running and training again, although he is unlikely to play either of the Knights pre season trials - against Penrith at Alice Springs next Saturday and the Sharks at Coffs Harbour on February 25.  Club doctor Peter McGeogh, fingers crossed, believes Johns will be raring to go when the season begins next month.  "He's training quite well at the moment.  Certainly his knee is getting better.  He wont play in Coffs Harbour unless he's ready.  "The expectation is he'll be ready for the first match of the season.  He's been gradually easing his way back into full training over the two weeks, but he cant train these days like he did when he was 20."
McGeogh denied Johns had any lingering effects from his neck, back and jaw problems.  "We're all hoping he gets through.  Hopefully the bad luck has gone a bit of good luck will come his way.  It all takes a toll. He's a pretty strong, resilient bloke but when anyone comes back from an injury, they're always a bit apprehensive the first week or two.  When he comes back from his previous injuries, the apprehension has been there to start with but it hasnt lasted long.  After a couple of weeks you forget all about it."
Knights coach Michael Hagan added:  "Joey is happy with how it feels, the knee has settled right down, he's running well and the movement is pretty good.  We just have to manage his properly.  He gets a bit keen sometimes and goes harder than he needs to."
Knights other big gun, Test Vice Captain Danny Buderus copped a bad knock on the knee during the tri nations series and it is taking longer than anticipated to come good.  But like Johns, he is set to be cleared for the season opener against Penrith.  John wasnt alone on the sick list in 2005. For much of the season, a dozen regular first graders were unavailable.  But at full strength they were just about the best team in the comp over the closing rounds.  The wooden spoon did not suit them. They wont get it against, if Johns and Buderus are around.

Joey to have game time in Coffs - February 25, 2006 
A CONFIDENT Andrew Johns will make a 20 minute cameo appearance off the bench for Newcastle in Coffs Harbour tonight to ensure he hits the ground running when the NRL premiership kicks off in a fortnight. While Coffs Harbour has been somewhat of a hoodoo town for the brilliant Knights playmaker in the past, he believes the benefits of some game time against the Sharks will outweigh any potential negatives. Johns had intended sitting out the club's two pre-season trials to avoid possible injury after he had off season surgery to clean up a knee problem. But rather than go in cold against Parramatta in the opening round of the NRL, Johns has had a re-think and will brush away any cobwebs with a short stint in the second half tonight. "I'm feeling great - 100 per cent - so I'll probably play for 20 minutes or so in the second half depending on how I go," Johns said. "I wasn't going to play in the trials but Hages [coach Michael Hagan] and I had a chat about it at the start of the week and he reckoned it would be good for my confidence to get something under my belt. I've done everything training-wise over the past few days up here and I've pulled up fine so I'll definitely have a run." 
While he was happy to leave the final decision to Johns, Hagan believes his champion halfback will benefit enormously from playing. "You can only do so much at training and I just think he will be better off mentally by having some game time," Hagan said. "You need to be confident in going in to make a tackle and being tackled and getting that out of the way now is probably the way to go." 
Johns hasn't had a happy time of it in trials at Coffs Harbour in the past. On two previous occasions, he has torn ankle ligaments and suffered a groin injury. 
"Yeah, I haven't had much luck up here in the past but that's not going to worry me too much," he said. 

Joey back better than ever - February 26, 2006 
Knights 22 Sharks 4 
THE King is back. Champion half Andrew Johns last night made a scintillating return to rugby league, tearing the Sharks apart as the Knights coasted to an impressive trial win in Coffs Harbour. In his first hitout following surgery on his troubled right knee, Johns played just 26 minutes after sitting out the first half. But it was all the time he needed to make the Sharks look second-rate. Playing without a number on his back because his No.14 jersey was too big, Johns set up two tries in his first eight minutes on the park after the Knights led 10-0 at half-time. The Test playmaker walked off unscathed to a rousing reception as the Coffs Harbour locals savoured their first NRL game since the Bulldogs affair two years ago. "The knee feels fine - once I got out there I didn't want to come off," said Johns, who only agreed to play after a midweek chat with coach Michael Hagan. "I wasn't going to play a week ago but the more 'Hages' spoke the more he made sense, so I'm happy I played ... I ended up getting a few good touches." 
With Danny Buderus also making his first appearance of the year, Johns oozed class. With his second touch of the night, in the 44th minute, he put Steve Simpson through a gap with a neat inside ball for Craig Smith to score. Four minutes later, he fired a cutout pass for British winger Brian Carney to score his second try - and the Sharks were in tatters at 22-0. The NSW No.7 later wrapped his knee in ice, saying it was a precaution he will continue throughout the year. It's just good to be back and get the rust out, we did some good things." 
Hagan was rapt to have Johns and Buderus, who played 24 minutes, in combination again. "It was nice to get our better players some footy after half-time, so from that point of view we got exactly what we wanted out of the game," he said. "I wouldn't say I had to convince Joey to be play but I think he's more confident now than he may have been in a fortnight going in cold." 

Part time Joey - February 27, 2006 
Michael Hagan last night revealed he would consider resting his most prized asset, Andrew Johns, as much as possible this season to ensure the champion halfback's longevity.  Johns played just 26 minutes in his first outing of the season, Saturday's trial match against Cronulla in Coffs Harbour. 
Hagan confirmed he could adopt a philosophy of resting Johns rather than playing him for the entire 80 minutes. "I guess when he gets his match fitness back we can then play it by ear," Hagan said. "We will see who we are playing and who we have available. We could consider less minutes for 'Joey' in matches. But we'd have to convince him of that. But there is that chance. Kurt (Gidley) and Jarred (Mullen) will give us more flexibility at halfback which is good. "It's also about how we manage him at training." Johns and Hagan have spoken about the champion halfback completing less work at training. Hagan has been forced to contemplate the situation after a string of serious injuries in recent seasons for Johns who turns 32 this year and remains contracted until 2008. Bulldogs legend Terry Lamb was a non-trainer towards the end of his career in the mid-1990s. "It could be like Terry Lamb," said Johns' manager John Fordham. "But Joey is so passionate about his football. Injury would be the only thing to stop him playing. He is so in love with the game. He just wants to get out there and play each week. He wouldn't want to be rested."   There is a theory Johns could become an impact player. He could cause his mayhem and then be interchanged to keep his body fresh. However former New Zealand and Balmain halfback Gary Freeman has doubts. "I think Joey will play 80 minutes each week when the premiership starts," Freeman said last night. 
"It could be beneficial to rest him if gets some injuries but he's been pretty unlucky in that regard and I think he will avoid injuries this year. You can't have a player of his calibre on the bench, even if they are winning by 20 points. Last year they struggled when he didn't play. When he is back and they are winning, he will want to be out there."  Former Test five-eighth Brett Kenny also doubts the Knights will protect Johns too much.

Johns, Smith a lethal combination -  March 6, 2006
WHEN Eels five-eighth John Morris threw an engagement bash at his Parramatta home on Saturday night, a few of his former Newcastle teammates made the trek down the F3 to join in the celebrations. It was only a matter of time before the conversation turned to Brian Smith.  After all, the Parramatta coach's name had been splashed over the morning newspapers as the latest candidate to replace Michael Hagan at the Knights. Forget Hull and Canberra, who were also believed to be in the hunt. Smith was now heading north to replace the man who took his job at the Eels from 2007. "Johnny said he's got a lot of respect for him and he's done a lot for Johnny so he had a pretty good rap on him," Newcastle prop Josh Perry said yesterday. Perry has had his own experiences with Smith, and so too have a couple of other Newcastle players and officials who will play a crucial role in determining if he gets a start at the club. In 2003 Smith was in his third and final year as coach of the NSW Country team. As far as country representative teams go, it wasn't that bad a line-up. St George Illawarra's Trent Barrett at five-eighth. Cronulla's David Peachey at fullback. But it gets better. Newcastle captain Andrew Johns at halfback. Danny Buderus hooker. Perry and Daniel Abraham on the bench. Lock Ben Kennedy, now at Manly, and winger Timana Tahu, now with Smith at the Eels, were also there, along with Perry. While Perry's opinion doesn't hurt, those of Harragon, Johns and Buderus will hold sway around the boardroom table at Newcastle. Harragon, a former prop at the club, has been sounding out coaches since the club began its search for someone to replace Hagan. It has not been going well, given they have already missed out on Tim Sheens and Matt Elliott. Johns, Buderus, and Steve Simpson and Matthew Gidley - who also both played under Smith in the Country teams over 2001-02 - form part of a players committee the board will consult before making a final decision on a coach. 
It is a process Johns, who is believed to be meeting Smith some time this week, has already been through once before, after he was sounded out prior to Hagan's appointment in 2001. He represented a key figure in those negotiations after his older brother Matthew Johns had fallen out with Hagan's predecessor Warren Ryan, a man considered an old-style coach like Smith. Johns' influence has grown ten-fold since then. Even more important is that Johns and Smith were allegedly feuding in 2001, a subject the Eels coach tried to debunk during his stint as a columnist for The Australian. "It probably came about after someone got the wrong idea from an interview I gave following our pre-season game against the Knights, in which Johns celebrated big time after his teammate Timana Tahu scored a fantastic try for them," Smith wrote. "I made a point of saying afterwards that you could tell the game was fair dinkum, and we could take a bit of confidence out of it, because when Johns is yipping and yahooing you know they are serious about what they are doing. But somehow or other that got twisted around so they made it sound like I was having a shot at him."  The Knights are about to enter a crucial phase in their relatively short history.  The retirement of Johns, 31, could be a couple of seasons, or a serious injury, away. The halfback is contracted until the end of the 2008 season but realistically is a weekly proposition given his unfortunate run with injuries. The Knights have shown all too often in the past how much they struggle without Johns and to try to survive without him when he eventually walks away is mission impossible for any coach. Enter Smith. While he may not have a premiership to his name after 448 games and a reputation for being too intense, he is also regarded as a workaholic and meticulous planner who leaves absolutely nothing to chance. His stint at Parramatta has seen the Eels secure the club championship (judged over all grades) for eight of the past nine years and insiders say there is not a player from premier league all the way down to the under-16s Harold Matthews competition unknown to Smith. "I've learned a great deal and I've been under him now for four years," Morris said, adding that playing under Smith was a factor in his leaving Newcastle. He's developed me really well and I'm always learning. He's been great. I think that's the coach's number one priority is to keep improving players and I feel like I'm doing that." 
Smith is regarded as having one of the best football brains in the game; Johns is regarded as the best footballer on the planet. If the pair could work together it's fair to say that would be a lethal combination. The Australian
 

RUGBY LEAGUE WEEK- KNIGHTS ENTER THE ICE AGE 
ANDREW Johns will freeze his way through seven ice baths this week – and more than 180 before the year is out – in a radical attempt to return the NRL premiership to Newcastle. Officially the most injury-prone team in the competition last season, the Knights have made sweeping changes to all training and rehabilitation programs as they attempt to reverse the worrying trend. Under the watchful eye of new head trainer Scott Dickinson and his two-man team, daily stretching classes have been introduced, visits to the masseur doubled and ice baths scheduled after every training session. No excuses. No exemptions. 
An impressed Joey Johns has told friends the Knights are in the best shape he can remember, while Test back-rower Steve Simpson insists every Knight will be “fitter, stronger and faster” in 2006. “Recovery is something we’ve struggled with in the past, but not this year,” Simpson tells RLW. “This season we’re far more professional, the club has gone ahead in leaps and bounds. “Gone are the days of having one ice bath and one massage per week. Now we’re having ice baths after every session, getting a couple of massages a week and the conditioners also have us in stretching classes. “Everything is top notch and I think everyone is feeling fitter, stronger and faster.” 
Injured Knights missed a staggering 196 games in 26 rounds last season, a figure well ahead of the next worst offender Canberra (whose players missed 138 games) and almost four times that of premiers Wests Tigers (53). But the arrival of Dickinson, the former Queensland Institute of Sport trainer who readied Johns for Origin last year, is expected to reverse the trend and return the Novocastrians to the winner’s circle. “Last year the club only had one trainer (club legend Billy Peden) and, as a result, there was just no way for him to individualise programs,” Dickinson explains. “But now, with three full-time staff, we can pay a lot more attention to the individual. We can get rid of all those things that stand in the way of him being healthy. We’ve eliminated anything that puts him at risk of further injury.” 

We can work together - March 09, 2006
ANDREW Johns and Brian Smith yesterday agreed to bury a long-standing feud – moments after Newcastle outlaid more than $1 million to sign the Parramatta coach for the next three years. Smith became the third coach to sign with a new club for 2007, prompting NRL boss David Gallop to admit the coaching merry-go-round on the eve of a new season was "probably not ideal for the fans". Johns and Smith declared they can work alongside each other, revealing their relationship soured six years ago after a trial match in Maitland. Smith admitted there had been some perceived "nastiness".
But both were praising one another yesterday, with Smith rating Johns "possibly the world's best player – maybe the best player of all time". In a bizarre twist at Newcastle on Saturday, Smith will face his new club the Knights while Hagan will be opposed to the Eels, the team he controls in 2007. "Brian Smith has all the credentials to be an outstanding future coach of the Knights," Johns said. "He is highly experienced and while we keep hearing he has never won a premiership, he's had plenty of success wherever he has been," Johns added. "But to be perfectly honest, I don't know him all that well. There is this perception out there that Brian and I don't get on and that there are issues between us. I think they date back to a trial game five or six years ago between the Eels and the Knights at Maitland when Brian had a few things to say after the game about the way I celebrated one of our tries that night. I may have said something back and all of a sudden, there was this perception of a rift between us. I can honestly say none ever existed." Smith also recalled the match. We'd played Newcastle in a pre-season game and it was an incredible game of footy," Smith said. "They scored a fantastic try and Joey was whooping and yahooing as it was scored. I made the comment after the game that I thought it was a game that gave us a line on where we were because it has been played at such pace and passion. Somehow that got taken to the other camp and it turned into a bit of nastiness."  Smith said he was ecstatic to be joining such a passionate rugby league club. "Coaching the Knights is a dream," Smith said.

Joey won't play Origin, says Daley - March 11, 2006
FORMER New South Wales captain Laurie Daley, an assistant to Blues coach Graham Murray, does not expect Andrew Johns to further strain on his surgically repaired knee by playing State of Origin this year. Daley, who had knee problems towards the end of his career, knows what Johns is going through as he prepares to make his premiership return for Newcastle against Parramatta at EnergyAustralia Stadium tonight. Johns is yet to commit to representative football, adopting a wait-and-see approach with his knee in the early rounds of the competition. But the Knights captain conceded in January that he was not sure how many games he had left in his knee. Daley suffered from similar problems towards the end of his stellar career, eventually retiring from representative football in 1999 after 23 games for the Blues. He played a further season with Canberra in 2000 before calling it quits. "It's a difficult decision, but the way I see it you'll make a decision based on how long you want to continue in the game rather than a short-term goal of playing Origin once more," Daley said. "Another three (Origin) games and a Test match, and Test matches at the end of the year, take a toll on your body, especially when your knee has only got so many games in it. (Origin is) like playing another 10 games, really. He has to weigh up whether he wants to play more representative football or concentrate on his long term and play more for Newcastle." 
Johns remains committed to the Knights, revealing this week that he had been off beer for a month as he focused on the club's opening encounter with Parramatta. 
He has also been undergoing intensive weekly physiotherapy to ensure he is in peak condition. Johns will need to make a decision on his representative future before the opening Test of the year, against New Zealand at Suncorp Stadium on May 5. "It's hard enough at the best of times when you're fit," Daley said. 
"When you know you're carrying an injury, and you know every time you run out there you're grinding it down a bit as well ... you have to make some tough calls."

Johns on the verge of milestone - Sportal 
Newcastle Knights star Andrew Johns is on the verge of a milestone as he prepares to face the Bulldogs on Friday night at EnergyAustralia stadium. The Knights skipper enters the match having scored 1,998 NRL career points, and given his current form - he scored 30 points on two tries and 11 goals in Newcastle's 70-32 thrashing of the Raiders on Sunday – it should be a near formality. Knights coach Michael Hagan is hopeful his side can register its third straight victory and is expecting defender Danny Buderus to play a key role in the match, while also being wary of the Bulldogs depth. "There were some soft tries scored up the middle last Sunday and I expect Danny to be leading by example in that area of the park," Hagan said. "With the likes of Willie Mason, Mark O'Meley and Roy Asotasi running at us all night, we'll need to be on our guard for the entire 80 minutes."

Johns stars in 102-point match - March 19, 2006
Canberra 32 Newcastle 70
ALMOST everything Andrew Johns touched today turned to gold. The result? The highest scoring first grade rugby league match in premiership history. The master halfback weaved his magic in the national capital, orchestrating a crushing 70-32 defeat of the Raiders at Canberra Stadium. Johns finished the game with a personal tally of 30 points from two tries and 11 goals as the Knights ran in a total of 12 tries to Canberra's six. Canberra started the game well when debutant fullback 

Johns the man for all reasons - March 26, 2006
I SINCERELY hope Andrew Johns plays rep football this season. There have been suggestions he may stand down to concentrate on playing for his beloved Newcastle. Judging by the way he played on Friday night, I have no doubt he's completely over the injury problems that have dogged him in recent seasons. His energy in attack and defence was amazing and it really looks as if the fire in his belly burns as fiercely as ever. Johns's presence would give the representative football program a huge boost and we need to keep developing publicity at this level. The representative schedule this year and the importance of some of the clashes give Johns the opportunity for a tremendous send-off in both international and State of Origin football. First, the Anzac Test against New Zealand will be huge after the Kiwis' victory in the Tri-Nations in November. We have the Tri-Nations being played on home soil this year and it would be a boost if Johns were available to help Australia win back the title. I would also love to see Johns have one last full series for NSW. What he did for the team last season, when he came back for the final two games, was nothing short of amazing.

Swans set for 'hardest year' By Andrew Johns - March 26, 2006
ANDREW Johns discovers the private thoughts of Swans captain Barry Hall, and asks why he chose AFL over boxing.
ANDREW JOHNS: Great to catch up again. What has it been like since the team's grand final success? 
BARRY HALL: Yeah, the interest it created was pretty amazing. But even before the game, we were getting rugby league clubs, union clubs and even soccer people sending emails wishing us luck. I know we're competing but it showed Sydney as a whole sort of came together, which was great. It changed the AFL awareness in Sydney. 
AJ: I was in England at the time and even over there, the Aussie expats were buzzing about it. Did you give yourself a genuine chance of winning it two months out? 
BH: Yeah, probably. We were on a bit of a roll at that stage. We'd won 13 out of our last 16 and we had no injuries. We had only one change in the last nine weeks so we had a pretty stable side and were in good form. 
AJ: It was a super grand final. Did the celebrations afterwards compare favourably? 
BH: It was good actually. After the grand final, we had two weeks in Sydney and you can imagine what was happening there and then we went away to Hawaii and that was really the first time we actually sat down as a group and spoke about it. It was great. We had a great week there. 
AJ: What did the criticism of your playing style by Andrew Demetriou do for the club? 
BH: We actually looked at it, to be honest, to see if he was right. To Roosy's (coach Paul Roos) credit, he could have changed everything and gone maybe "he is right", but he stuck to his guns and we didn't change anything at all. 
AJ: Has Roosy looked to make any changes or tweak a few things leading into this season? 
BH: There have been a few little things. There have been rule changes and stuff like that we've had to work around but the mindset of the players, the one-on-one style of footy we play won't be changing. 
AJ: Is there a player at the Swans jumping out of the ground who is in for a big year in your eyes? 
BH: Ryan O'Keefe. He was super-fit anyway but he has got himself even fitter. He has bought himself a bike and he does hundreds of kilometres a week and his practice matches have reflected his fitness. 
AJ: What about the teams to beat? Who do you rate as the real chances among your rivals this season? 
BH: St Kilda will be up there again. They have a heap of talent and have been thereabouts for a few years and went out to us pretty disappointingly last year. Of the others, probably Adelaide. 
AJ: What about the players? Who in your eyes would be the top three players in the competition? 
BH: Chris Judd from West Coast is one. The scary thing is he is only 21 and he's already won the Brownlow. 
AJ: Was that his missus in the red dress that night? 
BH: Yeah. You remember her before him, don't you? 
AJ: She was the talk of training the next day. I don't know how he plays but he must go all right off the field. 
BH: Anyway, what were we talking about? Yeah, the best players. Judd's team-mate Ben Cousins. That's why they got to the grand final - their midfield. Nick Riewoldt from St Kilda is a top-liner as well. 
AJ: What about since you have come to Sydney. Do you watch any of the other codes, league or union? 
BH: Yeah, I do. League's a little bit easier to follow as far as rules go. 
AJ: Even the union boys would say that, I'd say. My brother has actually said he has seen you on The Footy Show a few times. 
BH: A few of the boys are pretty keen on league. We've got a tipping competition going and stuff like that. 
AJ: Do you have an NRL team? 
BH: Soon as I got here, I just went St George for the colours. Coming from Melbourne, I hadn't really seen a lot of league but I'm just a fan of sport in general, I don't really care what it is. 
AJ: I read somewhere Johnny Lewis said you could have won an Australian heavyweight title. Do you reckon you could have got to that level? 
BH: (laughs) I don't know, it's real hard to say. I fought as an amateur as a kid and won a Victorian title. But as a 16-year-old, I was training twice every day and it wasn't a lot of fun. 
AJ: What about the chances of the Swans this year? How hard will it be to go back-to-back? 
BH: It will be the toughest year we've ever played. We used to hunt teams down - now we are going to be the hunted. 

Johns to bow out in Anzac Test
Andrew Johns wants to play for Australia in the Anzac Test against New Zealand in Brisbane on May 5, in what he says will be his last representative appearance.
The star Knights half-back met Kangaroos coach Ricky Stuart in Newcastle this week and confirmed he would be available for selection in the trans-Tasman showcase. But Johns says he is now retired from State of Origin football, bringing the curtain down on a glittering career spanning 23 matches for New South Wales. His manager John Fordham said the 31-year-old wanted to make sure he stayed fit for his NRL club side Newcastle after a run of injuries in recent years.
"He's just got to manage his health," Fordham said. "It's a long season, he's not getting any younger, he's still playing brilliantly. A commitment to the Origin program is about a six-week commitment, and Joey feels at this stage of his career it would be taking too much out of him."
Fordham said Stuart had been "extremely happy" to hear the news at his meeting with Johns, who had indicated that he would not play for Australia again after injuring his knee while playing for the Kangaroos at the end of last season. "It'll be Ricky's first Test as coach of Australia and to have the best footballer in the world in his side will be a great bonus," he predicted. New South Wales Origin coach Graham Murray said he was disappointed he would not get to coach Johns in a Blues jersey, but supported his decision to retire from the team. "He's on top of his game at the moment as we've all seen," he said. "Particularly at Origin level last year he was very good. But he's a bit concerned that the toll of the arduous Origin series might just affect his club football - and you've got to respect that."
Murray said Johns broke the news to him over the phone. "I said good on you mate, you've made a decision that obviously you've thought long and hard about," he said. "I said you've made a decision that's very respectful of your football club that's been very good to you over a long period of time."
The Knights suffered a string of losses last season when Johns was absent through injury, but almost avoided the wooden spoon when he returned to spark them to several victories at the end of the season. Johns's place in the Anzac Test side now rests in the hands of Kangaroos selectors.

Knights face the unthinkable: life after Joey - March 28, 2006
Newcastle has begun to plan for life after Andrew Johns with the NRL club today announcing the re-signing of former junior Kangaroo Jarrod Mullen until 2009. 
Mullen said the chance to continue his development under the guidance of Johns was a major factor in his decision to stay with the Knights. "I do a lot of work with him and to have a player like that and learn of him, be his apprentice, I suppose, is just amazing," Mullen said. "I don't think anyone can replace Joey... I'll do my best job." 
The Newcastle junior was thought to be highly sought after by opposing clubs but chose not to test his value on the open market after the June 30 anti-tampering deadline. There where rumours Parramatta-bound Knights coach Michael Hagan would try and lure Mullen to the Eels next season. But Hagan said he was pleased for both Mullen and Newcastle. "I think it is a really good situation for the club to be in, I think Jarrod has been a tremendous talent for the club in the last couple of years, it's good for the club that he has agreed to stay and for his development I think down the track he is going to be a very good player for the club," said Hagan, who has signed a three-year deal to coach the Eels from 2007. "He has a great attitude and is regarded as a future playmaker for the club. This is an important signing for the Knights long term success." 
Opportunities in the immediate future, however, may be rare for Mullen, with the Knights current scrum-base duo of Johns and Kurt Gidley in scintillating form. 
But Mullen has found some positives in being stuck behind such an established combination. "I'm learning a lot in premier league actually, I get my hands on the ball a fair bit," Mullen said. "If I was in first grade playing outside Joey I don't think I would be touching the ball much because he plays a pretty dominant role... I'll get my chance I hope, I've just got to take it when it comes." 

Johns to celebrate milestone against Warriors - March 29, 2006. 
Andrew Johns will reach a career milestone when he takes on the New Zealand Warriors this weekend, joining Tony Butterfield as the most capped Newcastle first grade player in the club's history. Johns will play his 229th game for the Knights against the Warriors in the round four National Rugby League match at Marathon Stadium on Sunday. The New South Wales and Australian representative made his debut for the club back in 1993, and Newcastle chief executive Ken Conway praised his efforts with the club. "It is an outstanding achievement and we congratulate Andrew on this milestone and the contribution he's made to the club," he said in a statement released by the club. The 31-year old recently announced he would be standing down from all representative football after this year's Anzac Test against New Zealand in Brisbane on May 5 to focus on maintaining his club form. Johns, a premiership-winner with Newcastle in 1997 and 2001, will be looking to continue the Knights' winning form this season against the lowly Warriors. Newcastle sit atop the premiership ladder with three wins from as many matches, while the Warriors cracked their first win of the season against the Tigers last weekend but remain in last position on the table after they were docked four competition points before the season for salary cap breaches. The Knights have named the same team that disposed of the Bulldogs 46-22 in round three.

No more Origin - March 29, 2006 
AUSTRALIAN coach Ricky Stuart drove to Newcastle yesterday for a secret lunch with Andrew Johns – hoping to entice the champion Knights skipper into playing a Test swan song against the Kiwis in May. Stuart returned to Sydney a few hours later with a commitment from Johns to make himself available. 
But the news was not so bright for Graham Murray and the NSW Blues with Johns revealing he has played in his last State of Origin series. 
"If I am picked for the Test, it will be my last representative game," Johns told The Daily Telegraph last night.  "As much as I have loved playing Origin footy and it will hurt when the series comes around and I am not part of it, my priority now is with the Knights. I desperately want to win another premiership with the club before I retire and to do that, I know I have to manage my body the best I can. The six weeks around Origin time just takes too big a toll and it would be the Knights who would suffer afterwards. I hope the fans out there can understand that." 
Johns last night rang Murray, who will coach the Blues for the first time, to tell him personally of his decision. Asked why he had made himself available for the May 5 Test in Brisbane and was not quitting representative football altogether, Johns said the one-off game would not impact on his commitment to the Knights. 
He also claimed Australia's loss to the Kiwis in the Tri-Nations last season still burned inside him. "In the past decade or so, Origin football has probably meant more to a lot of our players than Test footy," he said. "But after New Zealand beat us in the Tri-Nations, that has turned around for me anyway. The Test coming up is the chance to put us back on top again. Ricky is really passionate about it and wants to get that passion back for Test footy," Johns added. "I told him I want to be part of that. I've just got to play well now and hope I get picked." 
Johns also revealed the memory of his last two Tests for his country is not a happy one. "I played with a crook knee in my last two Tests and played ordinary as a result," he said. "I don't really want to look back on my Test career and know that I finished on a fairly poor note. To be honest, I was prepared to pull the pin over the off-season. I'd virtually made up my mind, but given our start to the season and with my body holding up really well, I'd love one last opportunity." 

One last Test for Joey after Ricky's plea for revenge - March 29, 2006 
ANDREW Johns is set to farewell representative football with a final appearance for Australia in the upcoming Anzac Test. Johns agreed to the one-off appearance after secret talks with Test coach Ricky Stuart in Newcastle yesterday. However, he has ruled out playing for NSW in this year's State of Origin series. The decision follows a personal plea from Stuart for help in avenging the loss to New Zealand in last year's Tri-Nations final. After making a stunning comeback for the Blues in game two of last year's Origin series, Johns indicated he had retired from rep football when he injured his knee in the second match of the Tri-Nations tournament. Having extended his Newcastle contract until 2008, he said he wanted to preserve his ageing body to prolong his club career. Johns has been in scintillating form and looks refreshed after four seasons that had ended prematurely due to injury. Stuart met Johns in Newcastle yesterday and was determined to convince the star No.7 to keep playing for NSW and Australia. John Fordham, who manages both men, was also at the meeting. It is understood Johns agreed to make himself available for the Anzac Test against New Zealand on May 5. ARL chief executive Geoff Carr said Johns did not need to declare his hand until the selectors met on April 30 to pick the Test team. "He still has plenty of time to make up his mind," Carr said. "We haven't pushed him for a decision and it's not up to us to push him. We don't need to know until the selectors sit down to pick the Test team the Sunday prior to the game. We certainly hope he plays again. We believe another year of rep footy will cap off a great career for Joey." 

I wish Joey had quit last year - March 30, 2006
MICHAEL Hagan has only one regret about Andrew Johns' decision to quit Origin football - that he didn't make the call this time last year. "I might have had an Origin series win on my resume if he had," last season's Queensland coach said yesterday. "It's a noble gesture from him with the sort of form he is in at the moment. He would have walked into the NSW side again and I know Graham Murray [Blues coach] was looking for his number a week ago. It's certainly a big sacrifice he is making and it shows how unselfish the bloke is. But from the point of view of the Knights, I have no doubts it will have a positive effect for us." 
Hagan revealed he has been discussing representative football with Johns for the past three or four weeks. "We'd spoken about it a few times but it was always his decision to make," Hagan said. "He's desperate to win another premiership before he finishes and he is pretty conscious of how tough the Origin series is on the body. We'll lose the likes of Danny Buderus, Steve Simpson, possibly Matt Gidley and even one or two others to Origin this year. Having Andrew there fulltime is going to make a huge difference. He can play the sort of role Brad Fittler played at the Roosters a few years back when he stepped back from rep footy." 
Johns' brother Matthew is also glad to see the champion halfback make the decision. "I think it's a great decision for Andrew and the Knights," he said. "After what he did last year, what a way to go out and he'll have the opportunity to farewell rep footy in the Test against the Kiwis." 
Johns' Knights teammate and NSW captain Danny Buderus said he could not have ended his Origin career on a better note. "To finish, as it has turned out, on what he did in last year's series - what a great note to go out on," Buderus said. "From a Blues point of view, it's disappointing he won't be playing but you move on and there will be other halfbacks champing at the bit to get a go. "I'm just happy he has made the decision and that he is happy with it. He has obviously taken into account what the added burden of playing in the series does to the body and from a Knights point of view, it is going to benefit the club no end." 
Experienced Knights centre Gidley admitted to being surprised at his captain's decision to quit Origin. "The first I knew about it was this morning when I read it in the paper," Gidley said. "Yeah, it's a bit of a surprise because he hasn't really mentioned it but I suppose he probably feels he ended last year's series on such a good note he had nothing left to prove in that area. It's certainly great from the club's point of view knowing he is going to be here all the time over the Origin period." 

Joey ranks alongside King Wally By Darren Lockyer - March 30, 2006
HAVING watched first-hand what Andrew Johns did to my Queensland teammates and myself in last year's State of Origin, I can't say I was too devastated to hear he was stepping away from representative football after the Anzac Test. Joey is, by a fair stretch, the best player I have played against and Origin football will be the poorer for his decision to step away. It is the greatest contest in our game, and I believe Joey ranks alongside "The King" Wally Lewis as one of the rare players who have managed to transcend the rivalry between NSW and Queensland. Wally definitely dominated Origin football for a longer period but Joey and another little halfback, by the name of Allan Langer, were the only guys who have been able to exert such a commanding influence on the game in the toughest of circumstances. What Joey did in last year's Origin series, coming back from a knee reconstruction and a broken jaw to guide NSW home in the final two games, was Lewis-like. When you are talking State of Origin, there is no higher praise. Being a young Queensland boy, Wally was, of course, my hero. Unfortunately I never got to play with the great man, but seeing Joey and Alf at their best - even if Andrew was carving up my side - are memories I will pass on to my grandchildren. Those two guys are, in my opinion, the greatest in modern times. 
I have seen Joey in action from a variety of vantage points. I have played with and against him, at fullback and five-eighth. I saw him with the No.7 and No.9 on his back. But the situation, vantage points and numbers made no difference to the outcome: wherever he has played, Joey has been in control. I was asked this week why it is little blokes such as Joey and Alf are as great as they are and the answer to that is pretty simple. They see things on the field the rest of us do not; not even the really good players. They see a situation evolving two and three plays ahead. They steer their team in a certain direction to get the opposition thinking about one hand and then they hit them with the other. I must admit I was a little shocked when I first read about Joey's decision but, with a little more time to consider the factors and knowing the bloke like I do, I am not all that surprised. He loves Newcastle and wants to win another title before he retires. He feels he owes the club and the Knights fans the best he has left and that mid-year commitment simply will not allow him to do that. Origin football is mentally taxing and Joey also has to worry about his body, which is in peak condition for one of the few times in recent seasons. As you get older the physical toll does start to wear you down. It's been a long time since Joey finished the year in good shape and I just don't know how he would handle another off-season plagued by surgery and rehab. 
Thankfully, all rugby league fans will have a chance to see him in a Kangaroos jumper one last time in the Anzac Test. It will be a wonderful occasion and I hope everyone gets behind Joey and gives him the send-off from representative football he deserves. 

Joey under a cloud after gym injury, but Knights are confident he'll play - April 1, 2006
SUPERSTAR Andrew Johns is suffering from a neck injury sustained while he was lifting weights, but Newcastle are optimistic he will recover in time to play against New Zealand Warriors at EnergyAustralia Stadium tomorrow. "Joey is a bit crook today," Knights operations manager Steve Crowe said yesterday. "But it's a muscular thing rather than something really serious and I think he'll be right to play."
Newcastle club doctor Neil Halpin examined Johns yesterday and said he thought the halfback and captain would be fit. "Joey hurt himself in the gym yesterday," Halpin said. "He's got a bit of a sore neck but it doesn't seem like anything too much. I'm going to see him again tomorrow and review it then, but it doesn't seem to be the same major problem he had with his neck a few years ago. I didn't send him away for any tests because I don't believe there was the need. He's still got pretty good movement. It's a neck strain to do with the ligaments and he's on anti-inflammatory tablets and having physio. Joey thinks he'll play. I think he probably will, too."
Meanwhile, South Sydney chairman Nicholas Pappas says transparency was of paramount importance at the football club's March 19 extraordinary general meeting that voted in private ownership for the club. Pappas was responding to an item in yesterday's Sin Bin column in the Herald that asked why no one had moved a motion to destroy the ballot papers at the end of the meeting. "We actually moved a motion to preserve the ballot papers for 60 days, to allow for any inquiries or appeals," Pappas said. "In my experience, it [moving to destroy the papers on the day] isn't the way it's done at public meetings. That wouldn't look good at all."

Knights lose Johns on game day - April 2, 2006
NEWCASTLE captain Andrew Johns has withdrawn from the Knights' NRL encounter against New Zealand Warriors today. Johns has a minor neck strain he sustained during a weights session last week. Youngster Jarron Mullen will replace Johns in the Knights' line-up for the match at EnergyAustralia Stadium. 
Club doctor Neil Halpin said early indications were that the injury is unrelated to the serious neck injury that sidelined Johns two years ago.  "It doesn't seem to be, but obviously you can't be 100 per cent sure of that," Halpin said yesterday. If there is any doubt we'll get an MRI on Monday. But it's not the same sort of pain. He hasn't got the same sort of pain going down his arm and his hand like he did before. It's purely neck pain. We'll see how he pulls up." 
Betting agencies across the country yesterday were rocked by a massive plunge totalling $200,000 on the Warriors. Centrebet would not take chances and suspended betting on Friday evening. Johns failed to train yesterday morning but was given until later today to confirm his fitness, but he elected to pull out of the fixture sooner rather than later. 

Truth about Joey's farewell - By RICKY STEWART,  April 2, 2006
SINCE Andrew Johns announced he would play just one more representative match, a lot of information has gone around that has not been quite right. Some people have been critical of Johns, saying he should not be able to pick and choose when he plays rep football. Andrew Johns is not picking and choosing.
He could have played for Australia in the Anzac Test and retired from rep football, which would have satisfied everybody's desire for natural order and given us no difference to the end result. The truth is Johns was ready to retire from all rep football until I spoke to him last Tuesday. I asked him to play this Test as a favour to Australian rugby league. That's it, nothing more than a favour. It's not a new favour, though. The first phone call I made after the press conference that announced me as the new Australian coach was to Johns. I rang Joey before I rang my parents, before I rang my wife. I told him we needed him. On Tuesday, I reminded him the Australian rugby league team needs him. The way he finished his Origin career was exactly what Johns' career deserved and nobody would have been down on him if he wanted to go out that way. Now he gets the chance to do it for Australia after playing through two Tests late last year with a knee injury.
The major factor in Johns' decision to quit rep football was a talk with Brad Fittler over the off-season, when Freddy told him he felt a new lease of life once he had given rep football away. Freddy felt he had a major commitment to the Roosters and Joey feels a similar commitment to the Knights. It's a professional commitment. Johns has already said he wants to win another premiership with Newcastle and believes he can win another one before he retires, which is fair warning to all of us. And that rejuvenation is already evident. I read during the week that after our talk Johns went back to Knights training, with his future now sorted, and said he felt like an 18 or 20-year-old. Many people who have never played Origin find this hard to understand, why you would want to walk away from Origin when you're still at the top of your game. What they don't realise is the huge emotional and physical investment players make for Origin. When you have played a number of Origin matches you know through experience the huge toll it takes on your body. You know the mental effort required to get up for each match, the pressure that surrounds you 24 hours a day, for the 10 days of camp, and you know what it actually takes to deliver the performance that is needed.
When you factor in the many niggling injuries players carry into these games, you begin to get an appreciation of the toll it takes on your well-being. And, as we all know, your health is your happiness. While the rewards are some of the greatest you can experience in this game, the cost should also never be underplayed.
For any man nearing the end of their career, getting the balance right can be among the most important decisions they have to make. Behind all this is also a commitment to your club, which pays your wage and willingly lets you put yourself at risk for what is, for all intents and purposes, your own greater glory and for what is only of minor benefit to the club. After a while you begin to feel an obligation to your club for its sacrifice, and the good men want to repay the club for that.
Instead of debating the wrongs and rights of Johns' decision to play this Test, what we should do is understand that this will be his last rep game and that we get him for one more game, which is our good fortune. We should get ready to appreciate one of the truly great players in his farewell appearance.
What if you had the chance to go back and see Bob Fulton's last Test? 
Or Johnny Raper's or Reg Gasnier's?
This is the opportunity we have to see Andrew Johns – in Brisbane, on May 5 – play for Australia for the last time. There is no place I'd rather be. 

The Johns factor - April 03, 2006 
ANDREW Johns didn't play and it led to the inevitable question about the Knights and their ability to win games without him after Newcastle's four-point loss to the Warriors yesterday.  Coach Michael Hagan, to his credit, wasn't offering a defence. "You can't defend it on the back of that [perfomance] you know," Hagan said of the talk his side can't win without their captain. We had the opportunity today and we knew that was on the cards. We didn't take the opportunity and you've got to take what comes." 
Johns pulled out yesterday morning just after 8am with a neck injury.  It is not serious and had it been a few years ago, he probably would have played. But the Knights are taking no chances with their skipper. He is too important to the club and it showed yesterday. The bottom of the ladder Warriors were good in patches but the Knights gave them a huge leg up after racing to an early 10-point lead. There was nothing remotely composed about a lot of their attack and simple balls were being put down in pressure areas with international winger Brian Carney coming up with a game he will quickly want to forget. The Knights could have snatched the game at the death and nearly did but they would not have deserved to. Stand-in skipper Danny Buderus claimed his side's handling as much as the loss of Johns was the deciding factor in the defeat. The Knights had spoken before the game about needing to "drain their petrol". That did not happen. "But put it this way, if Joey played and we dropped that much ball, we still might have found ourselves in the situation," he said. "Joey can't catch the ball for everyone -- it's a 17-man game and we found ourselves in the situation where we had to panic for the last 20 minutes." Warriors coach Ivan Cleary said his side had arrived in Newcastle with the plan to engage the home side in a contest. "We wanted to get them into a game," Cleary said.  "Get them into an arm wrestle -- we might have a chance that way."  With Johns out, Cleary said he was more concerned his side's mental approach would not change. There were some contentious moments with referee Russell Smith's failure to go to the video referee for a line-ball Nathan Fien try from a kick in the second half one of them. It bumped the Warriors lead to 26-16 midway through the half and they were able to hang on. The early signs for the Knights without Johns were all good. Hagan sprang a surprise when he elected to start the game with utility Todd Lowrie at five-eighth instead of young Jarrod Mullen. Just five minutes in, Lowrie more than justified the decision. He combined brilliantly with centre George Carmont on the left before backing up to score under the posts before the Warriors had even had time to settle. 

Johns brothers not linked to sting - April 4, 2006 
THE manager of Matthew and Andrew Johns yesterday denied speculation linking the brothers to a betting plunge by a millionaire horse owner and punter on Sunday's game between Newcastle and New Zealand Warriors. The sports betting industry was abuzz with rumours yesterday after an estimated $250,000 was allegedly won by Eddie Hayson after the last-placed Warriors upset the Knights at EnergyAustralia Stadium. Most bookmakers suspended markets on Friday once it was known that Newcastle captain Andrew Johns could miss the game after straining his neck in the gym on Thursday.  However, the move came too late as several significant bets were laid that afternoon with bookies around the country for the Warriors to cover the spread of 16.5 points start. Hayson owns the racehorse Regreagan in partnership with the Johns brothers and the suggestion yesterday was that news of Andrew's injury was relayed to him before the markets were suspended. Several bookmakers said yesterday that Andrew had informed his brother Matthew he was in doubt and he in turn relayed the information to Hayson. There is no suggestion, even if both rumours were true, that either brother would be in trouble with the NRL for breaching its strict anti-gambling rules. "Matthew Johns has had no contact whatsoever with Mr Hayson for at least two weeks," manager John Fordham said yesterday.  The last occasion was to discuss their horse Regreagan, so therefore rumours circulating about contact Matthew Johns and Mr Hayson and Matthew Johns and Andrew Johns had in relation to the Warriors game are totally false." 
Fordham also denied the suggestion that Andrew had told Matthew he could be in doubt for the game, given a decision on his fitness was not officially made until after 8am on the morning of the game. Johns, who is contracted until the end of 2008, has had a history of injuries over the past few seasons and is only one serious injury away from hanging up the boots for good. "If the game was played on Saturday there was absolutely no way he would have played," Fordham said. 
"It was a 50-50 call on Sunday and he said he would make a decision that morning. I spoke to him on Sunday morning and when he initially got up he felt he was OK to play. But then the neck started to tighten again and I said, 'You're crazy to play mate if you're in any doubt at all'." 
Hayson is well known as the man who masterminded a Gold Coast greyhound racing sting last year after he manipulated the odds on a TAB market to win $700,000 from an Adelaide bookmaker. It is understood Hayson has not breached the NRL's rules either and denied he was behind the plunge. Bookmakers refused to confirm if Hayson had laid any bets with them but it is believed they were made by a commission agent. Northern Territory-based betting agency Sportsbet revealed it had lost $50,000 on the game with the biggest bet being $30,000 on the Warriors with 16.5 points start at $1.90. 
"We did up to $50,000 on it. And as soon as it became public knowledge that he (Johns) came out, it was very hard to lay the other side," Sportsbet's Phil Hannah said. "I've got no idea who was involved in it. We just accepted it as one of those things. You back a few winners and you back a few losers." 
Sportingbet's Stuart Springer said he had lost money on the game and one punter had asked after backing the Warriors with 16.5 points start at $1.90 for $15,000 if he could lay them for $40,000. "For someone to ask for a bet of that size on a Friday when the game's on a Sunday, your ears prick up straight away," Springer said. "I believe most of the people who bet with us were betting with someone else for this game. They were money movers." 
Mark Read's International All Sports spokesman, Darren Dunbar, said they reacted early to speculation Johns might be out but there were still some curious bets made. Centrebet's Gerard Daffy suspended his market on Friday night after taking $75,000 in bets on the Warriors but claimed he had still finished in front. 

Eels' Perenara prepares for a test against Johns - April 7, 2006
PARRAMATTA rookie Marcus Perenara has been nominated by New Zealand coach Brian McClennan as a possible bolter to play opposite Andrew Johns as the Kiwis' halfback in the Anzac Test. With Stacey Jones out with a broken arm and Lance Hohaia stranded in New Zealand's domestic competition after being axed from the Warriors' line-up, McClennan has few options at No.7 and will closely monitor the form of Perenara before the May 5 Test at Suncorp Stadium.
A former Junior Kiwis representative recommended to the Eels by former Warriors and New Zealand coach Daniel Anderson, Perenara will make his NRL debut from the interchange bench in Sunday's match against Penrith after asking during the off-season to switch to hooker because of Tim Smith's hold on Parramatta's No.7 jersey. But with PJ Marsh out injured, the 20-year-old brother of former Kiwis international Henry Perenara is also expected to spend some time at five-eighth. McClennan revealed he had made some inquiries at Parramatta about his prospects. "We don't have a lot of halfbacks, we just don't," McClennan said. "We could look at Lance as a No.9 and a back up No.7, but I think you've got to be playing NRL or Super League to play in a Test. I know Marcus and I know the Perenara family very well. He is a good young kid so it's good to see that he's been thriving under the guidance of Brian Smith and what is a very successful development program at Parramatta. If he can play four or five NRL games and play well, he is a chance, a very good chance. I just think it is too great a step from anywhere else. We've had bolters in the Kiwi side before and I wouldn't rule out that happening again."
Among other options being considered are shifting Wests Tigers five-eighth Benji Marshall to halfback or flying out London's Thomas Leuluai to play on limited rest (the Harlequins play on the Saturday before the Test). Meanwhile, the Rugby League Professionals Association will table a revised salary cap proposal to the NRL on Monday, with the players now seeking a ceiling on payments of $4 million next season. The RLPA also wants the third party sponsorship arrangements outside the base salary cap to be increased from the $150,000 offered by the NRL for three players to $300,000 available to every member of a club's top 25-man squad and a minimum wage of $20,000-$25,000 for other full-time players. "The players have gained a greater understanding of the financial realities of the game but there is still a bit of work to do, and there is a gap between us," NRL chief executive David Gallop said. In other news, Bulldogs hooker Corey Hughes is considering seeking leave to appeal against a $10,000 fine imposed by the club last year over an incident outside Kembla Grange racecourse. A mediation meeting yesterday failed to resolve the matter. 

Joey's pain relief - April 08, 2006
ANDREW Johns yesterday described as "massive" the relief he felt when told his latest neck injury was not career threatening. The champion Knights halfback will play against St George Illawarra in Wollongong tonight despite still being inconvenienced by the problem which kept him out of last Sunday's loss to the Warriors.
He trained with the team yesterday and afterwards declared himself a certain starter. "It is still pretty sore but once I get it warmed up, it will be fine,"Johns said.
"I'm really looking forward to the game – the Dragons are going to be a big test for us." 
Johns, sporting a crew-cut, admitted that he had feared the worst when he travelled to Sydney on Thursday to see specialist Professor John Yeo. He had scans of his neck taken the previous night and the fear was he had suffered a re-occurrence of the bulging disc problem which had threatened his career in 2003. "In the X-ray report, there was something there which indicated the new injury might be related to the old one," Johns said. "I was really worried about it and I got Cath (his partner Cathrine Mahoney) to drive me down to Sydney to stop me driving off the Mooney Mooney Bridge on the way back if the news was bad. Professor Yeo did a few tests and looked at the scans and said that it was just a muscular problem that would sort itself out. "It was a massive relief because you always fear the worst with these sorts of things. I'm just glad everything is OK with it."
Knights coach Michael Hagan admitted on Thursday that he wasn't all that confident about the fitness of his skipper. "I thought yesterday when the scan was done and he was seeing Professor Yeo, I wasn't all that confident," he said. "I thought it might be a little bit more serious than they first thought. But now it is obviously a plus for us at this stage. We'd hoped that it would only be a week that he'd be out and they're satisfied it is fine to go and it has settled right down so things look pretty good at the moment. He got through the whole session and I think he would be pretty confident on the back of that. It's a nice lift for us and the boys trained accordingly."

Knights fans - and bookies - exhale as Joey gets the all-clear - April 8, 2006
THE wind that blew out of Newcastle yesterday was the collective sigh of relief from Knights fans at the news Andrew Johns would play against St George Illawarra at WIN Stadium tonight. Even bookmakers were confident enough to start betting on the game again after they had suspended operations on Thursday morning. No player in the NRL affects a team's chances of winning like Johns does with Newcastle, and the Dragons will have to battle the superstar halfback's genius after he did what was asked of him to prove his fitness yesterday. Johns trained with the Knights and was then examined by the club's doctor, Neil Halpin, to make sure his neck problem had not flared again as a result of the session. He got the all clear. "Joey was very good at training today," Newcastle coach Michael Hagan said. "He is pretty confident on the back of seeing the specialist yesterday. That was a bit of reassurance for him. Peace of mind, more than anything.
"He trained on Wednesday, so the signs were good then, but he just needed to know for sure that the problem with his neck wasn't major. It's not a case of us having to wait until tomorrow, now, to check Joey again. He's right to play. "His neck has all but settled down now. We'll manage his work in the gym in the next few weeks to guard against the same thing happening again, but he should be fine."
The news that Johns was visiting spinal specialist Professor John Yeo in Sydney early on Thursday had sparked the latest bout of Joey hysteria. After last week, when big punters got the early mail that Johns was in doubt for the game against New Zealand Warriors and backed the Warriors heavily at the big-points start, bookmakers got nervous. Rumours abounded that Johns - whose career has been threatened by a serious neck injury in the past - would be out for two to four weeks to beat the injury with rest. But it turned out the club's medical staff was just being careful by sending him down for Yeo to have a look at him.
After examining Johns yesterday, Halpin said the captain had continued to improve and would play. "Joey is OK now and he should be OK on the weekend," Halpin said. "He came up good in the examination and he told me he felt good and was looking forward to playing. I've got no plans to see him again before the game."

Johns puts rivals at sixes and sevens - April 8, 2006
THE number seven has always enjoyed a mythical quality. The Greek Pythagoreans considered seven to be the perfect number because it was the combination of three and four, representing the perfect figures, the triangle and the square. The Arabians had seven Holy Temples, the Romans seven deities, Catholics have seven sacraments, the pirates had seven seas, Snow White had seven dwarfs and, there are seven deadly sins. Seven is mentioned frequently in scripture ( "And He had in His right hand seven stars." Revelations 1:16). And God rested on the seventh day. He also ensured the number was worn by rugby league's busiest player.
Coaches, some of whom see themselves as mini deities, now use numbers to refer to the four key positions on the field - hooker, half, five-eighth and fullback - nine, seven, six and one respectively. Of these, No.7 is the high priest. In fact, the most important piece of real estate in rugby league is the six inches (or is it seven?) between a halfback's ears. The world's best player is a No.7: Newcastle halfback Andrew Johns. Australian coach Ricky Stuart made a decision a month ago he couldn't win the Anzac Test match against New Zealand unless he had Johns. So Stuart, a former halfback, made a dash to Newcastle with his manager John Fordham, who also happens to be Johns's manager, and secured the No.7 for the Brisbane Test on May 5, beating NSW coach Graham Murray, another former No.7, for the services of the brilliant playmaker. The value of the No.7 to the team has already been seen this season in the reaction of players who rush in to protect their little man when he is in danger. When Johns was hit by Parramatta's Luke Burt after he passed the ball and the Warriors' Nathan Fien was shoved by Storm's Ian Donnelly in backplay, both incidents sparked wild skirmishes in round one. 
I once believed front-rowers were the most important players on the field because they took the game forward, creating momentum. But the modern prop is an athlete, not a footballer. The 10-metre rule, plus interchange, allows him to hit the defensive line like the lead boulder in an avalanche and, if he wants to create further momentum, he dives at the feet of the defence to execute a quick play-the-ball. It's a surrender tackle, of course, but many referees wouldn't recognise a submission if you dressed it up in a negligee, laid it on a bed and told it to think of England. Wests Tigers made 63 submissions to Melbourne Storm's 21 in last Sunday's match and referee Jason Robinson's inability to recognise this contributed to the frustration that led to two players being suspended for a total of nine weeks. Paradoxically, as the No.7 assumes more power in the modern game, there are fewer of them. And one reason for that is the Bradmanesque gap that has developed between Johns and the second best halfback. Johns missed the Warriors match but leads the NRL on linebreak assists. He has nine to Parramatta's Tim Smith, with St George Illawarra's Trent Barrett and Penrith's Craig Gower on six each. Johns also leads in try assists with nine, ahead of Brisbane's Darren Lockyer, Newcastle's Kurt Gidley and Gower on six. Johns and North Queensland's Matt Bowen have made the only 40:20 kicks so far this season and Johns is the top goal kicker, with 22 from 25 attempts. Throughout the competition, coaches try to turn their No.7s into replicas of Johns. It is like trying to find another Hope diamond, or looking for a Rembrandt in a Dutch attic. Instead of letting the halfbacks play off the back of work done by the forwards, as Gower does with his short passes, or react to calls from the backline, in the manner of Wests Tigers Scott Prince, with his long, quick passes, or capitalise on inherent speed and nous to back up, like former Panthers pivot Greg Alexander did, coaches want their No.7s to be the sons of Joey and do everything. The result is a junkyard full of discarded halves or No.7s turned into No.9s. Souths selected their fourth halfback in as many games this season for tonight's match against Brisbane and their 19th No.7 since readmission to the NRL in 2002. The Bulldogs have dropped premiership halfback Brett Sherwin to premier league, meaning that of the No.6s and No.7s on the field in the game in Canberra tomorrow, there will be only one experienced half, Raiders five-eighth, Jason Smith, a former second-rower. The Roosters will continue their juggling act with the halves in tonight's match against the Sharks at Toyota Park, selecting Jamie Soward as No.7, Brett Finch as No.9 and Craig Wing on the bench, all of whom started life as scrum feeders. Tonight's big match at WIN Stadium features the classic confrontation between the perfect half, Johns, and a manufactured one, St George Illawarra's Trent Barrett. Barrett doesn't play like a half or a five-eighth, more like a nine-sixteenth, considering he is a merger of the two positions. He runs across field, destroying more opportunities than he creates. Because he got away with it as a schoolboy, then as a Steeler, and occasionally as a Dragon, he believes he is successful. But cross-field running is the curse of the modern No.7, typified at its worst by Brisbane's Brett Seymour. Stand behind the goal posts at a Broncos match and you'll see Seymour take the attack sideways, running it over the sideline and making it easy for the defence. Former St George fullback Brian Johnson, now AIS rugby league coach, believes the epidemic of sideways running is a result of the rule in mod league, the modified version of the game played by kids, in which the first receiver, if caught with the ball, has to hand it to the opposition.
"The rule is designed to force kids to pass the ball but all they do is try and beat the opposition on the outside," Johnson said. Typically, former Test No.7 Tom Raudonikis thinks it's about toughness, saying: "Today, they've got all these replacements," he said in his raspy voice. "None of them other than Joey grabs the game by the scruff of the neck."

Perfect end to hairy week By Andrew Johns - April 9, 2006 
I MUST admit I was pretty relieved to get the all-clear to play against the Dragons. Because of my history with injury, I was worried I might get some bad news on my neck injury. When I had to travel to Sydney the other day to see professor John Yeo, I made sure my girlfriend came along with me. I didn't want to go alone. 
I think I would have driven off the Mooney Mooney Bridge if I got the worst kind of news all over again. When I was told my injury was only muscular, it was a weight off my mind. I feel I am playing smarter than ever. I have probably played better in years gone by but my timing is tighter now. I have been playing in the NRL for more than 10 years, and it has taken me that long to get a grasp on the game. I'm just so proud of the blokes after last night's win. Four or five years ago, I used to worry about my performance and I would worry about what people thought of me. Now I just want this team to play well. After this win, I know we've got a special bunch of blokes. People keep talking about me, but outsiders don't see the work Steve Simpson does. Or the angles Milton Thaiday runs. Or the go-forward Craig Smith and Josh Perry provide for me to do my job. The young guys like Riley Brown and Daniel Tolar are going great - playing out of their skin. 
This week's game against the Cowboys will really tell us how we're going. They are my favourite team to watch and I've got my work cut out coming up against Johnathan Thurston. As for my new haircut, my mates cut it. The missus is not happy, though mum loves that the scruffy hair and beard are gone. But I can assure mum of one thing: I won't be dying it red. 

Thurston 'better than Joey' -  April 10, 2006
The greatest player Queensland has produced challenged the Australia selectors to "show some courage" and have Thurston in the Test 17 for next month's Suncorp Stadium showdown with New Zealand. Thurston has three NRL matches left in which to stake his Test claims, starting with Sunday's top-of-the-table blockbuster against the Knights at Newcastle's EnergyAustralia Stadium, where he will clash head-on with Johns. The Cowboys will then be away to the Sharks at Toyota Park before hosting the Roosters in Townsville the night before the Test squad is named. "There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Thurston is the No.1 player in the game at the moment, bar none," Lewis said last night. His performances in the first five rounds of the NRL have put him marginally ahead of Andrew Johns, who has been rated the best player in the world, so I'm saying Thurston is the best in the game." 
Thurston and Johns gave sparkling displays at the weekend. Thurston scored a try and kicked six goals from seven attempts for 16 points in North Queensland's 32-12 win over the Wests Tigers while Johns scored a try and kicked nine from 10 for 22 points in Newcastle's 54-6 thrashing of St George-Illawarra. 
Thurston has scored 78 points from five matches this year while Johns has contributed 75 from four and the temptation will have to be to unleash them against the Kiwis, who will be weakened by the unavailability of star five-eighth Benji Marshall. Lewis, who played 33 Tests and 31 State of Origin matches in a stellar career, said it was incumbent on the national selectors to pick the best 17 for the May 5 Test. "If the selectors have any say any more, and believe me, that is an if with a capital I and F. He has to be there. As long as the selectors show some courage, Thurston will be there." 
Former Test centre Steve Renouf said he was stunned by talk that Thurston might be overlooked for the Test. "I've watched a lot of football this year and I'm a huge fan of Thurston," Renouf said. "I honestly can't see how they can leave him out of the Australian team. They can't ignore him, can they? 
"If they stick with Andrew Johns and Darren Lockyer in the halves, I could understand them having Thurston on the bench but it would be an absolute joke if they put Trent Barrett at five-eighth ahead of him." 
Cowboys coach Graham Murray said Thurston's man-of-the-match performance against the Tigers last Friday night should have boosted the five-eighth's chances of making the Kangaroos squad, which will be selected on April 30 at the completion of round 8. "He was outstanding again. I'll leave the accolades to you but he's just a brilliant player and playing great football for us," Murray said. "I wrote that in my newspaper column last week (that he should be in the Australian team) and nothing has changed. He's probably enhanced (his chances). All I can do is answer your question about whether I think he's up to it. He's certainly up to it." 
Thurston said the Test selection was out of his hands and he "wouldn't lose any sleep" if he missed out. 

Bring it on - April 11, 2006 
NEWCASTLE'S blockbuster against North Queensland at EnergyAustralia Stadium this Sunday is the most anticipated club match in history after a staggering 20,000 tickets were sold yesterday – still six days before the game. Never before has as many tickets been sold for a club game so far out from kick-off. "We're on a roll, they're on a roll," summed up champion Knights halfback Andrew Johns as the Newcastle faithful queued outside the club's stadium all day yesterday. 
The Easter Sunday game will be sold out today or early tomorrow. Knights fans are hoping to see the mercurial Johns lead their team back to the top of the table. 
The match-up between Johns and North Queensland five-eighth Johnathan Thurston will be the best individual clash of the season. And the game will also be special for Johns, who will break Tony Butterfield's record of 229 first-grade matches for Newcastle. "It's looming as one of the great matches of the season so far," Johns said. "The anticipation here in Newcastle is enormous."  Season ticketholders have snapped up tickets while all corporate boxes are sold out. Just 6000 tickets remain unsold. Johns' manager John Fordham said "Joey" was excited at the prospect of becoming Newcastle's most capped player. "On a personal note, Joey is looking forward to playing against a team with so many exciting players like Thurston and Matt Bowen," Fordham said. "But Newcastle also have their share of exciting players like Milton Thaiday and Brian Carney." 
The last club match to have such a build-up was Bulldogs v Parramatta at Sydney Showground in 2001. Cowboys coach Graham Murray said his players were looking forward to playing in front of a hostile 26,000 crowd. "The expectation is this will be a great game," Murray said. "North Queensland have come a long way since opposition teams wanted to take us to Gosford to play (their home) games. "The atmosphere will be outstanding." North Queensland remain unbeaten this season and are premiership favourites, while Newcastle have been highly impressive whenever Johns has been on the field. The Knights belted St George Illawarra 54-6 last Saturday night in Wollongong with Johns calling the shots. However, they were beaten at home by the Warriors when he sat out the game. NRL chief executive David Gallop said league fans were counting down to Sunday's game. "It's unbelievable the anticipation around this match," Gallop said. "Thurston versus Johns . . . it doesn't get any better than that for rugby league fans. And Thaiday up against Matt Bowen will also be spectacular. It is amazing to think Newcastle collected the wooden spoon last year." 

I love way Jonathan play By Andrew Johns - April 16, 2006
I'M against having a hard and fast rule but I'm still a believer in not rushing young players into first grade too soon. Sometimes it is unavoidable, with the skill level of some players - or injuries to the senior men - demanding they be chosen in the top grade. Which brings me to the NRL's man of the moment, Johnathan Thurston. He has developed into an unbelievable talent during his time at North Queensland and represents a huge challenge for Newcastle today. I love the way he plays. It's like watching the kid with all the skills bamboozling his mates in the backyard. He is not programmed at all. His brain is uncluttered. He plays what's in front of him and reacts to what is going on around him rather than with some preconceived idea of what he should be doing in certain situations. Just as importantly, when he makes a decision he is not weighed down by the fear of making mistakes. A player of his ability with that sort of confidence is a potent weapon. But Thurston hasn't just emerged out of the woodwork. He has definitely stepped up a notch or two over the past 18 months to become one of the game's premier players. He is no overnight success story. The platform for his success was laid when he was at the Bulldogs. He was a player everyone earmarked as someone to watch back then. 
But with Brent Sherwin and Braith Anasta having a mortgage on the half and five-eighth positions, Thurston bided his time in the lower grades. Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes gave him a taste of the top grade every now and again when injuries intervened. There were other times when he was used off the bench, but he was allowed to develop in a good learning environment. We have a similar situation at Newcastle with Jarrod Mullen. He played a handful of top-grade games last year because he had to and handled himself really well. I know that Mullen is headed for big things down the track, but he will be that much better for being able to continue his development in Premier League this season without having to deal with the added pressures of playing first grade on a consistent basis. Getting back to Thurston. Folkes, while disappointed he is not still wearing the blue and white of the Bulldogs, can at least be satisfied he played a role in that development. 
And Cowboys coach Graham Murray can take a big slice of the credit for the way he has come on. Murray identified his potential by attracting him to North Queensland and developing a playing style which has complemented his talents and those of Matt Bowen. He has encouraged their free spirit rather than suppressed it. Three or four years ago, the Cowboys coming to Newcastle would have barely created a ripple of interest from Knights supporters. In the build-up to today's game, they have been lining up outside the Knights' office trying to buy tickets. The buzz around the place is enormous. Our forward pack is going gang-busters but will need to be at its peak against one of the competition's hardest-working engine rooms. We'll be aiming to limit Thurston and Bowen's opportunities with the ball and I'm sure the game will live up to its billing. 

Johns 'shattered' by his latest injury - April 16, 2006 - 8:19PM
Newcastle captain Andrew Johns could be sidelined for two weeks after rolling his ankle in today's loss to North Queensland. After suffering the injury in the 32nd minute, Johns played through the pain after having his foot re-strapped at halftime. Knights doctor Neil Halpin said the champion halfback was an "outside chance" of playing against Melbourne next Saturday night, while Johns would only say "I'm shattered" when asked about the injury in the sheds. The Cowboys opened up a four-point gap at the top of the NRL table to sit on 12 points with the Knights, Brisbane, Penrith and Melbourne all on eight. Sydney Roosters, the Bulldogs and Manly round out the top eight on points differential with the Bulldogs playing South Sydney, the only side yet to register a win in 2006, at Telstra Stadium tomorrow.
Rival coaches Graham Murray and Michael Hagan urged Australian selectors to pick Cowboys half Johnathan Thurston in the Anzac Test after he starred in the impressive North Queensland win at a sold out EnergyAustralia Stadium. The Knights lost rugged forward Kirk Reynoldson for 4-6 weeks with a calf injury, while referee Paul Simpkins also pulled a calf muscle in the 28th minute and was replaced. 

Joey hopes to face Rabbitohs - April 17, 2006
NEWCASTLE Knights captain Andrew Johns has been diagnosed with a torn ankle ligament and will be sidelined for one to two weeks. Johns rolled the ankle during yesterday's 18-16 loss to North Queensland and learned today he'll miss Saturday night's game with Melbourne Storm and possibly South Sydney the following week. "I've torn a ligament in the ankle and have been told I could miss up to two games, but hopefully it might only be one," he said today.
Johns is keeping positive, and is still looking to make a farewell Test appearance against New Zealand in Brisbane on May 5. 

Joey faking it: Bellamy - April 19, 2006
HE hasn't been named and Newcastle claims he is no chance, but Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy says Andrew Johns will be lurking at Olympic Park on Saturday night. Bellamy smells a rat, and believes it will take more than a low-grade ankle injury to sideline the Test superstar. "I don't believe a word of it," Bellamy said last night. We will prepare as if he's going to play. I watched the Knights game (against North Queensland) on the weekend and he didn't miss a minute. 
"They were very quick to rule him out, but I know what a competitor he is and if there's any chance, he'll be there." 
The Knights insist Johns will miss at least a week with a lateral ligament strain and yesterday named rookie Jarrod Mullen at halfback. "I think part of our decision was to make a call early and allow Jarrod to focus on starting at halfback this week," Newcastle coach Michael Hagan said. "We can look forward to Andrew playing maybe the week after. "It takes the pressure off him (Johns) feeling as though he needs to make himself available when it would have been unlikely for him anyway. "Saturday night's going to come around pretty quickly and I don't think the injury will settle down by then to be honest."  No player has a greater influence on his team's prospects than Johns. That will be reflected when betting markets open this morning. "At the moment it looks like he's out, so we'll go up with Melbourne $1.60 favourite and the Knights $2.30," Sports Acumen head trader Matthew Fisk said last night. "If he was named it would be Newcastle $1.45 and Melbourne $2.55, maybe longer." Johns was at the centre of a massive betting plunge when he was a late withdrawal from the Knights' Round 4 game against the Warriors who were sensationally back from $5 to evens -- and duly won. Should Johns not play itt could also impact on Storm's hopes of pulling a big crowd at its first home game. "I'm sure a few people would like to see Joey (Johns) play," Storm chief executive Brian Waldron said. "But I'd like to think our fans come out to watch us not the opposition. We are the local product, we have an exciting, talented list that rivals anything in the competition." 
Mullen is considered one of the most talented young players in the NRL and played Australian schoolboys alongside Storm whizkid Greg Inglis. Mullen said he would relish the chance to fill Johns' shoes. "Anyone's going to feel the heat if they've got to stand in for Andrew Johns," Mullen said. 
"But I've just got to get out there and do my job. "I've got a lot of great players around me . . . so hopefully we can come away with the win. "I don't read much into it, that media stuff about how the Knights can't win without Joey. I know we can." 

Joey's ankle injury likely to spare the Rabbitohs - but Kiwis won't be so lucky - April 25, 2006
NEWCASTLE are unlikely to get the game's greatest player, Andrew Johns, back in time for their game against South Sydney at Telstra Stadium on Sunday.
The left ankle Johns damaged playing against North Queensland last Sunday week was examined again by Knights team doctor Neil Halpin yesterday. Halpin said afterwards: "Joey's ankle is a lot better than it was last week. He's walking on it, but it's still swollen and he's still questionable for this week. I still think he'll be right for the Test match, but that's not my decision." 
Veteran halfback Johns is set to make his representative farewell for Australia against New Zealand in Brisbane on Friday week and will face a medical conducted by national team doctor Hugh Hazard after his automatic inclusion in the side on Sunday night. It is anticipated that if Johns is still recovering but looks likely to be OK in time, he will be given a few extra days before he has to prove himself. Newcastle, NSW and Australian hooker Danny Buderus was yesterday cleared of anything worse than a burst blood vessel in his hand and will figure against Souths.