Tallis and Johns fight skipper war - Sports Watch, 21 May 2002
There's a lot more at stake in this year's State of Origin series than some good old-fashioned state pride. Just ask Queensland captain Gorden Tallis and his NSW counterpart Andrew Johns. Tallis and Johns are fighting their own personal battle within rugby league's highest-profile war. The winner will receive the most prestigious honour in Australian rugby league - the Test captaincy - and the loser willl be left to stew over the the armband that got away. 
Johns is quite simply the best player in the world. The Newcastle and NSW No.7 has it all - a brilliant passing game, devastating running game and peerless kicking game. To borrow another famous boxing phrase - once made in reference to Muhammad Ali - playing Johns is like taking on God with a custard pie up his sleeve. His off-field high jinks have, at times, threatened to take the gloss off his captaincy, which is based on a do as I do, not as I say philosophy. The 28-year-old has plenty of plusses in his favour, namely the fact that he will be the best player in the Test side. The Australian captaincy has traditionally fallen to the best player - Fittler, Laurie Daley, Wally Lewis and Bob Fulton to name a few. But there are also the negatives, particularly that famous larrikin streak that occasionally eschews the responsibilities captaincy demands. Test selectors have shown they are willing to overlook off-field misdemeanours when it comes to the captaincy. After all, Fittler was no angel. Nor was former Test lock and captain Johnny Raper. 
Despite that, Johns will start the Origin series slightly behind Tallis when it comes to the Test captaincy. Whether a NSW series win is enough to get him over the line remains to be seen. But he has one high-profile supporter in his corner - NSW coach Phil Gould. Gould demanded Johns be named Blues captain and claims the Australian job should go to the player who leads his team to victory in this year's series. "Andrew Johns is very much a part of our team's objective on Wednesday night and he knows his job within the team," Gould said this week. "Anything that Andrew Johns achieves outside of that will come as a result ... to the victor goes the spoils. "There's a fair bit at stake, isn't there. They've got a great captain in Gorden Tallis, we've got a great captain in Andrew Johns. "As they say, the winners are grinners." And only one will be smiling when the Test team is named later this year. 
 

The Newcastle and NSW No.7 has it all - a brilliant passing game, devastating running game and peerless kicking game. To borrow a famous boxing phrase  once made in reference to Muhammad Ali - playing Johns is like taking on God with a custard pie up his sleeve. Gould demanded Johns be named Blues captain and claims the Australian job should go to the player who leads his team to victory in this year's series.

Johns to let his football do the talking - Sports Watch, 21 May 2002
Andrew Johns closed ranks on the media as the countdown began in earnest to the NSW captain's self-proclaimed "last frontier". Johns, the king wizard among the Wizard Blues, was to have made one final appearance at a NSW press conference ahead of Wednesday night's State of Origin opener against Queensland at Stadium Australia. But a week after boldly declaring his burning desire to dominate the series, Johns opted to quarantine himself from a horde of disappointed journalists. The Maroons have questioned Johns' wisdom in openly revealing his ambitious domination plans and whether the pressure was starting to tell on the brilliant halfback remained to be seen. NSW coach Phil Gould said he had no concerns about how his first-time Blues captain was handling the occasion. 
"Andrew's a big boy. I don't control anything he says to the media and I don't tell him not to talk with the media," Gould said. "He knows what he's doing and I guess in his own way he's saying to the younger players and the debutants in our side `well, I'm here and not to be frightened of these blokes'. "Away from training, Joey's been very, very quiet actually. I think he probably intends to lead by example rather than by talking up anything before the game. He's just there to play. "I think all the captains that have been in Origin over the years - and you can go back to your Wayne Pearces, your (Steve) Mortimers - they all tend to lead by example and Joey's aware of that, and I'm sure he'll do it on Wednesday night." 
Johns and Queensland skipper Gorden Tallis are also in direct competition for the Australian captaincy but Gould said that shouldn't have any influence on the series. "Really, that's Andrew Johns' goal. It's a personal goal, it has nothing to do with our team goals," he said. "Andrew Johns is very much a part of our team's objective on Wednesday night and he knows his job within the team. "Anything that Andrew Johns achieves outside of that will come as a result ... to the victor goes the spoils. "There's a fair bit at stake, isn't there. They've got a great captain in Gorden Tallis, we've got a great captain in Andrew Johns. As they say, the winners are grinners." 

I'LL BE MY OWN MAN -  LEADERSHIP ALL COMES DOWN TO THE INDIVIDUAL 
by Andrew Johns, SMH.
 In a perfect world, I would love to be a captain in the Paul Harrigon mould.  The Chief may have only captained Australia once but he had it all as a leader of men.  He was inspirational on the field, playing with the right mix of aggression, passion and skill.  Off the field, the big fella was, and still is, a charmer who could win over any crowd. He could probably talk them a peace deal in the Middle East if given half a chance.  Tony Butterfield, who I took over for as captain, had similar qualities. People have often said I should be more like them.  My response has always been "it's not a perfect world".  Every captain is different and they have their own personalities to the job.  Outside of club level, I have played under guys like Laurie Daley and Brad Fitler for the Blues. State of Origin series and the likelihood of being skipper for the first time.
OFF-FIELD APPROACH
 I'm not big on speeches leading into a game and I won't be at this level.  Nothing I say to players of this calibre is going to improve them. I'll leave the motivating war analogies to Gus(Phil Gould).  What I will be doing is having some quiet words in the ears of the young guys while we are in camp.  Try to encourage and let them know what to expect. I know that helped me when I came into the team for the first time.
ON-FIELD APPROACH
Those who have seen me blow up on the field at team-mates know I can be volatile and highly strung character at times.  I ride the boys hard, even at training. If someone drops a ball or throws a bad pass, it doesn't go through to the keeper with me.  I let them know they have let themselves and the side down - and I'll blow up at myself, too, if I'm to blame.  I get criticised for it at times but I take the view that the bar should be raised as high as possible and anything less is unacceptable.
 If you treat players with kid gloves and brush off silly mistakes with a simple "don't worry, mate", there is bound to be another one around the corner. Setting those standards, I believe, is one of the reasons why the young guys at the Knights are coming on as quickly as they are. On the other side of the coin, if a player comes up with a special play or something that requires an extra effort, I'll be the first bloke there to congratulate them.  I try to be a "do as I do" rather than a "do as I say" captain.
TEST CAPTAINCY
The question is bound to come up but I'll probably have a boring answer. I am not even thinking about it.  It will be a great honour to lead the Blues and there is too  much at stake for me to be even thinking beyond that. The other trap I don't want to fall into is making too big a deal of being captain.  Worrying too much about the captaincy and being a diplomat 24 hours a day won't be my sole focus. My main focus will be on playing at my peak and doing everything I can within the structure of the team to ensure the Blues win.But, in saying that, I know the captaincy is not just about tossing a coin before the game. And thank heavens it's not because I'm no Steve Waugh in that department. In all the games I've played as captain since the start of last season, I think I've only won four tosses.

Joey's ambitions stuns maroons
Queensland players have questioned the wisdom of NSW skipper Andrew Johns openly declaring his desire to dominate State of Origin.  Johns is yet to make his mark at State level after often playing off the bench or out of position to accommodate players like Geoff Toovey and Brett Kimmorley.  But with long-time playmaker Brad Fittler retiring, he has declared it is time to dominate Origin football like Wally Lewis did for Queensland during the 1980’s.  Lewis won eight man-of-the-match awards in 30 appearances in his famous No.6 jumper.  He was so dominant even some hardened NSW supporters concede he was the most influential player in Origin history.  Johns made his Origin debut in 1995 when the Blues were embarrassed 3-0 by a Maroons outfit missing several big names during the Super League split and rated 100-1 bolters.  He has played eight of his 15 matches at halfback for two wins, five losses and a draw.
Johns’ overall Origin record stands at eight wins, six losses and a draw.  The Queenslanders were not rubbishing Johns, nor denying the multi-skilled Newcastle halfback had the talent to dominate.  But they were surprised he publicly declared his intentions ahead of the first game in Sydney next Wednesday night.  ‘I wouldn’t say it… but he’s the type of player who wants to put pressure on himself,’ said Queensland captain Gordon Tallis, who was with Lewis among the media scrum at yesterday’s team medical.  ‘I certainly wouldn’t say he can’t do it, because we all know he can. I just wouldn’t put that much pressure on myself.’ 
Tallis admitted he was biased but said the best Johns could hope for in the coming years was to be another ‘Peter Sterling or Steve Mortimer’.  ‘Look, the media put a lot of pressure on the guy because he is such a wonderful player,’ Tallis said.
‘But for him to come out and say he wants to be like Wally Lewis… as far as I am concerned Wally Lewis is the best player I have ever seen.’   Champion Brisbane halfback Allan Langer, who took the points off Johns in the NRL’s season blockbuster against Newcastle recently, was happy to hear Johns talking himself up.  ‘He’s playing that good at the moment, I think he is up to it,’ said a diplomatic Langer, who can break Mal Meninga’s record of 32 games if he plays in all three matches this year.

How do you stop Joey? - Daily Telegraph,  22 May 2002
As Queensland walked into enemy territory yesterday, Maroons captain Gorden Tallis acknowledged his team had given up the idea of blotting out Blues champion Andrew Johns.  "You can't shut him down," said Tallis as the Maroons players answered a barrage of questions about Johns' influence on Origin I at Stadium Australia tonight. But while Tallis paid the NSW captain the ultimate accolade, he said he was surprised Johns had placed so much pressure on himself by openly declaring he wanted to "dominate" this year's series. "NSW are a great side -- they have Andrew Johns there," Tallis said. "But he's put a lot of pressure on himself and he's the only player who can respond to that. "He's probably the best player in the world. He's been playing under that burden for about two or three years now.  "You can't shut him down. You just have to stop his go-forward, but that's hard as well. "As long as their forward pack go forward, they'll be very hard to beat. Especially with the form Joey is in. "You have to slow down the forwards in State-of-Origin matches. Give Joey Johns room and time and he'll carve you up." 

Johns keeps his word as Blues win Origin 1 -  SMH, 22 May 2002
Andrew Johns fulfilled a pre-match promise to put his touch on the series with a dominant display to guide NSW to an emphatic 32-4 victory over Queensland in the State of Origin opener at Stadium Australia. Johns, playing his first series as halfback and captain, taunted the Maroons all night with a fabulous kicking and running game to leave the Blues on course to reclaim Australian sport's most hotly-contested interstate trophy. Johns featured in all three of the Blues' first-half tries to have his team in total command at 21-4 in front at the break. He then broke Queensland hearts with the match-winning play midway through the second stanza. The Maroons were not exactly threatening but, without a point scored since halftime, the classy No.7 injected himself one last time to put the issue beyond doubt. He sliced through the defence and raced 25 metres to put NSW deep on the attack, then lay injured on the ground as rookie winger Timana Tahu crossed out wide from the ensuing movement. Happily hurting after his decisive run, Johns was forced from the field prematurely, but his job was well and truly complete. The Blues captain had contributed 13 points - a try, four goals and a field goal on the stroke of halftime.
Typically, a modest Johns deflected all praise to his teammates. "From the day they came into camp, these fellows ate and breathed football. We put together a game plan and they put it together tonight," Johns told Sydney radio 2GB. "It was a matter of getting their club form into Origin and believing they could do it. "It was a special night."

Johns spearheads start of new era -  SMH,  23 May 2002
ANDREW Johns took the first triumphant step into his last frontier last night, delivering on his promise to dominate at State-of-Origin level as NSW destroyed Queensland in the opening game of the series. Johns was at the forefront of a performance that confirmed the Blues are ready to move into a new era. They had seven debutants in a squad that produced a rare event in football – every member from No. 1 to No. 17 playing to their potential. That was also a tribute to the coaching talents of Phil Gould whose return to the Origin arena was as spectacular as Johns' on-field performance. The Blues' squad was superior across the park with names like Hodgson, Bailey, Lyon, Buderus and Tahu announcing they are ready to reclaim some Origin credibility for NSW. 
But it was Johns who produced a rare performance, confirming his status as the best player in the world. When he limped off with cramp with 16 minutes to play, the crowd roared as one. Here was a player who had taken the bold step of declaring he wanted to dominate at this level and he did so. "It was right up there, I was under more pressure than normal this week. I made those statements without thinking a lot, it's not really my go to declare something like that but it is something I've really wanted to do," Johns said. "I was dominant because the other players around me were dominant. We've still got a lot of hard work to do, so the questions will be answered at the end of the series."  It was Gould who provided the platform for Johns to bound into this frontier he has wanted to explore.
NSW 32 (M Gidley, J Lyon, A Johns, T Tahu, B Hodgson tries; Johns 4, B Hodgson goals; Johns, T Barrett field goals) QUEENSLAND 4 (L Tuqiri try). Referee: B Harrigan. Crowd: 55,421. NSW lead series 1-0. Origin II in Brisbane June 5.

Johns delivers on Origin promise -  Sports Watch,  23 May 2002 
NSW captain Andrew Johns warned Queensland he was ready to dominate the State of Origin series. And the Maroons learnt on Wednesday night Johns is a man of his word. The NSW No.7 led the baby Blues to a 32-4 win over Queensland in the opening Origin game at Stadium Australia, setting up the victory with a pinpoint kicking game in the first half and a 13-point haul despite finishing the final 17 minutes on the bench. Johns was the general and he had plenty of willing troops as the Blues battered the Maroons with a stunning opening 40 minutes. So dominant was Johns, he was given a standing ovation by the 55,421 spectators at the Olympic stadium as he left the field in the 63rd minute."I dominated tonight because the players around me dominated," Johns said. "But it's only game one. We know we have to go up a notch in Brisbane."
While Johns taunted and teased the Maroons, his opposite number Allan Langer may have played his last game after enduring a horror night. Langer was targeted by the Blues in defence, in particular second rower Ben Kennedy, who charged relentlessly into the Maroons half in the opening half. The veteran half, who was under an injury cloud heading into tonight's game, painted a forlorn figure as he trudged off the field at the same time as Johns with Queensland fighting a losing battle. While Johns pinned the Maroons in their own quarter with an outstanding kicking game, Queensland fullback Darren Lockyer and Langer produced an inept performance with the boot, constantly handing the Blues possession in good field position. And NSW fullback Brett Hodgson made them pay. 

Why Joey's better than Wally Lewis
By PETER FRILINGOS Chief Rugby Leaguer Writer SMH,  24 May 2002
IT'S more than a decade since King Wally Lewis reigned supreme as the Emperor of Lang Park. State-of-Origin football crowned a new king at Stadium Australia on Wednesday night when Andrew Johns dominated for the Blues in front of 55,000 fans at the ground and millions more on television. The NSW captain controlled the game like Lewis did throughout the 1980s and then some. Comparing players from different eras is never easy and usually comes down to a matter of opinion. I watched in awe as Lewis consistently rose head and shoulders above the game's elite players in Origin football. During his time in the game the powerful five-eighth was the best and would probably have retained that tag had Johns failed to develop to the astonishing level of Wednesday night. 
The domination of Origin football is the last mountain for Johns to climb, apart from gaining the Australian captaincy. That prospect moved a step closer on Wednesday night when rival Gorden Tallis made another visit to the sin bin. He has now reached the Origin summit and like Lewis before him threatens to stay there long-term. Until last year Johns played hooker on a regular basis at both Origin and Test level. He missed last year's Origin series through injury and the year before played hooker in the World Cup series while Brett Kimmorley wore the No. 7 jumper. Despite his freakish talent the climb to the top hasn't come easy. Is Johns a better all-round player than Lewis? I believe the answer is yes and here's how I've tried to answer that question by rating the champions in the following categories: 

Footy's Bradman -  The Sun Herald, 26 May 2002
With Donald Bradman, it was a stump, a golf ball and a corrugated water tank. With Andrew Johns, it was a cake of soap, a bucket of water, a trampoline, a football and an older brother called Matthew. Bradman was without peer and the mystery of his unrivalled skill was partially explained by the relentless hitting of a golf ball with a stump as it came off at all angles. Johns is coming to be regarded in a similar light in his sport. There are the hours of practice both by himself and with other players to bring them up to speed. And there's his mental toughness. As Matthew explains: "We had this trampoline in the backyard and we'd splash water on it, get a football, soap it up and toss it at each other for hours. "We probably didn't realise it at the time, but that was giving us skills that would help us down the track. "We'd also get the ball, soap it up and put up bombs and charge each other while trying to catch the ball. "We used to have passing competitions as well. To practise, Dad would flip the trampoline over and we'd chalk out targets on it and throw from both sides from different distances."
Matthew tells a sad tale about the trampoline: "One Christmas, Uncle Craig belly-flopped and went straight through the thing. We were heartbroken."  Then there are Joey's tackling, chip-kicking, and stepping skills. "We'd play against each other one on one," Matthew says. "We'd have a one-tackle rule so we'd learn pretty quickly about how to beat a bloke, chip and regather, and grubber and regather."
Andrew's kicking skills developed further when he played with the local soccer side. "He boasts he used to score goals with both feet," Matthew says. "He had real skill and he is built like Maradona, a few years after he retired, but he is a far better league player. "He loves watching soccer and watches all the skills of the AFL players.  "I remember when he was introduced to the boomerang kick. It was in 1991 and Neil Baker showed us how to do it. It was a real eye-opener. "Joey just grabbed hold of it. I can recall exactly when he first used it. It was in 1996 against the Broncos. At first everyone thought it was a mis-kick, but later we heard Peter Sterling and he picked it."  Johns also played cricket and water polo to a good standard as a kid, but much of his later success is due to the extra hours he puts in. "When I was learning the kicks, it was an extra three hours a week," Andrew says. "Now I just brush up with 15 minutes after training." 
Matthew has no doubt there are other players with Andrew's skill. "I think 75 per cent of players out there practise what Andrew does, but he's got it over them psychologically," he says. "He is willing to take what he is practising out on to the field and a lot of other players aren't mentally tough enough to take it out there."  A secret to his recent success has been the combinations he works on with players such as Timana Tahu, Matt Gidley and Steve Simpson. "He will practise something for an hour, so they learn how he is going to run in a situation and where they should be to take advantage of him," Matthew says. "He will practise and practise because he knows the better they look, the better he looks. "If you watch him run to the line, you'll see that he can keep his vision at 90 degrees to the defensive line and not even look where the player he is going to pass to is because they have practised."  This may explain why he loses his cool in some situations. "He doesn't like it when things go wrong or he gets beaten," Matthew laughs. "I remember the look of horror on Mum's face when she saw Andrew chase me around the yard with a wooden fence paling. "I'll confess that, after that, I just used to let him win when we played!"

The Stats -  Andrew Johns credits his remarkable goal-kicking improvement to working with former Bulldog sharpshooter Daryl Halligan. Johns's weak point was once his goal kicking, but he is now an 80 per cent-plus kicker, which is a huge lift in his success rate. "Working with Daryl made a big difference," he said. "Also I now use his kicking tees. I was a bit reluctant to use them at first, but they give me a consistent height and that makes a big difference."  Johns said the remarkable curve he got from his kicks on Wednesday night was due to the wind at Stadium Australia.
 

Matthew Johns says, "We'd play against each other one on one, we had a one-tackle rule so we'd learn pretty quickly about how to beat a bloke, chip and regather, and grubber and regather."

We won the battle, not the war By ANDREW JOHNS,  26 May 2002
We have negotiated the first hurdle – won the opening battle, if you like – and it would be dangerous for us to think otherwise.
What we achieved at Stadium Australia on Wednesday night was great for everyone concerned. It was great for the players, great for the coach and great for the army of Blues fans. The back-slapping and the adulation was appreciated too. But don't think for one moment the job is done. We can't afford that luxury because even though it is nice to be one-up in the series, the Maroons won't lie down. Just the opposite. They will be back in front of their home fans seeking redemption and we'll need to lift even a couple of notches more to combat them. Here's how we won Game I: OUR TACTICS 
SIMPLE game plan based around controlling the footy and field position. 
MAKE sure clearing kicks to Lockyer bounce at least twice with a committed chase in numbers. 
FIND Alfie Langer in defensive line regularly with forward surges. 
WORK out signals with Brett Hodgson so he knew when I would be taking on defence. 
It wasn't a major part of the game plan to exploit Queensland's big men in defence up the centre, as it may have appeared on the night. It was more the dummy-half vision of Danny Buderus who just worked them over brilliantly and Brett, whose support play was sensational. 
COACH GOULD 
"GUS" said all the right things, pushed the right buttons. He talks footy, footy, footy and I for one respond to that. We had edited video sessions on the Queenslanders and saw what each of their players could and couldn't do. Everything was intense and upbeat. Laurie Daley and Nathan Brown were great in that department too. There were no big motivational speeches before we ran out – there didn't need to be because you could just sense everyone was ready to play. It was different at halftime though. He didn't want us to let up and blow the lead we'd built up. "No clock watching," he said. "Only cowards clock watch. Don't protect the lead because the Maroons have a history of coming back." 
ROOKIE BLUES 
I DOUBT I have ever been more confident going into a big game and that was largely because I just knew all the guys were going to handle it. Luke Bailey's a quiet sort of guy – never says much – but actions spoke louder than words on the night. I knew Hodgson would handle it. He's got a great coach at Parra but it was the confident way he talked about the support role he wanted to play with "Bedsy" and myself at training which impressed me. I never had doubts the Newcastle guys like Steve Simpson and Timana Tahu would step up. 
THE PRESSURE 
I COPPED a bit of flak for probably saying a bit too much publicly about my own expectations for the game. Some people saw it as an attempt to compare myself to Wally Lewis but that wasn't my intention at all. To me, Wally is State of Origin and always will be. I was just challenging myself to be the best that I could. People suggested I was putting too much pressure on myself but I look at it this way. If you don't challenge yourself, raise the bar as high as possible, you end up with mediocrity. 
I can play better and I never stop pushing myself in that regard. The minute you become satisfied with all aspects of your game is the minute you start to go backwards. 

FROM LITTLE THINGS BIG THINGS GROW
JOEY ON ALF
 As a young player who wasn’t growing up fast enough, it was Allan Langer who showed Andrew Johns that size doesn’t really matter. “I mean let’s face it - he is a kick in the arse off a dwarf!” Johns laughs. “He was a massive motivation for me.”
 Johns is sitting at a Coogee café, actor Ben Mendelsohn is three tables away,  re-adjusting his seat after thanking Joey for everything he has done in football. Warren Ryan is on a power walk and Trent Barrett is doing a photo shoot. Joey is gobbling down some bacon and eggs after a night of bonding. His mind is on the surf that is brewing at nearby Maroubra. He has the demeanour of a pro-surfer, like his mate Matt Hoy, and he appears to envy the free and easy lifestyle.  Right now, the NSW Origin skipper is sitting at a table in the rain. The shadow growing on his face can’t conceal his tired and, at times, sad eyes as he talks about his dark hours, his fears for his son growing up in Newcastle, the support of his inner circle and the man who inspired him to be the player he is today - Langer.
As Johns explains: “I was really small and I didn’t really develop until my late teens. I was told I was too small to play footy.  “To see Alfie play, that kept me going and now, to be friends with him, play against him and have a beer with him is just great.  “We are pretty similar blokes. We like a bet and a beer.  “When I was out of last year’s Origin series and he came back, I knew he’d kill it. And even though I am for NSW, I was hoping that he’d play well, and when he did I was that happy. “It doesn’t matter if you are NSW or Queensland, everyone loves him and respects him. All Alfie knows is footy - he is from a working-class family. I think it’s great he’s back.  “He’s the best player I’ve ever played against and he is the best half I have ever seen.  “For a player of his size, it’s hard to comprehend what he has done over such a long period of time.”
Another similarity between Johns and Langer is that they have never sought the limelight. Langer has never even sought an interview. It was an unwritten aspect of his return to the Broncos this year that his media commitments would be kept to a minimum. He has changed his mobile number and the club has been instructed not to give it out.  Johns has done the opposite this year as part of his campaign to become Australian skipper.  “If I never had to do another interview, I’d be happy with it,” he smiles.  “It doesn’t worry me. It’s like when people talk to me about what I want to do when I finish. I’d like to coach, but really sanity-wise and family-wise, and looking at my wife - this is really hard on her - when I finish, I think I’ll just head up the coast.  “I’m still learning about the public expectation and the extra pressure.”
Which is where his problems start. There are times when it gets too much, which makes his bid for Test captaincy so intriguing  the pride and honour of leadership versus his inner demons. As he explains, “I get heavily down with things.  “I just hang out at home and don’t want to leave the house. I bounce off a couple of close mates who understand the pressure I’m under and they look after me.  “My wife is understanding as well. She knows it gets too much.  “My wife is always into me about it - the pressure I’m under - but I just don’t tell people what I am thinking.  “She knows the pressure I’m under. It got so bad at one point that I just said ‘Fuck it, I’m out of here!’  “I got away from footy and people asking me,’Are you going to win this week?’   “It becomes really overbearing, especially in Newcastle, even though I love living there and love the place.  “People might read this and react the wrong way. They think I’ve got the best life of all.  “But money isn’t everything. I don’t give a rat’s arse about money. I was brought up without money so it means nothing to me.” 
What means everything to Johns is his son, Samuel.  “I class my family as private stuff but I love kids and love spending time with kids,” he says.  “My son is the best thing that has ever happened to me. He is super-active cheeky. My wife shakes her head and says he is so much like you. I just tell her that you don’t breed rat’s out of mice. “For him to grow up in Newcastle is hard for him - being his own man. I’ll have to weigh up whether we should move away and start again.  “I feel for him because he is going to need to carve his own way in life and he doesn’t need all the bullshit that will come with being my son.”

ALF ON JOEY
 If Allan Langer agrees with the general opinion that Andrew Johns is the best player in the world, he isn’t saying so. Not in State of Origin week. If you wouldn’t give a sucker an even break, why would you give a great opponent one by admitting how good he is?   “He’s a great player,” Alf replied, when asked if he thought Johns was the world’s No. 1. “He’s got everything - strong defence, lots of options in attack and a fantastic kicking game.  “He does it week in, week out in the competition and that’s how you know a great player. It’s going to be tough against him.”   Yeah. OK. So is he the best?  “You’ve got to rate him right up there among the best,” Langer continued. “Right up there with blokes like [Darren] Lockyer and [Gordon] Tallis.”
There they go again. Queenslanders. Sticking together. It shouldn’t come as any surprise. They’ve been sticking together long enough to have won 32 and drawn one of the 63 State of Origin matches played, even though NSW start favourites this year.  The Blues thought they had seen the last of Alf after he had snuck back from England, where he was playing with Warrington, to terrorise them as the Maroons coach Wayne Bennett’s secret weapon in the deciding game of last year’s series.  But then he decided to have another season with Brisbane and once that happened, Origin was always a shoo-in to follow.  When it became official, people asked: “Why? Why put the fairytale farewell from Origin at risk by going round again?”
His parents, Harry and Rita, were among them.  “We didn’t really want him to even play for the Broncos again,” Harry said from the family home in Ipswich.  “We thought, as parents,  that he couldn’t go out on a bigger high than the Origin last year and we didn’t want to see him get hurt or anything.”  His nature to gamble makes it an even more attractive proposition for Langer to tempt fate and see whether he can come out the other side with another win.  “That’s all part of the challenge,” he said. “Everything’s a gamble. That’s one of the reasons it’s exciting.”  Now that they have seen Alf play and know he still has what it takes at club level, the Langers are relaxing more when they watch.  “When Allan told me he was going to play for Brisbane again, he asked me what I thought,” Harry said. “I said, ‘You know how we feel’, and he said, ‘Yes, but what do you think now I’m going to play?’  “I said, ‘If you think your body is still up to it and you want to play, then you should do what makes you happy’.  “He’s still the No.1 among the Queensland halfbacks. He’s shown that this year, so he’s going well.”
Langer will get terribly nervous on Wednesday. He always does before a big game and it won’t be unusual if he is physically ill in the dressing room.  “I feel better once I’ve got it out of my system,” he said. “But it leaves a terrible taste in your mouth just before a game. I could do with some PK to chew on by the time I run out on the field sometimes.”  But now, still a few days before the game, Langer is excited more than anything.  “I feel the same as I did 10 years ago when I played Origin,” he said. “It’s great to be a part of it and see young blokes like ShaunBerrigan come into an Origin camp for the first time.”
Langer sees plenty of similarities between himself and Johns. There is a solid, working-class background - Johns’s father, Gary, is a coalminer and Harry was a carriage maker on the railways before he retired in 1996 - and a sense of loyalty that makes it unnthinkable for either to play for any other club in Australia.  They have a mutual respect that comes from each knowing what the other has got and how difficult it is to defend against.  “We’re great mates,” Langer said. “We have a beer together after a game and it won’t be any different after Origin.”
They both enjoy a punt, too. Maybe Alf’s love for it is the result, in weird way, of the fact Harry was born on August 1 - the uniform date on which horses turn a year older in the Southern Hemisphere.  “’Same as the horses’ birthday,’ people always say when I tell them,” Harry said, before laughing. “They’re buggers, those horses. I wish Allan would give them away.”

Johns warns Queensland - Sportal, June 19 2002
New South Wales captain Andrew Johns claims it won't matter who Queensland puts on the wing in the third state-of-origin game if his kicking game is on song.Maroons selectors this week named Johns' Newcastle teammate Robbie O'Davis on the flank opposite Lote Tuqiri for the match at Stadium Australia on June 26. Queensland chairman of selectors Gene Miles conceded O'Davis' intimate knowledge of Johns' kicking game had played a part in the decision. But Johns delivered some sobering news yesterday, warning the Maroons selectors it would take more than picking a clubmate on the wing to put the clamps on his kicking game. "He probably knows my kicking game inside out," Johns said of O'Davis. "After every training I do a bit of kicking with Robbie. He runs off my kicks. "We might have to change the calls for (Origin III). But if you put up a good kick to a winger and isolate them it won't matter who they are. "It might be hard for their wingers to stop them (NSW wingers Jason Moodie and Timana Tahu) because they can jump really high. So it won't change anything at all." Johns did offer the Maroons a glimmer of hope when he conceded he was feeling "jaded" after a hectic month of club and representative football. But that was where the good news ended for Queensland. The bad news for the Maroons is that Johns believes the 10 days in camp with the Blues should be enough to freshen him up for the third game. "Probably the last month I have played a lot of football and I feel a bit jaded," Johns said. "But it's 10 days until I play and I'll be ready to go for the third state-of-origin game. There's a lot at stake. There's a lot on the line. That brings out the best in all the players." The Blues trained in Sydney's eastern suburbs yesterday, with full-back Brett Hodgson joining in the session in a further pointer to him being fit for game three. Hodgson, who suffered a collapsed lung in Origin II, has been given the all-clear by his club doctor but NSW coach Phil Gould will wait until later in the week to make a decision on the star of game one. The Maroons had a quiet day, with the team not scheduled to begin their preparations for Origin III until tomorrow. But, Miles did hit back at claims from dumped winger Clinton Schifcofske that selectors had decided he was not up to playing state-of-origin. Miles said he was bitterly disappointed with Schifcofske's claims and advised the Canberra full-back to concentrate on his club form. "We were up front with him all along," Miles said. "At the end of the day you hope players accept these decisions. 

Johns slips up at Rooty Hill - Sports Watch, 20 June 2002 
NSW captain Andrew Johns will miss at least two days of training with a bruised backside after he took his devotion to kicking practice a little too far. Queensland would love to put Johns on his backside in the deciding State of Origin clash at Stadium Australia next Wednesday but the Newcastle halfback did it to himself today - in the car park of the Rooty Hill RSL club. Johns was on his way to Blues training when he slipped as he kicked a ball in the wet car park.
Suddenly there was nothing pretty about the kicking style of the world's best player, who's renowned for his trademark banana kicks and pinpoint bombs. Johns endured half the training session in pain and then accompanied NSW team doctor John Orchard to undergo an MRI scan in Randwick. He emerged limping from the clinic and has been ordered to ice the injured area before resuming training in two days. "He trained most of the session but he was pretty inconvenienced by a cork in the backside," Blues coach Phil Gould said today. "I think he'll be OK by game time."
Strangely enough, few of the NSW players witnessed Johns' fall but they all had a good laugh at their captain's expense. "There's plenty of padding around the bottom there for him so he should be sweet," Blues teammate Steve Menzies joked.

Why bookies halted Origin betting - 20 June 2002 
Betting on the State-of-Origin decider was suspended overnight after a bizarre mishap sent league superstar Andrew Johns to hospital for scans. Johns has been ordered not to train until Monday after injuring his tail bone when he tripped and fell after kicking a football to kids before training yesterday. As news of Johns' injury swept Sydney, SportsTAB suspended betting on Origin III. "It's more to protect the punters," SportsTAB's Glenn Munsie said. "They wouldn't be happy if they had backed NSW at lunchtime yesterday and then saw Johns ruled out that night. "We wanted to have the injury checked out." Just a week out from the decider, the injury to the world's best footballer threw a major scare into the Blues camp. Johns kicked the football after getting off the team bus before training at Rooty Hill, then tripped and fell on a wet speed hump - landing firmly on his backside. NSW doctor John Orchard immediately drove Johns to the Sydney Clinic, Randwick, for an MRI scan. "It rattled me, really took me by surprise. It was sore but I've iced up all afternoon and I'll be right (for next Wednesday)," Johns said. "It is only a soft tissue injury. Maybe after a day or two I can run it out. Luckily there's plenty of padding down there." Dr Orchard said the injury was a "nasty cork" and he would not train until Monday. "He will be iced and have physiotherapy but there's no structural damage underneath," he said. "We should be able to get him right to play as long as we keep the swelling under control." Johns said he was kicking the football to children on the training field. "A couple of kids came up to me with some footies and I went to kick one of them on to the field," he said. "I slipped over. I did some training but it was uncomfortable and sore." 
SportsTAB expects to reopen betting this morning with NSW $1.60 and Queensland $2.30. SportsTAB's Glenn Munsie said suspending betting was a logical step. "It isn't to scare anyone but Joey is such an integral part of the NSW side," he said. "We don't think this will affect anyone wanting a bet - the game is still a week away." NSW have other worries with centre Matthew Gidley battling a stomach virus and five-eighth Trent Barrett the flu. "Matthew is a bit crook but there are no dramas there," Dr Orchard said last night. "Trent has the flu but hasn't missed a training session. "[NSW fullback] Brett Hodgson [returning from a punctured lung] has been training strongly. He hasn't had any problems." Queensland will go into camp in Brisbane today. 

Appendix scare shocks Knights - 20 June 2002 
Newcastle are in danger of losing one of their last remaining experienced players for Sunday's clash against Wests Tigers with centre Mark Hughes struck down by appendicitis. The Knights centre spent more than an hour under observation in hospital on Tuesday night after complaining of severe pains that afternoon after training. He was put on a course of antibiotics but admitted yesterday it was still possible he might need an operation. "I've been laid up all day and I haven't been able to eat anything," Hughes said. "The cramps started on Monday but it didn't get really bad until yesterday after training when things deteriorated. "I've still got some pain there and at this stage, the doctor has basically said it's wait and see about whether I may need to have them out." The possible loss of Hughes, who has just recovered from a chest infection that affected the lining of his heart, would be another crippling blow to the Knights' chances of beating the Tigers at Campbelltown. They already have six players, including captain Andrew Johns, unavailable because of Origin duties while prop Matt Parsons has little hope of playing due to a shoulder injury. With Ben Kennedy and Adam MacDougall out long term, the Knights will have at least nine, and possibly 10, of their run-on side from last season's Grand Final absent if Hughes withdraws. With a horror injury toll through the three grades, coach Michael Hagan has been forced to call on players from the Newcastle domestic competition to fill the lower grades. But he refuses to write off his side's chances against the Tigers despite the Knights being forced to field possibly the most inexperienced lineup in the club's history. "From my point of view, there is still plenty of room for optimism going down there, but obviously Hughes' availability is important to us," he said. 

JOHNS SHOWS ANOTHER STRING TO HIS BOW - 21 June 2002
NSW halfback Andrew Johns is renowned for his peerless passing and kicking game but yesterday he put another of his remarkable traits on show - his recuperative powers. Johns was backk on the training paddock yesterday, leading NSW through a hit-out at Stadium Australia only a day after falling on his backside and throwing a scare through the Blues camp.
The NSW No.7 was diagnosed with a bruised buttock, leading to fears he may miss the State of Origin decider.But those worries were quickly dispelled this afternoon. The man himself was keeping quiet after the hullabaloo his embarrassing slip caused on Wednesday. Coach Phil Gould claimed there was never any doubt Johns would line up against Queensland next Wednesday. "He put a bit of a scare into them yesterday," Gould said yesterday. "I don't think there was any doubt (he would play)."

Johns may prove the difference -  June 26 2002
New South Wales coach Phil Gould says the world's best player - Blues half-back Andrew Johns - is ready to play. But then again, Gould argues that the world's second- and third-best players - Queenslanders Gorden Tallis and Darren Lockyer - are as well. So who will carry an edge into tonight's third and deciding state-of-origin game.  History has shown that when Johns puts his mind to it, few sides are capable of combating his freakish skills. The Blues captain showed it in the first game, where he was named man of the match despite spending most of the final 20 minutes admiring NSW's handywork from the sidelines. His impact was minimised by Queensland in the second game and the Maroons won to level the series. But Johns is a big-game player and according to his coach he's ready to repeat his opening-game heroics. "He's certainly ready to play and if the opportunity presents itself, we all know what he's capable of," Gould said. Queensland coach Wayne Bennett has no doubt how important Johns will be to NSW after watching the Test No. 7 torment the Maroons with his kicking game in the first match. "We've just got to try and not allow him to kick when he wants to kick at his time and place," Bennett said yesterday. 

My life as NSW leader -  26 June 2002
THE final pieces of Origin 2002 will fall into place tonight. The series winners will be decided, Test jerseys claimed and reputations damaged or dusted off. For Andrew Johns it will be the end of the first leg of his journey into his final frontier. He promised to dominate before the opening game and he delivered at Stadium Australia. In Origin II he was overshadowed by a Queensland pack bent on restoring some credibility. That has left tonight as the final opportunity to build on his legacy. One which he hopes will include the Australian captaincy in 12 days time when the first Kangaroos team of the year is announced. While the result of the series will not have an impact on the final decision by the ARL board the performance of the two candidates Johns and Queensland's Gorden Tallis through Origin will be assessed. For Johns it has been his first venture as a representative captain. "I didn't realise how much work there was, especially media wise. In a way I've probably been protected a little bit," Johns said when asked what he had learned as NSW captain. "All eyes are on you. Everything you read your name, and Gus's (Phil Gould) name. It's all positive but it probably increases the pressure. "It hasn't affected my football. It's been managed well, I've got a lot of good people around me." 
The captaincy has been a turbulent and sensitive issue for Johns because it challenges who he is. The uncut coalminer's son who appeals more to the game's working class electorate rather than its corporate masters. "I was reluctant at first to take on the job even at Newcastle but I'm enjoying it," he said. "I was worried about the over-exposure thing, especially. It's not really my go. People ask you something you answer it, everytime you open the paper you're in there and people think 'who's this bloke, there's no substance to what he says'. I was a bit worried about there's no substance to it." 
On the issue of added responsibility he said: "I do things a little bit different. I didn't know if it would suit my game but it's probably made it better. "It gets me more focused when I go out there for the game. The responsibility of it, that I have to play well. I take the approach of leading by actions not words." 
But even he admits there are still some uncomfortable times with the (c) next to his name. "The extra pressure, sometimes I do struggle with it," he said. Tallis on the other hand has never struggled with the pressure and remains relaxed and open in the public eye. He is confident in himself but it is his passion on the field - one of his most appealing qualities which has robbed his candidacy of a little momentum. His conflict with referees has been an evolving headline. The Australian coach Chris Anderson says it should not come into consideration when making the final decision. Both are leaders of men in their own way but it will only be coincidence and not design if tonight's victor enjoys the spoils of Test captaincy.

Shattered Johns calls for extra time -  By PETER FRILINGOS -  27 June 2002
A DISTRAUGHT Blues skipper Andrew Johns last night pleaded with league administrators to let future Origin series deciders go to extra time if required. Moments after Queensland and NSW had drawn 18-all at Stadium Australia, Johns said: "Both sides played their hearts out without a result and something has to be done to make sure it can't happen again." 
Queensland retained the interstate shield because of a tied series, with both teams winning one Origin rubber apiece. "The prospect of extra time was discussed recently but nothing was done about it," Johns said. ARL chairman Colin Love said he would support Johns' call, but Queensland plan to oppose any rule change. Extra time for future deciders 
Chairman Love said he would push for extra time to be played to ensure future Origin series were decided on the field of play in the event of draws. No sooner had Love given that undertaking, Queensland league boss John McDonald said his state would oppose the move.  The issue will be discussed at an informal meeting of ARL directors today, but there won't be an official vote until next month. 
Love said he was disappointed that the drawn result had left players and fans with an empty feeling. "Everybody likes to see a result after a game and a series like that," Love said. "After the drawn series a couple of years ago the issue of extra time was considered by the board of the ARL. "It was decided not to alter (the rule) but after tonight's events the issue has to be revisited." But Queensland's McDonald countered: "It's too much to ask players to play extra time at this level."

Johns 50-50 to play Souths -  Sports Watch,  29 June 2002
Andrew Johns is only a 50-50 chance of playing Saturday night's National Rugby League match against South Sydney as Newcastle reels from the impact of State of Origin III. Knights coach Michael Hagan revealed Johns was a doubtful starter for the clash at the Sydney Football Stadium because of a quadriceps injury. Told Johns was struggling, Souths coach Craig Coleman said: "That's nice. Joey needs a break and I think he should have one this weekend - but I don't think he will. I don't believe it."
Hagan said: "We'll leave the final decision to Joey. If he wants to play he will and if he doesn't want to play, he won't."  Johns may be 50-50 to tackle the Rabbitohs but he's now twice as likely to become Australia's next Test captain after Gorden Tallis' outburst on Wednesday night. The Queensland skipper's abusive reaction to a banner that denigrated his mother at Stadium Australia was understandable but also harmed his already shaky chances of beating Johns to the top job. "Joey doesn't need us to push his barrow," Hagan said when asked about the two-man leadership race for next month's Test against Great Britain."Look at his record over the last 18 months, that indicates that he's done the job for us both on and off the field. He can't do any more to get himself in the running."He's very much respected and well-liked but the boys up here also know where they stand with him.If he's not particularly happy with certain levels of performance of training he's very quick to point that out. He expects and demands a fair bit from them and I don't have a problem with that."
Johns was extremely reluctant to take the helm at Newcastle last year when Tony Butterfield retired because of his dislike of off-field commitments. All he wanted was to play footy and be left alone. He still does but now accepts his responsibilities don't end with the fulltime siren. He's become a surprisingly polished act in public.The Knights won last year's premiership. "He's certainly grown into the captaincy and I think he's enjoying it now to a large degree," said Hagan."He gives a bit more thought to what he says and understands now that he's a pretty important figure in our game.Yesterday was a good example when he received a big cheque for improvements to our ground from (NSW premier) Bob Carr. That's the sort of level he's at now, rubbing shoulders with politicians, heaven forbid. He probably doesn't enjoy that side of it totally but he knows it's part of the job and he's doing it pretty well."
Johns is no saint but he's staying out of controversy in an effort to land the Test reins. He's no longer getting into arguments with Ben Kennedy at the pub or misbehaving on flights back from Townsville or even daring to dye his hair red."He's a larrikin, but that's what rugby league needs," said Coleman."He's a good kid and he's making a real effort. Nothing against Gorden, but I think they'll make Joey captain."

Johns not King, but is he captain?  June 30 2002
Andrew Johns admits he failed to deliver on a public pledge to "dominate" the state-of-origin series but he is still almost certain to be named Australian captain in a week. Johns says he has unfinished business in next year's origin series after failing to rule over a series in the same manner as "King" Wally Lewis. Johns started the series in a manner befitting his ranking as the game's best player, but didn't reach those heights in the next two matches. When asked if he dominated the series as he stated he would, Johns said he would rather avoid the 'd' word, which has shadowed him throughout the series. "I'd prefer not to use that word," he said. "I was so disappointed that we didn't win the series. That was a real kick in the arse. I think that I could have played better throughout the series. I was a bit disappointed with myself because I wanted to win so much. "I was happy with some aspects of my game. The first game was the best I played and my kicking game throughout the series was pretty good."
Sources said if a skipper had to be chosen today it would be Johns. A week is not expected to change things and that means Brisbane and Queensland captain Gorden Tallis is set to miss out to the Newcastle and NSW skipper. If a successor to former Australian captain Brad Fittler had to be named six months ago, it is almost certain Tallis would have got the job. But developments since have changed things dramatically and it was not a good sign for Tallis when the Australian Rugby League issued a statement referring to him on Friday. The release was in reaction to the incident after full-time in state-of-origin III on Wednesday night, when Tallis gestured to and swore at a section of the crowd because of his fury over a banner about his mother. There has been a wave of sympathy towards Tallis over the incident and it was widely anticipated there would be no official reaction to the incident.