Learning to live without two of the most important players in Warriors’ history will be an ongoing challenge for the club this season.
Reported by Michael Burgess – Sports Writer
To replace one titan is difficult enough. But replacing two – that is a real test.
Of the many hurdles the Warriors will face in 2025, adjusting to the absence of Shaun Johnson and Tohu Harris is one of their biggest.
It’s not just about their start to the season – which has been mixed, after the Las Vegas debacle. The key will come after the first six or seven matches, when injuries and fatigue start to bite.
Can they maintain the spark, grit, invention and accuracy without those two veterans? Can they prosper when the going gets tough?
Harris had been a fixture at the club for the previous seven seasons, captain for the last four. Johnson’s time in the No 7 jersey stretched way back to 2011, with a three season stint at Cronulla (2019-2021) the only hiatus.
Their impact – and the void they have left – can’t be underestimated.
Harris was the ultimate professional. He was invariably in the right place – at the right time – often coming up with vital defensive plays. In the last two playoff seasons (2018 and 2023) Harris was a key figure, while his ball playing ability was an essential part of coach Andrew Webster’s game plan. The Hastings product was an important leader, even before he assumed the captaincy and his forced retirement – due to chronic injury – was extremely sad.
Others have stepped up this season – Mitch Barnett as co-captain, Erin Clark at lock, Dylan Walker as a ball player – but maintaining those levels across a full year won’t be easy.
It’s even more pronounced with Johnson. It was the right time to step away – even if some wanted him to play on forever. But who can do what he did?
Right now, there isn’t anyone. Johnson had a prodigious boot, always near the top of the charts for kicking metres. His short kicking game was ultra reliable, invariably executing the right option. But most of all, Johnson made things happen. Look at his career NRL figures; 268 games, 261 try assists, 117 line breaks, 85 tries. You can also throw in 574 tackle busts.
In the last three seasons – in the supposed twilight of his career – Johnson set up 62 tries for the Warriors, while scoring 16 himself. And when the match was in the balance, he was often the difference, with a clutch play. As an example, Johnson kicked 18 field goals across his NRL career. Of the halves left at the club, Chanel Harris-Tavita and Te Maire Martin have one each, Tannah Boyd has three and Luke Metcalf is yet to snap a successful attempt.
“Obviously our attack is going to look different,” Webster told me in February. “Shaun was a very dominant half, on the ball a lot. It will be shared around more now.”
That has happened in the first few rounds, with the playmaking responsibility spread across the spine. It has worked so far but the true test comes next, as teams figure out how the Warriors want to play. There is heavy responsibility on Metcalf, with barely 30 NRL games under his belt. The 25-year-old is talented, though seen as more of a runner than an organiser. Harris-Tavita brings tough defence and an underrated passing game. Martin is the wildcard; he is an outstanding competitor, who revels in off the cuff, ad lib footy. Boyd’s strength is his kicking ability. Collectively, the Warriors have to find the formula.