NRL grand final 2021: Teammate’s misfortune gives Alex Johnston another shot at title with Souths
South Sydney’s try-scoring machine was on the verge of quitting the Rabbitohs last year before fate interverened.
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Try-scoring machine Alex Johnston is only playing in Sunday’s grand final because of the terrible misfortune of an old teammate.
The Rabbitohs winger was on the verge of quitting to sign with Melbourne Storm this time last year until second-rower Ethan Lowe was forced into retirement with a neck injury.
Souths used Lowe’s money from the salary cap to bump up their original offer to the La Perouse Panthers junior that convinced him to stay.
Watch Fox Leagues’s massive line-up of Grand Final week coverage on Kayo including live pre-game, halftime and post-game coverage with full analysis from the best team in the business. New to Kayo? Start your free trial >
Johnston’s partner Taryn was heavily pregnant with their first child which meant the decision on his future had to be made around financial security as much as his loyalty to the Rabbitohs.
Angry Souths fans had started a petition and a GoFundMe page to force the Rabbitohs into a backflip.
The day it was announced to the team Johnston was staying, super coach Wayne Bennett said: “It was certainly the most cheering and clapping I’ve heard for a long time in the change room.”
Such is his popularity with the team and the fact he has scored a stunning 52 tries in the last two seasons.
Storm boss Frank Ponissi recalls the meetings with Johnston last year while Melbourne were based on the Sunshine Coast.
“Craig and I interviewed Alex and his partner twice on Zoom,” Ponissi said.
“He came across outstanding. Really impressive. We were confident. It got very close and we thought we were there at one stage. But he decided to stay and he personally rang both of us to explain why, which was much appreciated. He’s a very genuine young fella.”
Johnston told News Corp on Monday he almost left.
“Taryn was pregnant so we were umming and ahhing about our financial position,” he said. “At the end of the day, it can be like a business decision. We were starting a family. I love Souths but we had to think about the future.
“I was pretty close to going to Melbourne but Souths made a better offer and we always wanted to stay around our family. I’m stoked it worked out how it did.”
Johnston agreed to stay for two years and hopes to extend in the near future.
But again his boy Sonny and his family’s future will be the decider.
On being a father, Johnston said: “He’s changed my life massively. You never think you could love someone so much. Every time I see him he just fills my heart. He’s actually taken some pressure off my footy. At the end of the day, rugby league is a game. Going home to see his face and his smile win or lose.”
On Sunday, Johnston will be marking up on Penrith’s Stephen Crichton, a player he respects enormously, in the decider at Suncorp Stadium.
The instructions from Bennett will be kept simple.
“Wayne’s given me the confidence to play without over-complicating it,” Johnston said.
“He’s (Crichton) a competitor and I can’t wait. He’s scored the last few times we’ve played so it’s going to be a good challenge.”
REVEALED: SHOCK CONTENDER TO REPLACE REYNOLDS
—Paul Crawley
South Sydney’s head coach-in-waiting Jason Demetriou says the boom rookie called up to replace suspended superstar Latrell Mitchell this year is now a genuine contender to take over from Adam Reynolds at halfback next season.
It comes as Blake Taaffe prepares to write his own name in history in Sunday night’s NRL grand final blockbuster against Penrith, when Taaffe becomes the player with the fewest top grade games of the NRL era – dating back to 1998 – to play in a season decider.
The previous least games was when Moses Mbye ran out for Canterbury in his ninth game in 2014.
Prior to the NRL, fellow Bulldog Steve Price held the record when he played his sixth top grade game in the 1994 grand final.
In a wide-ranging interview, Demetriou also opened up about what life beyond Wayne Bennett might look like for him and the Bunnies.
And after spending five years working under the game’s greatest coach at both Brisbane and Souths, Demetriou said he had absolutely no fears about falling into the same trap that has swallowed other Bennett replacements in the past.
“I don’t think it’s ever going to be an excuse for me,” Demetriou said.
Demetriou was reluctant to even talk about next year given the Rabbitohs have a grand final awaiting them.
“What will be next year will be,” Demetriou said.
“I am in a good place to know what is coming and what I need to do.
“But for this year it is about making sure I am doing what I need to do to help Wayne and get the job done.
“Wayne has mentioned it a few times, there are no guarantees.
“What is guaranteed is we are 80 minutes away from a grand final. Beyond that there is no guarantees.”
But pushed on where he sees Taaffe fitting in when Latrell’s back and Reynolds is gone, the one certainly he says is that Taaffe is “a first grader”.
“That is a great headache to have,” Demetriou said.
“We have got a full pre-season to sit down and work on those things.
“But Latrell is a pretty special player and he will be coming back into the side, that’s for sure.
“But Blake won the 20s competition as a halfback.
“He spent the majority of his junior footy playing as a fullback.
“He could play six, seven, one as we are seeing. He gives great versatility to our team.
“I am not in a position now to pigeonhole where his future lies but what I do know is he is a first grader and the rest will take care of itself.”
The other options for Demetriou will be fellow young gun Lachlan Ilias who played the final round game against St George Illawarra, and incoming Broncos recruit Anthony Milford.
FOLLOWING BENNETT
For now, all Demetriou wanted to focus on was making sure the Bunnies did all they could to get their preparation right for Sunday.
But there is just no hiding from that giant shadow that follows all who have tried and failed to take over from Bennett previously.
Ivan Henjak made the finals in his first year taking at Brisbane in 2009 but was sacked after missing the 2010 play offs.
At the Dragons Steve Price missed the finals in 2012 and was sacked in early 2014.
At Newcastle Rick Stone didn’t last the first season in 2015.
While at the Broncos it was Anthony Seibold, and we all know how badly that ended within two years.
But what none of them had was as much time working so closely with Bennett.
Which is why Demetriou’s sole focus this week is trying to secure himself his own little chapter in what could ultimately be one of rugby league’s greatest stories.
“In 10 years’ time you will be thinking about Wayne Bennett’s premiership at South Sydney and the involvement you had in it will be pretty special to be part of,” Demetriou said.
“I remember when Wayne rang me five years ago and said, ‘what is it going to take me to get you to come to Brisbane?’
“I thought it was one of my mates winding me up.
“I had just coached the Illawarra Cutters to the NSW Cup and State Championship that year as well so he obviously got wind of me through that.
“Then I remember when I first turned up to Brisbane he walked past me three times and didn’t even know who I was.
“But he has been great for my career so it would be great to send him off a winner.”
HISTORY REPEATING: FENECH OPENS UP ON SOUTHS EXIT
— Phil Rothfield
Footy legend Mario Fenech still remembers the day he broke down and wept at being forced to quit his beloved South Sydney Rabbitohs.
It’s why he can relate to the emotions that halfback and skipper Adam Reynolds will be experiencing as he prepares for Friday’s grand final qualifier against the Manly Sea Eagles – and possibly his last game in the famous old red and green jersey.
These two South Sydney icons share remarkably similar stories - local boys and captains, both forced out towards the end of their careers over money.
Fenech a Mascot junior, Reynolds from Alexandria Rovers.
In a rare interview, Fenech spoke of his admiration for Reynolds and the professional manner in which he has handled the most difficult period of his career.
Fenech has battled recent health problems as a result of concussions and his fearless style of footy from an era when high tackles and head shots were just accepted as part of the game.
But he remains remarkably switched on when you talk footy and his Rabbitohs.
“I’m disappointed Reyno is leaving,” Fenech said, “It’s exactly the same as me 30 years ago. I was there for 10 years but they couldn’t afford to keep me.
“I know what it means. I was shattered. I cried because I wanted to be a one-club player.
“Reyno is an amazing playmaker, he’s got a great kicking game, he can tackle and he’s a leader.
“We’ll miss him but we’ve got a strong junior league and we’ll fill the void.”
The difference in their stories is that Souths finished with the wooden spoon in Fenech’s last year in 1990 before he headed off to the North Sydney Bears.
They had been minor premiers in 1989 but bounced out of the finals with two straight losses and he never won a grand final.
Now 59, Fenech watches every Souths game and as much NRL as he can.
And he is quick to applaud the NRL’s crackdown on head high tackles this year to protect the next generation of footy players.
“In the 80s and 90s you got bashed around,” he said, “It was kill or be killed.
“It’s (crackdown) been a great thing for the game.
“My father even went and saw the NRL one day when I was getting concussed all the time.
“He said to them ‘what are you doing. This stuff has got to stop.’
“Imagine if your son was playing rugby league and getting smashed around the head all the time.”
Fenech is reluctant to talk about his health issues.
“There are times I don’t feel great,” he says, “It’s something I’ve got to accept.
“I’m happy and I train regularly because staying physically fit is really important.”
All he’s worried about right now is this Manly game.
“We’ve got Wayne and we’ll win if we turn up and play to the best of our ability,” he said.
More Coverage
Originally published as NRL grand final 2021: Teammate’s misfortune gives Alex Johnston another shot at title with Souths
Gus’ ‘doctored’ claim ignites NRL conspiracy
The NRL Grand Final’s controversial no try scandal has taken a wild turn despite the game releasing the angle the decision was based on.
Kangaroos selection shocks: NRL legends’ Test careers appear over
Mal Meninga has dropped a major selection bombshell by overlooking both James Tedesco and Kalyn Ponga for Kangaroos selection, with the list of surprise omissions and debutants not ending there. See the full squad.