‘Absolute scenes’: Shaun Johnson seals comeback with final act on an NRL field
Shaun Johnson has ended his career in the most incredible scenes, sealing a stunning comeback with the last play of his final game in the NRL.
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Shaun Johnson’s final NRL game has ended in perfect fashion with the champion halfback throwing the pass for the match winning try in the Warriors’ 30-28 win over the Sharks on Saturday night.
Johnson announced his retirement in early August before getting an incredible home send off that left him in tears last week.
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But it was far from the send off he would have hoped for, losing to Manly and Canterbury heading into the Warriors’ final match of the season.
After a disappointing season where the Warriors were nowhere near the team that made it to the preliminary final in 2023, the side made sure to send Johnson off in perfect fashion.
Taking on the Sharks, who appear set for a top four berth in 2024, the Warriors looked to end their season with a whimper, dropping 22-4 down at halftime.
But an incredible comeback orchestrated by Johnson saw the Warriors romp back into the game in the second half, hitting the lead in the 65th minute.
Johnson ran 22 times for 166m, had two linebreaks, a line break assist and three try assists in a virtuoso performance in his final match.
With two minutes remaining, the Sharks led 28-26 and had the chance to kill the game with a seven-tackle set after the ball was kicked dead off a Luke Metcalf 40m field goal attempt.
But a knock on midfield gave the Warriors field possession.
“The rugby league gods have given you one more shot at it, one more moment Shaun,” Michael Ennis said on Fox League.
As the Warriors went for the try, Johnson had his hands on the ball in every play.
On the last tackle, with 35 seconds remaining, the Warriors went to the short side, finding Johnson out the back before he threw a cutout pass to Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, who beat a tackle to slam the ball down and steal the victory.
“Johnson writes his own script — written, produced, directed by Shaun Johnson, the movie, his last game, wins it for the Warriors,” Andrew Voss screamed.
“What a moment,” Ennis added. “With one final play, Johnson swings from left to right and lands one of the balls of his career, an absolute miraculous pass out to Zelezniak, I’m stunned.”
Voss added it was “15 out of 10 on the incredible meter.”
Johnson then had the chance to convert the try, but pushed it well wide.
He hung it wide but it didn’t matter as he capped his career with a miracle moment.
Speaking to Fox League after the match, Johnson said: “To be able to finish like that, it’s truly special.”
“Last we came here and had a similar game, crazy how things work out,” he continued. “But in the sheds we spoke about we have been here before, do we believe? I said to the boys, regardless, I’m coming off the field with a smile. To be able to do that with the win in our pocket, I’ll be smiling all night.”
Johnson said last week was difficult to concentrate on the game with family flying in for the match, but that he just enjoyed the match against the Sharks.
There were brilliant scenes after full-time with Johnson chaired off the field, while New Zealand players from both sides performed a haka as a mark of respect for the retiring legend.
The footy world also paid respect to the retiring legend.
Voss tweeted: “Thanks for so many memories Shaun. Privilege to be able to call your last game on @FOXNRL. 15 out of 10 on the incredible meter!!!”
Fox League reporter Tiffany Salmond posted: “Absolute scenes. What an incredible game and unreal performance from Shaun Johnson. He can go out as one happy man with that one!”
The League Scene podcast called it: “Incredible, ridiculous. We are running out of superlatives to describe that from SJ!”
Another fan posted: “Thank you Shaun Johnson. One of New Zealands best and he put on one last show for us lucky mortals.”
Another wrote: “The Rugby League Gods have saluted Shaun Johnson. Great way to sign off on a great career.”
While it was a perfect end for the Warriors, the result has likely torpedoed the Sharks’ top two hopes despite the return of Nicho Hynes.
Hynes would have wanted a nice and easy return to the NRL in his first game back from injury in nearly two months, and everything was going to script with the Sharks up 22-4 at the break.
Hynes had already laid on a try for Tom Hazelton before the prop returned the favour, only for the four points to be wiped off for an obstruction.
It was a different role for the returning Sharks star who played second fiddle to Braydon Trindall who set up two first-half-tries, with Hynes happy to sit back in his new role at five-eighth.
There were some dazzling plays by the hosts but this was a wasted opportunity as they now prepare to travel to Manly next week wondering how they let this one slip.
With Martin Gabor, NewsWire
Originally published as ‘Absolute scenes’: Shaun Johnson seals comeback with final act on an NRL field
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