Cooper Cronk ‘firing blanks’ sledge helped Cronulla’s Shaun Johnson turn his form around
A barrage of criticism directed at Shaun Johnson has helped the Sharks playmaker refocus and turn his form around.
NRL
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Cronulla skipper Wade Graham revealed a barrage of criticism directed at Shaun Johnson, including a savage “firing blanks” sledge from Cooper Cronk, has helped turn around the playmaker’s form.
A slow start to the season for the club, winning only one game from the first five, put Johnson in the crosshairs of fans and commentators.
“If you look back to a month a go, it was probably getting to a point it was hard to block out the criticism because it was coming from a lot of angles … and he probably made more of a determined effort to block it out on purpose and just focus on footy,” Graham said.
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Speaking on Fox League last month after the Sharks earned their first win for the year, four-time premiership-winning halfback Cronk picked apart Johnson’s game and was scathing of his time at Cronulla.
“He can be the best player in the world but he just doesn't deliver enough for me, and if the Sharks are going to do something this year … Johnson needs to be the star,” Cronk said.
“He just doesn‘t play with enough fast tempo and enough slow tempo, he just plays with the same speed the last couple of years.”
Cronk accused Johnson, who joined Cronulla in 2019 on a three-year deal worth $3 million, of failing to deliver on his price tag.
“Johnson won the Golden Boot in 2014, signed with the Sharks on a three-year deal ... and, to be honest, he‘s fired blanks since arriving.”
But Graham believes the New Zealand international hasn’t only answered the critics, he’s silenced them with the Sharks have won three straight games, against the Gold Coast, Manly and Canterbury.
“Whatever he did it has certainly worked for him because he has turned a corner in the public perception ... something has clicked the public domain because he is getting less criticism, that’s for sure,” he said.
Johnson, who is often derided for his lack of consistency, has not only steered the Sharks to three consecutive victories, he leads the competition for try assists (12) and line engagements (63).
“We are trending in the right direction and everyone is getting a better understanding of how we are trying to play and what we are trying to achieve in a game and Shaun is getting a benefit from that,” Graham said.
Cronulla coach John Morris has named Josh Dugan to replace a “rattled” Matt Moylan at fullback against Penrith on Saturday. Moylan suffered his 10th hamstring complaint in three years last weekend against the Titans.
It’s the first time Dugan will wear the No.1 jumper since week one of last year’s finals series in September. But Dugan, who is no stranger to injury himself, is confident his body is up to the task.
“It‘s going to be different, I haven’t done a whole lot at the back,” he said.
“But it’s a little bit second nature for me. I know all the structures of the team and I know how we defend. I’m hoping it’s pretty seamless.”
Before the forced shift to fullback, Dugan was finding some form and consistency playing at centre this year.
“I feel like I was starting to hit my straps at centre playing some games, starting to get that strength defensively again and starting to run the ball strong,” he said. “But unfortunately, Moysa is out so I may be at the back for the next few weeks.”
Dugan’s six-straight games at centre this year is the longest he has spent in one position since May 2016. Last year the veteran outside back switched positions 11 times in the 23 games he played.