Shaun Johnson will decided if he’s fit to play against Newcastle

Warriors star Shaun Johnson trained once this week but faces a big 48 hours if he wants to play in his team’s must-win final.

Shaun Johnson has the final call. Photo by Michael Bradley/Getty Images

Warriors star Shaun Johnson is set to have the final say on whether he’s fit for his team’s must-win semi-final against Newcastle with “all signs” suggesting the halfback will play.

Coach Andrew Webster confirmed veteran playmaker Johnson, who missed his team’s opening finals loss to Penrith after hurting his calf in the lead-up, trained well once this week.

The 33-year-old, who was named in the side when teams came out on Tuesday, but was rested from Thursday’s training session.

He will need to make it through the team’s final session on Friday before then making a call on his fitness.

“He trained really well yesterday,” Webster said on Thursday.

“If he can‘t physically do it, he can’t play.

“At this stage, all signs are that he will physically be able to do it.”

Johnson will make the final call. Photo by Matt King/Getty Images

Johnson still has the calf protection. Photo by Fiona Goodall/Getty Images

The Warriors are happy to trust Johnson, who has enjoyed a career resurgence this season, to make the final call on his fitness and he’ll need to be able to run to play.

“When we‘ve got an experienced player like Shaun, who knows his body really well, if he says I’m really good to go, then we’re going that way,” Webster said.

“We‘re going to give him every chance. You’ve got to understand, he’s on the better side of playing.

“Soft tissues are different to sore shoulders or sore knees, bone on bone, corks.

“You can‘t run. We just couldn’t play him (against Penrith).

“He wanted to play desperately but when I say the word soreness, I mean it‘s aggravated the injury. He couldn’t play.”

Johnson has had as big an impact on his team this season as any individual player in any side across the NRL.

Two of the Warriors’ three losses since June have come when Johnson, one of the favourites for the Dally M medal, was out of the side.

Victory for the Warriors will secure them passage to a preliminary final showdown with the Broncos in Brisbane.