Shaun Johnson has put the perfect full stop on his career, leading the Warriors to a come-from-behind 30-28 win over Cronulla with his last touch in the NRL.
Playing the last of his 268 NRL games before retirement, Johnson threw a perfect 15-metre cut-out ball for Dallin Watene-Zelezniak to score in the final minute.
The play sealed the Warriors a memorable win, ending their nightmare season in style and finishing off a comeback that began with them down 22-4 at half-time.
The result means Cronulla appear unlikely to claim a home final, and could mathematically still miss the top four if they are beaten by Manly next week.
But the story of Saturday night at PointsBet Stadium was Johnson against his former club.
The retiring halfback began the game with a piece of old-school Johnson magic, before ending a personal nine-match losing streak in the final minute.
Perfect finish: Shaun Johnson.Credit: NRL Photos
He helped open the scoring when he dummied twice to his outside, stepped through the defence on halfway and passing back inside for Luke Metcalf.
And when that 4-0 lead became a 22-4 deficit at the break, Johnson was heavily involved in the comeback.
With Taine Tuaupiki a threat on the right edge and setting up two tries himself, Johnson continually found ways to chip in.
He grubber-kicked early for one of Watene-Zelezniak’s three tries, giving the flying winger room to run onto the ball and score.
Johnson also nailed two kicks from the sideline, helping give the Warriors a 26-22 advantage with 13 minutes to play.
And when the fairytale finish looked dead after Sam Stonestreet put the Sharks back ahead with nine minutes to play, Johnson refused to give up.
A Sharks error offered the Warriors one last attacking opportunity, before Johnson touched the ball on almost every play of the set for the visitors.
Eventually he came up with the decisive one for Watene-Zelezniak’s third, capping off a magical career.
“Far out,” Johnson said in an on-field presentation. “I know we carried on a bit tonight, but this is my last game so we’re allowed to carry on.”
Back in action: Nicho Hynes.Credit: Getty Images
For Cronulla, this loss could prove costly.
There were good signs for their attack in Nicho Hynes’ return game from a fractured ankle, with Braydon Trindall keeping control of the attack.
Playing predominantly at first receiver, Trindall played a role in the Sharks’ first two tries with perfectly timed passes for Teig Wilton and Kayal Iro.
With the pressure off Hynes, he was also able to send Tom Hazleton over for a four-pointer as the Sharks crossed three times in a five-minute period before the break.
And it was Trindall who was again influential late, helping Will Kennedy put Stonestreet over late before nailing a crucial conversion from the sideline.
But ultimately the Johnson magic won out, meaning Cronulla are now likely to have to head to Melbourne to face the minor premiers in the first week of the finals.
AAP
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