Cronulla legend Paul Gallen says departing Sharks playmaker Shaun Johnson struggled to keep his head straight for the club this season as he played under the cloud of an uncertain future.
The Sharks missed out on a spot in the finals series, falling short on for and against after finishing equal on points with the eighth-placed Titans.
Johnson missed the back end of the season with a hamstring injury, but prior to that he struggled to consistently produce his best form.
The classy 31-year-old will suit up for the Warriors next season, after signing on for a two-year deal that reunites him with the club where he became a star.
However, prior to signing that deal in late June, Johnson’s future was the source of constant speculation, with Cronulla dealing with a top-heavy salary cap and the uncertainty that comes with the impending arrival of a new coach.
Speaking to Wide World of Sports for a Sharks season review, Gallen said the club’s inability to field a consistent halves pairing combined with a distracted Johnson was a defining factor in their failure to make the eight.
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Asked if the Sharks would have made the finals if Johnson didn’t injure his hamstring, Gallen replied: “It’s hard to say.
“I personally think Shaun’s head wasn’t quite there this year.
“I think when he decided to leave the club and that the club wasn’t going to offer him another contract he was happy to find somewhere else to go.
“When the opportunity was there to leave the club and get back to New Zealand, he did that which was fair enough. He wanted to get back to his family.
“Had Shaun Johnson been 100 per cent and playing to the best of his abilities, he would’ve made a big difference for sure.”
Gallen said Johnson’s issues were compounded by the fact that Cronulla were unable to consistently field their experienced core, with the likes of Wade Graham, Matt Moylan and Josh Dugan spending plenty of time on the sidelines.
“They’ve lost a lot of experience over the years… they’ve had these young guys come in and the hardest thing for a young guy is to play rugby league week in and week out,” Gallen said.
“Everyone loves coming in and playing their first four or five first grade games, you’re a superstar and you’re so excited.
“It’s the hardness and the toughness of the week in, week out rugby league that gets you and I think that caught up to the Sharkies.
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“You throw on top of that, the big money, high-profile players that were the backbone of the side didn’t play a lot of footy.
“Shaun Johnson didn’t play a lot of footy. Matt Moylan didn’t play a lot of footy, Josh Dugan played about 10 games.
“Wade Graham, the captain, had head knocks throughout the season… their biggest names, their most experienced players missed a lot of footy. That really went against them.”
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