Incoming Warrior Shaun Johnson has revealed how he was “95 per cent on the way” to joining the Canterbury Bulldogs.
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.
Prior to signing that deal in late June, Johnson’s future was the source of constant speculation, with suggestions incoming coach Craig Fitzgibbon didn’t see Johnson as part of Cronulla’s future.
Now Johnson has revealed that during that time he was on the verge of signing with the Bulldogs, where he would’ve formed a halves pairing alongside Dally M Centre of the Year, Matt Burton, who will go back to the No.6 jersey when he joins the Bulldogs in 2022.
“That was the drawcard,” Johnson said on The Ice Project Podcast.
“I remember after playing the Panthers I pulled Matty Burton for a chat and said ‘what do you think bro?’ and he said ‘yes, please come’.
“At that time I was pretty much 95 per cent on the way (to the Bulldogs).
“I really loved what [Bulldogs coach] Trent Barret was doing there, loved the group he was assembling.
“The time he showed me, we had some really good chats.”
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While Johnson’s first exit out of New Zealand was a highly publicised and messy fallout, he revealed it was the influence of Phil Gould, who was with the Warriors as a consultant at the time, that enabled the incoming return.
“I think without Phil’s influence I don’t know if this would’ve happened,” Johnson added.
“The way things ended [at the end of 2018], there was that sort of awkwardness, a bit of unease, and we’d never smoothed that over with Cameron George, the CEO.
“Once Phil got involved he said ‘you’re the best option for the club at this current time, do you think it can work?’
“I was pretty much like ‘of course it can work. I’m not going to be that guy that holds on to something for my whole life’.”
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