JOHNSON ADDS TO CATALOGUE OF MATCH-WINNING MOMENTS

By Will Evans on March 25, 2018 • ( 0 )

The mercurial Shaun Johnson has done it again for the Warriors, slotting two field goals inside the last two minutes to steal a miraculous 20-19 win over Canberra at GIO Stadium.

A perpetual highlight-reel machine, Johnson’s clutch efforts – which lifted the Warriors to the top of the table – added to an extraordinary catalogue of match-winning moments from the uniquely-gifted halfback:

Warriors v Storm – 2011 preliminary final

It was the play that created a legend. Johnson’s iconic cross-field jaunt in the 2011 preliminary final set up the match-sealing try for centre Lewis Brown and sent the Warriors into their second grand final.

Johnson’s mesmerising run came in just his 15th NRL appearance and has gone down in club folklore as one of the Warriors’ most cherished moments.

New Zealand v England – 2013 World Cup semi-final

Johnson transferred his match-winning talents to the representative arena with a spine-tingling last-gasp try in an epic Wembley semi-final against England.

His breathtaking, hot-stepping four-pointer levelled the scores, before he slotted the conversion after the siren to give the Kiwis a 20-18 triumph in one of the greatest Tests ever played.

Warriors v Sharks – Round 9, 2015

Johnson pulled the Warriors’ seesawing clash with the Sharks out of the fire after the visiting Aucklanders had coughed up the lead with less than three minutes left. A spellbinding solo run by the playmaker left a string of Cronulla defenders clutching at thin air as Johnson crossed untouched in the final minute.

Warriors v Broncos – 2016 Auckland Nines pool match

The hometown favourites were headed for an inglorious exit from the Auckland Nines pool stage, before Johnson stepped up again in arguably the most electrifying moment of the tournament’s three editions to date.

Making his return from a shocking broken leg that ended his 2015 campaign, Johnson produced that familiar footwork to tear up the Broncos defence in the final minute and grab a quarter-final berth for his side.

Warriors v Panthers – Round 21, 2016

The Warriors had suffered three agonising golden-point losses in the previous four outings, and another seemed on the cards after they were run down by a gutsy Panthers outfit.

Due to dreadful Auckland weather, poor set-ups and blatant offside marker defence from the Panthers, Johnson’s earlier field goal attempts were thwarted. But when the No.7 was rushed yet again in the 89th minute, he bamboozled the Penrith defence to score a trademark match-winner.

Warriors v Roosters – Round 9, 2017

In a gritty performance that belied how the rest of 2017 would unfold, the Warriors pipped the heavyweight Roosters 14-13 at Mount Smart Stadium via a coolly taken last-minute penalty goal from Johnson.

Warriors v Raiders – Round 3, 2018

Johnson had produced a largely indifferent performance in Canberra as the Warriors fell behind early and grimly hung in the contest, shelving the brilliant running game that electrified their wins in the opening two rounds.

But he stepped up when it counted, burying back-to-back field goal chances to deliver a 20-19 triumph – the first deadlock-breaking field goal to win a match by a Warriors player since 2009.