Andrew Johns facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Andrew "Joey" Johns

Personal information
Full name	Andrew Gary Johns
Born	(1974-05-19) 19 May 1974 (age 51) Cessnock, New South Wales, Australia
Playing information
Height	179 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	89 kg (196 lb; 14 st 0 lb)
Position	Halfback, Hooker
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1993–2007 Newcastle Knights 249 80 917 22 2176 2005 Warrington Wolves 3 1 12 1 29 Total 252 81 929 23 2205 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1995–2003 Country Origin 3 1 7 0 18 1995–2005 New South Wales 23 4 37 4 94 1995–2006 Australia 26 12 89 0 226
Relatives	Matthew Johns (brother) Jack Johns (nephew) Cooper Johns (nephew)

Andrew Gary Johns (born 19 May 1974), known as Joey, is an Australian former professional rugby league player. Many people consider him one of the greatest rugby league players ever. Johns led the Newcastle Knights to two big wins in 1997 and 2001. He played a record 249 games for the Knights.

Johns also played for Australia in two World Cups. He played 21 Test matches for the national team. He also played 23 State of Origin series games for the New South Wales Blues. He was captain of the Blues when they won the series in 2003.

Johns stopped playing rugby league on 10 April 2007, when he was 32. This was because of many injuries, including a serious neck injury. Playing more could have caused a very serious spinal injury. Andrew Johns is one of only four players to win the Golden Boot Award more than once. He is also one of only two players to win the Dally M Medal three times. He ended his career as the highest points scorer in Australian rugby league history with 2,176 points.

In 2008, Johns was named the Greatest Player of the last 30 years by 'Rugby League Week' magazine. On 28 September 2012, Johns was named the eighth 'Immortal' of rugby league. This is a special title for the very best players.

Andrew Johns: Rugby League Star

Early Days in Rugby League

Andrew Johns started playing junior rugby league in his hometown of Cessnock. He played for the Cessnock Goannas. It was clear early on that he was a very talented player. Johns joined the Newcastle Knights junior teams in 1989 when he was 15.

Four years later, in 1993, Johns got his chance to play in the top league. He played a few games from the bench. In 1994, the regular halfback for Newcastle got injured. This gave Johns his big opportunity.

He was chosen to start against the South Sydney Rabbitohs. In his first game, he scored 23 points and won the Man of the Match award. He soon became a strong player alongside his older brother, Matthew, who also played for the Knights.

Becoming a Champion Player

The 1995 ARL season was a great time for Johns. He was chosen to play for New South Wales in the 1995 State of Origin series for the first time. This was because some top players were not available. That same year, he played for the Kangaroos. He helped Australia win the 1995 Rugby League World Cup in England.

He played as a hooker and was named man of the match in the final against England. Australia kept the World Cup trophy. After the World Cup, Johns was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament. From then on, Johns was usually picked for state and national teams if he was fit to play.

First Grand Final Win

In the 1997 ARL season, Johns was key to the Knights reaching their first grand final. They played against the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. There were worries Johns might not play because he had broken ribs and a punctured lung. But Johns played, and with less than a minute left, he made a famous play.

With the score tied, Johns moved to dummy half. He passed the ball to Darren Albert who scored the winning try. With only six seconds left, Newcastle won their first championship.

Dally M Awards and Captaincy

In the new National Rugby League in 1998, the Knights played even better. Johns was amazing and won his first Dally M Medal for Player of the Year. He won this award again in 1999, becoming the first player to win it two years in a row since 1978.

Johns became captain of the Newcastle team after Paul Harragon retired. Many people wondered if the team would do well without Matthew Johns, who had joined an English club. But Johns led Newcastle to another Grand Final win in 2001. They beat the Parramatta Eels 30–24.

He won the Clive Churchill Medal for Man of the Match in the Grand Final. At the end of 2001, he went on the 2001 Kangaroo tour. He scored the most points in Australia's series win. He also received the Australian Sports Medal for his impact on rugby league.

Later Career and Retirement

After winning the 2001 NRL Premiership, the Knights played in England for the 2002 World Club Challenge. Johns captained the team. In 2002, Johns became captain of both New South Wales and Australia. He was named Player of the Series against Great Britain.

At the club level, Johns and the Knights played well. But Johns broke a bone in his back during the finals. Without him, the Knights lost and were knocked out of the season. Even with his injury, Johns won the Dally M Medal for Player of the Year for a record third time. Only one other player has achieved this.

Injuries and Tough Decisions

Johns' back injury in 2002 was the start of many injuries. He had a serious neck injury in 2003. He also had a knee injury that kept him out of most of the 2004 season. In early 2005, he broke his jaw.

In 2004, Johns was offered a lot of money to switch to rugby union. Many former players from both sports shared their opinions. After discussions, Johns decided to stay in rugby league. He said his son wanted him to stay in the sport.

In 2005, Johns returned from injuries to play for New South Wales in the 2005 State of Origin series. He was Man-of-the-Match in the second game, helping the Blues win. He also played well in Game 3, securing the series win for New South Wales.

In August 2005, Johns joined the Super League team, the Warrington Wolves, for a short time. He played in their last two regular season games.

Breaking Records and Retirement

Andrew Johns broke a long-standing record in 2006. He scored 30 points in one game against the Canberra Raiders. This made him the highest points scorer for a single club, passing Mick Cronin's record. Later that year, he became the highest points scorer in the 98-year history of Australian first-grade rugby league. He passed Jason Taylor's record of 2,107 points.

In the 2007 season, Johns was injured in the first game. He returned in Round 3, but it was his last career match. A training tackle led to a neck injury. Doctors advised Johns to retire from professional football because any more neck injuries could be very dangerous. On 10 April 2007, Johns announced he was retiring.

The Newcastle Knights' season struggled after Johns retired. They finished near the bottom of the ladder. Johns said he had been thinking about retiring at the end of 2007 anyway. Many former players said Johns should be named an 'Immortal' right away. In October 2008, Johns walked from Newcastle to Sydney to raise money for charity.

Cricket Career

In June 2006, it was announced that Johns would play Twenty20 cricket for New South Wales. This caused a lot of media attention. Johns made his professional cricket debut on 7 January 2007. He played against South Australia in his hometown of Newcastle. In his second match, he scored nine runs, and his short cricket career ended.

Life After Playing Rugby League

Johns in 2011

After retiring, Johns was invited to play with the New Zealand team in a special match. Despite his neck injury, he played without getting hurt. Andrew became a commentator for Channel 9 and Triple M radio.

On 22 April 2007, Newcastle held a special farewell for Andrew Johns. The Knights renamed their new grandstand the Andrew Johns Stand. His number 7 jersey was also retired for that match. Later, the Knights named Johns as halfback and captain for their Team of the Era.

In June 2007, Johns started working as a part-time coach. He helped the Wallabies with their kicking. In October 2007, Johns married Cathrine Mahoney. He also took on part-time coaching roles with the Parramatta Eels and Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. He worked with players on their skills.

In February 2008, Johns was named the Best Player of the Last 30 Years by a rugby league magazine. On 17 April 2008, he was named in the Australian Rugby League's Team of the Century as a halfback. In 2010, Johns also worked with the Melbourne Rebels rugby union team.

On 28 September 2012, Johns was officially named the eighth 'Immortal' of the game. In November 2012, Johns became an assistant coach for the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. He helped mentor players and served as an ambassador.

See Also

• List of cricket and rugby league players

Images for kids

• 

  Andrew Johns playing for the Newcastle Knights.