Shaun Johnson facts for kids
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Personal information
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| Full name | Shaun Ly Johnson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 9 September 1990 Auckland, New Zealand |
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Playing information
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| Height | 179 cm (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 91 kg (14 st 5 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Halfback, Five-eighth | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Shaun Ly Johnson (born 9 September 1990) is a famous New Zealand former professional rugby league player. He played as a halfback (halfback) for the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League (NRL). He also represented New Zealand on the international stage.
Many people consider Johnson one of New Zealand's best rugby league players ever. He is often compared to other legends like Benji Marshall and Stacey Jones. Shaun holds the record for the most points scored for both the Warriors and the New Zealand Kiwis.
Johnson also played for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks as a five-eighth (five-eighth) in the NRL. He also played for the NRL All Stars team. In 2014, Shaun Johnson won the Rugby League World Golden Boot Award, which is given to the best player in the world.
Contents
Shaun's Early Life and Sports
Shaun Johnson was born in Auckland, New Zealand. His mother is from Laos, and his father is a New Zealander.
He grew up on the Whangaparāoa Peninsula and went to Whangaparaoa Primary School and Orewa College. Shaun was very active in sports. He played basketball, rugby union, and even Australian rules football. He even represented New Zealand in Australian rules football when he was under 16.
However, Shaun became best known for playing touch rugby and Rugby League. He represented New Zealand in both of these sports. He also played rugby union for his school's top team.
Shaun's Rugby League Journey
Starting His Professional Career
Johnson played for the Hibiscus Coast Raiders in the Auckland Rugby League competition. The New Zealand Warriors signed him in 2009.
Shaun began his professional career playing for the Junior Warriors in the Toyota Cup. In March 2009, famous league player Andrew Johns said he was very excited about Johnson. Johns compared him to when he first saw Stacey Jones play. Johnson played for the Junior Warriors in 2009 and 2010. He played 45 matches, scoring 25 tries and 159 goals. He finished his Toyota Cup career with 422 points.
In 2010, Johnson also played for the Auckland Vulcans in the NSW Cup. He also represented the Junior Kiwis that year. His last Toyota Cup game was when the Junior Warriors won the 2010 Grand Final.
NRL Debut and Grand Final Run (2011)
After an injury before the season, Johnson started 2011 with the Auckland Vulcans. He made his National Rugby League (NRL) debut in Round 13 against the Sydney Roosters. This happened because Brett Seymour was injured.
In his next game, in Round 14 against the Wests Tigers, Johnson scored his first NRL try. The Warriors lost that game 26–22. In Round 22, he scored an amazing 70-meter solo try against the Brisbane Broncos.
In the 2011 Preliminary Final against the Melbourne Storm, Johnson made a fantastic play. He set up a try for Lewis Brown in the 76th minute. This helped the Warriors win 20–12. The Warriors then reached the Grand Final, playing against the Manly Sea Eagles. The Warriors lost 24–10 in the 2011 NRL Grand Final. However, Johnson played a great game and almost led a comeback. He was involved in both tries and had some outstanding runs. In his first NRL year, Johnson played 16 matches and scored 6 tries.
Shaun was chosen for the New Zealand national rugby league team squad for the 2011 Rugby League Four Nations. But he had to pull out due to an injury. In November 2011, Johnson signed a new contract with the Warriors until the end of the 2014 season.
International Debut and Awards (2012)
Because Kieran Foran had a hamstring injury, Johnson was chosen to play halfback for the New Zealand national team. This was for the 2012 Anzac Test. In his first test match, Johnson scored an 80-meter intercept try. This happened at Eden Park in the Kiwis' 20–12 loss.
Along with Konrad Hurrell and Manu Vatuvei, Johnson was the top try-scorer for the 2012 New Zealand Warriors season. He scored 12 tries in 22 matches. Johnson also won the Rugby League International Federation's Rookie of the Year award for 2012.
World Cup Heroics (2013)
In February 2013, Johnson was picked to play for the NRL All Stars team in the 2013 All Stars match. He came off the bench in their 32–6 loss to the Indigenous All Stars.
For the 2013 Anzac Test, Johnson played halfback for New Zealand. He kicked two goals in their 32–12 loss against Australia. In Round 14 against the Sydney Roosters, Johnson famously chased down Michael Jennings. Jennings had picked up a loose ball and was running towards an open try line. The Warriors later won that match 23–12. Johnson played in all 24 of the Warriors' matches in the 2013 NRL season. He scored 10 tries.
After the season, Johnson was selected for New Zealand's 2013 Rugby League World Cup squad. In the World Cup Semi-Finals on 24 November against England, the game was tied 18-all with seconds left. Johnson scored the winning try in the 80th minute. He stepped and slid through a gap to level the score. Then he converted his own try to win the game. This secured the Kiwis' spot in the World Cup final. The Kiwis lost the final 34–2 to Australia. Johnson finished the tournament as the top points-scorer with 76 points (4 tries and 30 goals).
Golden Boot Winner (2014)
In February 2014, Johnson played in the Warriors' first ever NRL Auckland Nines tournament. He was the top point scorer with 40 points. He was also named the tournament's most valuable player. In February 2015, Johnson signed a new 3-year contract with the Warriors until the end of the 2017 season.
He played for New Zealand in the 2014 Anzac Test against Australia. He kicked 3 goals in the Kiwis' 30–18 loss. By the end of the Warriors' 2014 NRL season, he had played in 21 matches. He scored 9 tries, kicked 63 goals, and one field goal. In October 2014, Johnson was chosen for New Zealand's 2014 Four Nations squad. In November 2014, Johnson was key in leading the Kiwis to a 22–18 victory in the 2014 Four Nations final against Australia. He won the man of the match award for his performance, which included two assists and one try. In December 2014, Johnson won the Rugby League World Golden Boot Award. This award is for the best player in the world. He beat players like Sam Burgess, Johnathan Thurston, and Greg Inglis.
Injuries and Milestones (2015-2017)
In January 2015, Johnson was named captain of the Warriors' 2015 Auckland Nines squad. He played for New Zealand in the 2015 Anzac Test against Australia. He scored a try and kicked 3 goals in the Kiwis' 26–12 win. In Round 9 against the Cronulla Sharks, Johnson scored one of the best tries of the 2015 season. He avoided 5 defenders to score the try that won the match for the Warriors 20–16 in the last minute.
In Round 20 against the Manly Sea Eagles, Johnson suffered a season-ending ankle injury. This happened while he was scoring a try. He finished the 2015 NRL season playing in 18 matches. He scored 8 tries, kicked 48 goals, and 2 field goals.
In January 2016, Johnson was again named captain of the Warriors' 2016 Auckland Nines squad. In May 2016, Johnson played for the New Zealand national rugby league team against Australia. He played halfback in the 16–0 loss. Shaun Johnson was part of the 2016 New Zealand Kiwis team that reached the Final of the Four Nations tournament. They lost to the Australian Kangaroos 34–8.
In 2017, Shaun Johnson became New Zealand rugby league's highest test points scorer. This happened when the Kiwis beat Scotland 74–6. His second-half try broke Matthew Ridge's record of 168 points. His total of 22 points from that Rugby League World Cup match took him to 175 points.
Moving to the Sharks (2018-2021)
In 2018, Johnson helped guide the Warriors back to the finals. However, they were knocked out by the Penrith Panthers in the first round. In November, Johnson was allowed to leave his contract with the New Zealand Warriors early. In December, Cronulla announced they had signed Johnson for three years.
In 2019, Johnson made his debut for Cronulla in Round 1 against Newcastle. He scored his first try for Cronulla in Round 5 against the Sydney Roosters. In Round 7, Johnson left the field with a torn hamstring and was out for 4–6 weeks.
In Round 15, Johnson scored a try but missed all three goal attempts. Cronulla lost 14–12 to Canterbury-Bankstown. The next week, his goal-kicking duties were given to Chad Townsend. Johnson was later taken out of the game by coach John Morris. Cronulla lost 24–22. This was the third game in a row the club lost due to poor goal kicking. Johnson played 18 games for Cronulla in his first season. They finished 7th and made the finals. Johnson played in their elimination final loss to Manly.
In Round 19 of the 2020 NRL season, Johnson suffered a serious leg injury against the Sydney Roosters. Before his injury, Johnson had a league-high 23 try assists. It was later found that Johnson had torn his Achilles tendon. This ruled him out for the rest of the year.
In Round 7 of the 2021 NRL season, Johnson returned to the Cronulla team. In June, Cronulla told Johnson that they would not need his services after the 2021 NRL season. In Round 14 against Penrith, Johnson kicked the winning field goal. Cronulla won the match 19–18. In June, it was announced that Johnson would return to the New Zealand Warriors on a two-year deal. In July, it was revealed that Johnson would be out for at least eight weeks with a hamstring injury. In August, it was announced that Johnson would miss the rest of the 2021 NRL season.
Return to the Warriors and Career Resurgence (2022-2024)
In Round 5 of the 2022 NRL season, Johnson kicked the winning field goal for the New Zealand Warriors. They won 25–24 in golden point extra time against North Queensland. In Round 8, Johnson kicked another field goal in golden point to win the game for New Zealand 21–20 over Canberra. Johnson played 21 games for the New Zealand club. They finished 15th on the table.
After a few average seasons, Johnson proved his critics wrong in 2023. He started the season strong with a 4–1 record. Johnson greatly improved his overall game, especially his kicking and playmaking.
In Round 5 of the 2023 NRL season, Johnson kicked a penalty goal with less than one minute left. The New Zealand Warriors defeated Cronulla 32–30. The club was trailing 26–6 at half-time. In his interview after the game, Johnson ended by saying “Up The Wahs, baby”. This phrase, Up The Wahs, became very popular in New Zealand.
In Round 14, Johnson scored two tries and kicked five goals. New Zealand defeated the Dolphins 30–8. In Round 19, Johnson played his 200th game for the New Zealand Warriors. He became only the fifth player to do so. The Warriors won that game 46–10 against a weaker Parramatta team. In Round 21, Johnson kicked a field goal in golden point extra-time to win the game for the New Zealand Warriors 21–20 against Canberra. In Round 23, Johnson scored two tries for New Zealand in their 28–18 victory over the Gold Coast.
In September, Johnson won the Simon Mannering Medal as the Warriors' Player Of The Year. He also won the Players' Player Of The Year and the One New Zealand People’s Choice award. He was chosen for the RLPA’s Team Of The Year. This means other NRL players voted him the best halfback in 2023.
Johnson finished the 2023 season leading the league in try assists, total kicks, and kick meters. His amazing comeback led to the Warriors' first top 4 finish since 2008. They qualified for their first finals since 2018. Johnson missed the Week 1 Finals loss to Penrith due to a calf injury. He returned the next week with two line break assists and two try assists in the New Zealand Warriors' win against Newcastle. The New Zealand Warriors lost in the preliminary final to the Brisbane Broncos. In September, Johnson was named the 2023 Dally M Halfback of the Year. He also finished as the runner-up for the Dally M Medal.
In Round 5 of the 2024 NRL season, Johnson scored two tries for New Zealand in their 34–4 victory over South Sydney. In June, it was announced that Johnson would miss at least a month with an Achilles tendon injury. In August, Johnson announced he was retiring from the NRL. During Round 25, the Warriors' home stadium for the match was named the Shaun Johnson Stadium. Johnson played his final NRL match in Round 26 against Cronulla. He set up a match-winning try in the final play of his career.
In October 2024, he returned to international duty for the first time since 2019. He replaced Jahrome Hughes for the New Zealand Kiwis’ Pacific Championships campaign against the Kangaroos and Tonga.
Shaun's Personal Life
Johnson married Silver Fern Kayla Johnson (whose maiden name was Cullen) in Byron Bay in 2019. The couple has two daughters, born in 2020 and 2023.
Career Statistics
| Year | Team | Appearances | Tries | Goals | Goal-kicking % | Field Goals | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 NRL Season |  New Zealand Warriors |
16 | 6 | – | – | – | 24 |
| 2012 NRL Season | 22 | 12 | – | – | – | 48 | |
| 2013 NRL Season | 24 | 10 | 67/89 | 75.28% | 3 | 177 | |
| 2014 NRL Season | 21 | 9 | 63/83 | 75.90% | 1 | 163 | |
| 2015 NRL Season | 18 | 8 | 48/70 | 68 | 2 | 130 | |
| 2016 NRL Season | 24 | 10 | 42/57 | 73 | 1 | 125 | |
| 2017 NRL Season | 18 | 4 | 45/57 | 78 | 2 | 108 | |
| 2018 NRL Season | 19 | 4 | 61/80 | 76.25% | 4 | 142 | |
| 2019 NRL Season |  Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks |
18 | 3 | 45/59 | 76.27% | – | 102 |
| 2020 NRL Season | 16 | 2 | 56/73 | 76.71% | – | 120 | |
| 2021 NRL Season | 10 | 1 | 18/20 | 90.00% | 1 | 41 | |
| 2022 NRL Season | New Zealand Warriors |
21 | 3 | 14/18 | 77.78% | 2 | 42 |
| 2023 NRL Season | 24 | 8 | 71/89 | 79.78% | 2 | 176 | |
| 2024 NRL Season | 16 | 5 | 29 | 78 | |||
| Totals | 268 | 85 | 559 | 18 | 1476 |
Cricket Career
Shaun Johnson made his debut for Team Cricket in the Back Clash cricket game (T20 Format) in Christchurch, New Zealand, in January 2025. Shaun Johnson faced only 3 balls, hitting them for 5 runs and getting 1 Four before getting out. Shaun Johnson also managed to get a wicket during the match, getting Colin Slade out for 16 runs off 10 balls. Shaun Johnson played a key part in Team Cricket's 5 Run Victory.
External Links
- Cronulla Sharks profile
- New Zealand Warriors profile
- 2017 RLWC profile
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